The communication backbone of the Flexible Automation for Extrusion is based on Ethernet.  Ethernet is very well known in most factories today.  Once the new extruder system is placed on the factory floor, it can easily be connected to the plant information system providing all the necessary information from raw material to packaging.

We have based the control concept around bringing all communication back to one HMI so the system is easily set-up and monitored from one common HMI system.  Within the system, all intelligent devices are either communicating back to the main HMI on a serial, remote I/O bus, or Ethernet communication.  The data is all brought back to one common point for historical trending, SPC and web view options.