A New Use Strategy of Artificial Intelligence Algorithms for Energy Optimization in Plastic Injection Molding

Plastic injection molding is a widespread industrial process in manufacturing. This article investigates the energy consumption in the injection molding process of fruit containers, proposing a new use strategy for the application of artificial intelligence algorithms. The aim is to optimize the process parameters, such as the mold temperatures, the injector temperatures, and the cycle time, to minimize energy consumption. This new use strategy, a hybrid use strategy, combines an unsupervised autoencoder with the K-Means algorithm to analyze production data and identify factors influencing energy consumption. The results show the capability of discovering different operating modes at different levels of energy requirements. An analysis of the process parameters reveals that the number of parts left to complete production, the current cycle counter, the number of shots left to complete the production, the material needed to complete the production, and the total time dedicated to production, so far, are the most relevant features for the optimization of the energy consumption per single piece. The study demonstrates the potential of common artificial intelligence algorithms if appropriately used to improve the sustainability of the plastic injection molding process.