TOYO Si-7 Series: More Than Just a New Controller
On a first glance, the Si-7 looks about the same as the Si-6s. The controller is still large and user-friendly, and the machine’s overall design has remained consistent. But on the inside, TOYO Innovex has tweaked and perfected the Si-7 Series in order to make them faster, easier to maintain, and safer without sacrificing any of the efficiency and sustainability these machines are known for.
Machine and Clamp Improvements
The machine’s frame itself needed to be more rigid in order to support higher mold weights, so TOYO increased the frame rigidity. The maximum mold weight capacity has increased as much as 55% on models ranging from 50 to 750 tons. TOYO also expanded the daylight to accommodate thicker molds, and increased the tie-bar spacing on some of the models.
The clamp on the mold has also been improved with the addition of a standard tie-bar load sensor mounted on the non-operator side lower rear tie-bar. This ensures consistent molding quality and repeatability by providing continuous feedback, as well as making more precise clamp tonnage settings possible.
The linear guides for the clamp have also added to all machines from the Si-55-7 to the Si-500-7, which means improved guidance and stability for all machines between 55 and 500 tons. The mold running surface is also more rigid, with allows for long-term accuracy and increased capacity for the weight of the installable movable mold platen by an average of 50%.
Not only that, but the mold clamping force sensor is now provided as standard. This sensor helps prevent excessive mold clamping force that overloads the mold as well as preventing defects from insufficient clamping force. It is also positioned on the fixed platen in a way that prevents interference from the movable platen during mold opening and closing, so the size of molds is not limited by the sensor.
New SYSTEM800 SE Control System
The new SYSTEM800 SE control platform was designed with improved visibility and functionality in mind, all for greater convenience and simplified maintainability.
The built-in calculator is larger, with expanded V+a acceleration control options as well. Split-screen monitor display allows operators to compare current monitoring data against the previous production data, and the condition review display compares live settings to stored recipe values. Any differences are highlighted in green. There is also a machine status visualization with graphical displays and operational history tracking for up to five years. Not only that, but there are five molding drive modes in order to optimize performance across a wide range of applications
Process Control & Quality Improvements
Meltcon Automatic Viscosity Management
Meltcon helps maintain consistent resin viscosity without operator intervention. As long as you establish the desired resin viscosity as the quality standard, the system will automatically adjust the barrel temperature to compensate for material lot-to-lot variations. This serves to improve part consistency and reduce process adjustments.
Check Ring Wear Diagnosis
Using the data from the Meltcon process, the machine can also keep track of the amount of wear on the check ring. This eliminates unnecessary screw tip inspections, provides predictive information on check ring condition, and allows for planned maintenance based on actual wear rather than assumptions.
Injection Load Cell Auto-Correction
This function automatically detects load cell deviations greater than 1 MPa, allowing for quick zero-point correction to improve measurement accuracy.
Enhanced Automation & Connectivity
Peripheral Equipment Linked Operation
The Si-7 can now coordinate machine operation with external devices. You can synchronize molding operations with peripheral equipment to improve production efficiency and process control. Utilize any spare I/O and make custom interfaces for integrated automation solutions.
Convenience & Operator Support
In order to improve quality of life for operators, TOYO Innovex made a few small changes. With card reader authentication, user login is still secure and quick without the need for remembering passwords. The Help function has been integrated so that relevant operation manual information is accessible directly from screen prompts. The maintenance record function also simplifies maintenance tracking and documentation by keeping the records in the machine’s memory.
Sustainability & Reduced Operating Costs
With TOYO’s proprietary PLASTAR GREASE and lubricant-saving machine design, grease usage has been reduced up to 90%. The built-in guidance also helps operators determine the proper lubrication intervals.
The reduced resource consumption, lower maintenance requirements, and improved operator safety are all in line with the sustainable manufacturing practices encouraged by modern environmental initiatives.
The Bottom Line
It might be visually similar, but the Si-7 has refined and perfected the strengths of the Si-6s. From improving the frame rigidity to increase mold weight capacity to reducing the grease usage to be more economical, essentially every aspect of the Si-7 Series has been improved.