Custom injection moulding planning app based on cycle time
Appfront builds apps for injection moulding companies that want their machine scheduling to reflect what is actually happening on the shop floor: matching moulds to machines by clamping force and shot weight, planning around the real cycle time and the number of working cavities as reported by the machine, factoring in mould changeovers and material drying, and rescheduling automatically when an order runs slower than expected. So your schedule matches the floor, and a delivery date isn't missed because the cycle time in the ERP has been out of date for years.
What is a cycle-time-based injection moulding scheduling app?
In an injection moulding plant, the cycle time determines how long an order occupies a machine. A mould with eight cavities and a cycle of twenty seconds produces a fixed number of parts per hour; if one cavity is blocked or the cycle runs longer, the schedule no longer holds. A moulding scheduling app plans on the actual cycle time and the number of working cavities, and takes into account which mould fits which machine.
In many moulding plants, the ERP holds a cycle time that was entered once and never updated. The planner knows one mould runs slower than the system assumes and corrects by feel. A mould change that takes longer than planned, or material that still needs to dry, doesn't appear in the schedule. An order that falls behind is only noticed once it is late. And finding out which machine is free for an urgent order means walking the shop floor.
We build custom solutions because the schedule has to match your machine park: which machines you have, with what clamping force and equipment, which moulds fit which machines, how long changeovers take, which materials need drying, which machine controls supply data, and which ERP holds the orders. An ERP plans on standard times; it doesn't know the actual cycle or the blocked cavity.
Actual cycle time
Cycle time and working cavities taken from the machine, so the schedule works from what is actually happening rather than what was once entered.
Mould on the right machine
For each mould, the machines that fit on clamping force, shot weight and equipment, so the planner only chooses what is possible.
Changeovers included
Mould changes, material changes and drying times built into the schedule, so the time between two orders is not forgotten.
How we build your cycle-time-based injection moulding scheduling app
We start with last week's schedule: how many orders ran differently from plan, why, and how much time went on changeovers.
Your machines and equipment, moulds with their cavities and suitable machines, changeover times, materials, and your ERP and machine controls.
Machines, moulds and materials recorded, orders pulled from the ERP, and cycle times and cavities taken from the machines.
The schedule per machine with changeovers and drying times, and adjustments based on actual progress.
Machine and mould maintenance in planning, integration with MES and ERP, and ongoing support afterwards.
What a cycle-time-based injection moulding scheduling app actually does
The components below come up at almost every moulding plant. Which ones you need depends on your machine park and your orders.
Machines and moulds
Machines with clamping force and equipment, moulds with their cavities, and the machines each one fits.
Cycle time from the machine
Actual cycle time and working cavities from the machine controller, updated per order.
Planning board
Orders per machine on a timeline, draggable, showing only the machines that fit.
Changeovers and drying
Mould changes, colour and material changes, and drying times built into the schedule.
Rescheduling
The schedule shifts automatically when an order runs faster or slower, with an alert when a delivery is at risk of being late.
Maintenance
Planned maintenance for machines and moulds, and moulds that need servicing after a set number of shots.
Who we build a cycle-time-based injection moulding scheduling app for
The app is intended for injection moulding companies whose scheduling is currently based on standard times and experience.
Technical injection moulders
Many moulds with short runs. Mould changeovers and matching the right machine are the core.
Packaging manufacturers
Long runs with high volumes. Actual cycle time and adjustment matter most.
Automotive suppliers
Call-offs with fixed delivery dates. An alert when a delivery is at risk of being late is what you need.
Plastics processors with many colours
Colour and material changeovers determine the sequence. Changeovers and drying times are the core.
Test your idea first: a working prototype in 1 day
With OneDayBuild, we turn your idea into something tangible in one day for €1,150, so you can see whether further development is worth the investment. Decide to go ahead with the full build? Then we credit the full cost.
Explore OneDayBuild →Technology and integrations
This page is about planning injection moulding machines. For recording rejects, see our page on scrap recording in injection moulding; for the plastics industry as a whole, see our page on plastics industry software; and for production planning in general, see our page on production planning software. You can read about our approach on custom software development.
Why choose Appfront for your cycle-time-based injection moulding scheduling app?
A plan that doesn't match the shop floor gets ignored. That's what we build on: calculating with actual cycle time, the right mould on the right machine, and a plan that adapts.
Planning that holds up
Cycle time comes from the machine. An order that takes longer is scheduled accordingly.
Problems spotted early
An order falling behind triggers an alert while there is still time to reschedule.
Less searching in urgent situations
Which machine is free and where the mould fits is shown on the planning board.
Security and privacy for a cycle-time-based injection moulding scheduling app
The app holds orders, customers, and machine and mould data, confidential information about your business. Access is set up by role: the planner schedules, the shift supervisor sees their machines, and sales sees the delivery dates. Changes to the schedule are logged with name and time.
The app runs on your own server or in a European data centre, with encrypted storage and daily back-ups. The integration with machine controls is read-only.
Frequently asked questions about a cycle-time-based injection moulding scheduling app
Questions injection moulders ask before getting started.
It records which moulds fit which machines, takes the actual cycle time and working cavities from the machines, schedules orders per machine with mould changeovers, material changeovers and drying times, adjusts the schedule to progress, and flags deliveries at risk of being late.
From the machine control, via a standard integration that many modern injection moulding machines have. Where that isn't possible, from the operator's entries or a counter.
From the machine and mould data: clamping force, shot weight, dimensions, and features such as a hot runner or core pulls. You record per mould which machines it can run on.
Yes. Each changeover has a time, which can depend on the mould and the machine. Colour and material changeovers and drying times are also included in the plan.
No. Orders stay in the ERP; the app creates the schedule per machine and returns the expected completion date.
Then the mould produces fewer products per cycle. The app calculates with the number of working cavities and adjusts the schedule accordingly.
Check that first. Some ERP and MES systems schedule by machine, and that is enough if the standard times are accurate. Custom development makes sense if you want to schedule based on actual cycle time, if mould-machine combinations and changeovers are decisive, or if your current planning isn't tracked on the shop floor.
A plan that matches what actually happens on the shop floor?
Tell us how many machines and moulds you have, how you currently plan, and which machines supply data. We'll show you what the planning board, cycle times and adjustments look like.