Extrusion International 5-2025

77 Extrusion International 5/2025 New Intelligent Assistance Systems for More Uptime D etecting wear on key com- ponents at an early stage mi- nimises the risk of unscheduled downtime in plastics recycling. ER- EMA’s PredictOn solutions enable predictive maintenance based on current process data in real time. The result is that maintenance mea- sures can be scheduled in good time and, in contrast to routine preven- tive maintenance, are only per- formed if they are really necessary. Personnel deployment and spare parts procurement can be better coordinated, reducing maintenance costs and increasing system uptime. PredictOn provides instructions on recommended maintenance tasks, supported in part by video tutorials. PredictOn:Drive monitors all the main drive trains on the precon- ditioning unit and the extruder, as well as the vacuum pump sta- tus on PET systems. The new in- depth data analysis option makes PredictOn:Drive even more power- ful because it detects any abnormal process values and automatically triggers remote analysis using AI- supported algorithms to identify potential damage and pinpoint the affected components. In the event of anomalies, the machine opera- tor receives precise diagnoses and speci c recommendations for ac - tion directly on the BluPort® plat- form. Monthly status reports also provide an analysis of all monitored components. This is the rst ever intelligent assistance system to continuously monitor the status of the plasticis- ing unit. Ultrasonic sensors detect wear to the extruder screw and barrel in real time without direct contact with the melt. Dimension- al changes are displayed on the machine HMI using a traf c light colour system, and detailed long- term data can be viewed online on the BluPort® platform. This means that critical states of the plasticis- ing unit can be detected at an early stage to avoid unscheduled ma- chine downtime. Individually de- ned wear limits for the extruder screw and barrel make it possible to get the maximum operating time out of component service life and see when it is best to replace the component. This signi cantly improves reliability in scheduling. The visualisation of both Pre- dictOn modules is fully integrated into the BluPort® online platform. It accompanies customers through the entire product life cycle, from initial contact to maintenance and upgrades, and potentially to a sub- sequent repurchase of the equip - ment. All information on quality control, spare parts, contact per- sons and system data is displayed in one place, accessible at any time, barrier-free, and synchronised be- tween desktop and mobile devices. Over 4,500 users worldwide ben- e t from the advantages offered by this platform. "BluPort® lets us offer a comprehensive digital eco- system that supports customers in their daily work, puts them in touch with the right contacts, and keeps everyone involved on the same level of information," says Chris- toph Krump, Head of Business Unit Service at EREMA. "Together with our experts' know-how, we offer our customers a strong network of digital tools and technical expertise wherever they are." Visitors to K can experience PredictOn live in action on an IN- TAREMA® TVEplus® DuaFil® Compact, processing different input materials. The machine is equipped with PredictOn:Drive and PredictOn:Plasti cation Unit. The BluPort® displays at the ER- EMA stand and at the Edvanced Recycling Centre in the outdoor area will let visitors see how the as- sistance systems work. EREMA Group www.erema.com, edvanced.erema.com K 2025: Hall 9, Stand C09, and Edvanced Recycling Centre: Outdoor area, CE03 Intelligent assistance in the extrusion process: PredictOn:Plasti cation Unit continuously monitors the status of the extruder screw and barrel and signals any deviations (Photo credits: EREMA GmbH)