RJG has completed a round of upgrades to their eDART System™ software. The engineering team at RJG is always working on ways to improve the performance of the eDART System™ and to simplify it’s use. This latest release has some new features, as well as some reintroduced functions.
A cross-copy function that was removed in an earlier release, has now been restored as a server based version with a more robust network error checking mechanism. This new version only works if the cross-copy service is installed on a server. All configuration files (e.g. alarms, setpoints, templates, setup notes) are automatically up-copied to the server as they become revised. Then you have the option of having the server automatically update all the eDART’s on your network.
The maintenance files for the eDART now reside on the server, where you can delete unused molds, pre-add new molds (folders), add .html or .txt files for Setup Notes, re-name molds, all without having to be physically at the actual eDART. This way an administrator can keep the documentation up to date and organized, as well as making sure the information is available at every eDART when a job is started. It also makes sure that all critical control settings for transfer and part sorting are current across the plant, regardless of where the process is run. If you add a new eDART to the network, the server can automatically populate it with the latest setups.
A new feature has been added to the diverter controls that instructs the eDART to automatically reject a designated number of parts when a press starts up after it has been down. This feature is very useful when you run material that tends to burn or otherwise degrade in the barrel or hot runner system, after extended down time. Even with cavity pressure sensors it is often impossible to detect the fact that the material has degraded. Thus you could allow parts to be counted as good even though they are burned or structurally unsound. Now you can program the diverter control to discard a certain number of parts each time the machine goes down as an additional failsafe measure for quality.
RJG has increased the amount of memory allocated for sequence signals in order to hold the data until the delayed write cycle has time to write to disk, insuring no sequence data will be lost.
RJG has developed a new web based software application for viewing information about their eDART™ process controllers, through the use of an Insight Server. Customers who utilize an RJG Insight Server can run this new software to view the current status of all networked eDART's using their existing web browser. Because this software resides on a server, there is no need to install a stand alone client application on each and every workstation. This software allows you to view cycle graphs, summary graphs and machine status information in real time.
If your facility is like most, you have a handful of jobs that tend to be the most problematic. This new software provides you with a tool for monitoring those jobs. By setting up the software to view a specific group of machines, you can keep an eye on those problematic jobs easily, even remotely, with a standard web browser. Users can view cycle and summary graphs for any eDART on the network in true real-time. The overview status is generated in real-time, not a replay of saved data, which serves as a useful tool for checking the current status of your running jobs.
The report view is customizable, so you can set it up to view only the items that are important to you. There are added category columns to choose from, making it simple to customize the report format to fit your needs. An overview page can be printed for those who prefer a hard copy report.
RJG’s System Overview softyware has been enhanced to display more information about the eDART’s on your network, such as the Alarm State, eDART Group and eDART software version. In addition to launching a Phindows session to each eDART, the System Overview can now launch the Data Extractor Tool, which will allow you to retrieve data files from the selected eDART.
System Overview is the stand alone version of the Advanced System Overview and does not require an Insight Server in order to run. It is installed from the eDART Utilities CD onto any workstation.
RJG has developed new software that dramatically simplifies data transfer from an eDART to a Windows PC. This software is available with the suite of software tools in the eDART Utilities CD that is supplied with every eDART. The Data Extractor Tool automatically identifies configuration, Cycle and Summary data files on the eDART for easy selection and transfer to the Windows PC. Following data transfer, users can then utilize the eDART Analyzer software for finite process analysis, or the Auto Correlator tool for determining critical to quality process parameters that can be used for Automated Part Containment.
RJG’s mission statement and guiding rule is “Helping Molders Succeed.” To accomplish this we have reengineered our products to be more intuitive to our customers needs. Our goal is to provide our customers with the tools they need to process the highest quality plastic parts, with the least amount of waste, in reduced cycle times.
June 8, 2007