… or you will be hit by the train.

Customer support et. al. say that some 90% of problems are related to improperly wired or named sequence signals.

Check Sequence Inputs

When starting a job on the eDART stop at the sensor locations screen and look at the signals – the little green lights on the right. Sequence the machine: inject, run the screw, clamp the mold, shift in and out of manual and so on.

Always set the names of sequence signals that do not light up or do something strange to “Not Used” (or “Unknown” … see below).

Check Cavity Pressure Sensors

Then check the cavity pressure sensors. These read in pounds for force buttons (under ejector pins) and psi for flush mounts. Press on them and make sure they go up. Select the location closest to where the sensor is in the cavity. Enter a cavity id if there is more than one cavity or more than one sensor in a cavity.

Once the sequencing is set up correctly it will be memorized by the eDART unless the customer replaces the sequence module or (if cross-copy is not running) the eDART.

Always, always, always verify sequencing on new installations or when you first come in for support or training.

Additional Details:

The eDART makes internal decisions and calculates values based on the names of things. So the names of the sequence signals are critical. If you call them what they are not then you will have project troubleshooting the problem or could cause the customer to loose data.

If you are not sure of a sequence signal you can call it “Unknown”, often with an id. I use the terminal number (“signal” – the number to the right of the colon on the serial number list). Then you can display the unknown signal on the sequence trace on the cycle graph and make a guess as to what it really is.

Look for bounces in sequence signals on the sequence traces of the cycle graph. Sometimes mold clamped won’t stay on the whole cycle. Or the screw run will go on and off or go off after suckback. If they are not doing what they are supposed to, call them “Not Used” or “Unknown”. It is better to not have a sequence signal at all than to have one that is doing the wrong thing.