IML Robot Programming and Setup Guide

A complete IML system for HWAMDA SPV5 thin-wall production consists of four main subsystems: the side-entry robot arm, the label magazine and dispenser, the end-of-arm tooling (EOAT), and the control system interfacing with the INOVA controller. Side-entry robots are preferred for food packaging because they enter the mold from the side during the mold-open phase, achieving faster in-out times of 0.8-1.5 seconds compared to 1.5-3.0 seconds for top-entry systems. SWITEK robots commonly paired with SPV5 machines use servo-driven linear axes with repeatability of plus or minus 0.05mm. The label magazine stores 2,000-5,000 pre-printed PP labels per stack and uses electrostatic charging to singulate labels for pickup. The EOAT carries vacuum cups for label pickup and part removal simultaneously—one side picks labels from the magazine while the opposite side removes finished containers from the mold. For an 8-cavity yogurt cup mold, the EOAT has 8 label pickup positions and 8 part removal positions arranged in the cavity pitch pattern. The robot controller communicates with the INOVA controller via hardwired I/O signals (8-16 digital signals) and optional Euromap 67 interface for standardized robot-machine communication.

Program the IML robot in six essential teach points executed in the following sequence. Point 1 (Home Position): the robot arm fully retracted outside the mold area, clear of the safety gate zone. Point 2 (Magazine Pickup): the EOAT positioned over the label magazine with vacuum cups aligned to the top label within plus or minus 0.2mm. Point 3 (Mold Entry): the EOAT carrying labels entering the mold space, clearing the tie bars by a minimum 10mm on each side. Point 4 (Label Placement): the EOAT pressing labels against the mold cavity surfaces with 2-5 Newtons of contact force per label for electrostatic adhesion. Point 5 (Part Removal): the EOAT shifting to align the part removal vacuum cups with the molded containers on the core side. Point 6 (Part Release): the EOAT moving to the discharge position over the conveyor or stacking system where vacuum releases the finished containers. Program approach and retract speeds independently—approach speeds of 500-800mm/s for the entry stroke and retract speeds of 800-1,200mm/s for the exit stroke minimize the in-mold time. Set acceleration and deceleration profiles to S-curve (not trapezoidal) to reduce vibration that can dislodge labels during placement.

The IML robot and INOVA controller exchange 8-12 critical handshake signals that must be properly configured for safe, synchronized operation. From the INOVA to the robot: Mold Open Complete signal confirms the mold has reached full open position and the ejector has cycled. Core Pull Complete signal (if applicable) confirms any side actions are retracted. Robot Entry Permitted is a safety-confirmed signal that the mold will not close while the robot is inside. From the robot to the INOVA: Robot at Home confirms the robot arm is fully retracted and clear of the mold area—this signal must be active before the INOVA will initiate mold closing. Label Placed confirms all labels are positioned in the cavities and the EOAT has retracted. Robot Alarm signals a fault condition that should halt the machine cycle. Configure all critical signals as NC (normally closed) type so that a wire break defaults to the safe state (machine stops). Set the INOVA mold close interlock to require both Robot at Home AND a minimum 200ms dwell time after receiving the signal, preventing false starts from signal bounce. Program the mold-open delay in the INOVA to 0.1-0.3 seconds before issuing the Robot Entry Permitted signal, allowing residual clamping pressure to fully release.

The IML robot cycle must complete within the mold-open window, which on SPV5 machines running thin-wall production is typically 1.5-2.5 seconds of the total 3.5-6 second cycle. The robot in-mold time (from entry to full retraction) should not exceed 1.2-1.8 seconds for a side-entry system on 4-8 cavity molds. To optimize cycle time, maximize the mold-open stroke speed on the INOVA controller to reduce the mold open/close phase, which saves 0.2-0.5 seconds per cycle. Implement parallel motion where the robot begins its entry approach while the mold is still opening the final 50-80mm—this requires precise position synchronization between the INOVA mold position encoder and the robot controller. Use the INOVA controller's cycle analysis screen to identify bottlenecks: if the Robot at Home signal consistently arrives 0.3+ seconds after mold close readiness, focus on optimizing robot retract speed and path. Common troubleshooting issues include intermittent label drop (check vacuum generator, clean vacuum cups, verify label magazine alignment), inconsistent cycle times (check servo drive parameters, clean linear guide rails, lubricate with ISO VG 32 oil every 500 hours), and robot alarm during mold close (verify signal cable integrity, check proximity switch gaps, and increase the Robot at Home detection window by 50ms in the INOVA settings).