Gefran PLAST 2023

Products and platforms for smart and sustainable automation

Gefran is participating in PLAST 2023

Gefran is participating in PLAST 2023 (hall 15 stand C71), one of the world’s leading fairs for the plastics and rubber industry, scheduled in Milan from September 5 to 8.

The concept of the stand stems from the profound process know-how that distinguishes and positions Gefran as a reference partner for OEM, system integrator and End User in the field of machines for blowing, injection and extrusion of plastic. An offer that includes innovative products and, thanks to Gefran Soluzioni, in the design and construction of automation systems, electrical panels and software dedicated to the world of plastics.

“Plast represents a unique opportunity to renew our commitment to Customers and Partners and to confirm Gefran’s role as a leading company in the field of technological evolution. Over 60 years of experience in this market have allowed us to develop a deep knowledge of the main applications and to fuel continuous innovation,” comments Marcello Perini, CEO of Gefran, who concludes: “This application leadership will be the common thread of our stand, where various innovations will be found in the name of pervasive digitalization and sustainability.”

The main product news at the fair

GRZ-H – bi/three-phase SSR

Plast will be an opportunity to present the new GRZ series for the control of two-phase and three-phase loads in electric heating. Based on the innovative GRx platform, from which they inherit the extremely compact format, these SSRs are scalable over a particularly wide current range, ranging from 10A to 75A.

GRM – Single-phase Power Controller

The GRM-H series power controllers, dedicated to the control of resistive loads in industrial heating, and already available with analog and digital IO-Link control, now also integrate the Modbus RTU protocol, with an RS485 serial interface. Thanks to digital communication and integrated diagnostics, they allow advanced Industry 4.0 functions to be brought deep into the machines and to connect the field level with factory (Edge) or remote (Cloud) intelligence.

Smart sensors

Strong focus on digitalization also for the entire Gefran sensor range.                                                                    It starts with the melt sensors with the ILI series, based on IMPACT technology without filling liquid for a lower environmental impact and IO-Link connectivity, and the HIX series, dedicated to polymer extrusion plants with ATEX , SIL2 and PLd certifications and HART serial communication protocol.

For position measurement, the WRA-E and WPA-E series will be presented, with HYPERWAVE magnetostrictive technology and EtherCAT connectivity.

KS-I is the industrial pressure probe equipped with an IO-Link interface, with advanced diagnostic functions and capable of measuring both pressure and temperature, with a sampling rate equal to 1,000 times per second.

G-Mation G3 – Ethercat-based modular I/O

Also noteworthy is the new generation of EtherCAT G-Mation G3-based I/O, dedicated to the advanced management of signals in the field. The modular mechanics allow efficient installation and guarantees simplified maintenance: the electronic module, for example, is separated from the terminal and allows the entire electrical panel to be pre-wired. The G3 I/O completes the G-Vision operator panels, with capacitive multitouch screens from 7” to 21”, in the context of G-Mation automation architectures. High performance, modularity, scalability even for the most complex applications and the use of standard protocols to ensure maximum interoperability: these are the key concepts of Gefran’s full G-Mation solutions ideal for plastic extrusion lines and injection presses.

QE2008-W – System for measuring deformation

Also noteworthy is the QE2008-W system, the latest evolution of the complete set of wireless sensors for the even more accurate measurement of column deformation and mold closing force, in injection molding and die casting applications. The product has been enriched with exclusive features, including: Bluetooth 5.0 communication, long-life lithium polymer batteries and fast charging, and the monitoring of the cavity pressure profile.

Pervasive digitalization and sustainability

A fundamental aspect of Gefran’s offering lies in the ability of individual products to generate

useful data for process control, for the energy efficiency of the plant and for condition monitoring. The GRM-H series power controllers, for example, allow on the one hand the precise and timely measurement of the data in the field, up to the single heating zone, while enabling the aggregation of data in a multiline and multiplant logic and cloud analysis.

At the fair, it will be possible to see a practical example of this approach through an OPC UA field to cloud application where data collected in the field through IO-Link by Gefran sensors and SSRs are transmitted to the cloud in an efficient and scalable way through standard protocols such as MQTT and OPC UA.

Finally, Plast represents an important moment to share Gefran’s approach to the issue of sustainability. Giovanna Franceschetti, vice president of Gefran, will speak at the conference “Sustainability between business opportunities and system obligations: comparing experiences” scheduled for Tuesday, September 5 at 15.00, in the conference room (Hall 24/A01).

Inside the stand, it will also be possible to discover the 4 pillars underlying the strategic plan: the centrality of people, the contribution to the ecological transition, sustainable product innovation and the sustainability of the supply chain.