KraussMaffei Expands LRXplus Twin Robotics for Complex Molding

Twin robots take center stage in KraussMaffei’s automation push

KraussMaffei is sharpening its automation offer for complex injection molding with the launch of the LRXplus Twin multiple-kinematics system, extending its LRXplus linear robot platform into coordinated twin-robot operation for demanding multi-step processes.

The new configuration is aimed squarely at molders wrestling with high-cavity tools, multi-daylight molds, insert loading, and downstream assembly or sorting in tight footprints—applications where conventional single linear robots or standalone six-axis systems can become a bottleneck.

What’s new: mechanically coupled twins and shared motion control

At the heart of the development is the idea of multiple kinematics: up to four robots, each with six axes, coordinated as a single automation system via a shared control and program environment.

For the LRXplus family, KraussMaffei now offers the LRXplus Twin in Twin X and Twin Z variants, each designed for payloads in the 35 to 100 kg range, giving processors scope to handle sizeable grippers, multi-part take-out, or complex assemblies on large presses.

Mechanically coupled axes allow the two robots to perform:

• Precise parallel movements along shared axes for simultaneous demolding or placement in the mold.
• “Handshake” transfers where one robot passes parts on the fly to another without stopping the line.

This coupling is intended to reduce cycle time by overlapping motions rather than running removal, transfer, and placement sequentially. For multi-stage processes—such as removal, assembly, sorting, and interlinking—better synchronization between steps can translate directly into more parts per hour and more stable quality.

smartControl MC7: one brain for up to 24 axes

To make twin kinematics practical on the shop floor, KraussMaffei has upgraded its control concept. The smartControl MC7 platform can centrally program and coordinate up to four robots with six axes each, for a total of 24 axes in one system.

Key elements include:

• A shared coordinate system across all axes to simplify programming and mode changes.
• A joint program editor (HTML5-based in the MC7 implementation) so engineers can assign commands to individual robots with minimal effort.
• A handheld multi-touch pendant for setting up complex motion sequences directly at the cell.

In earlier MC6-based multiple-kinematics implementations, KraussMaffei already highlighted benefits such as central peripheral signal management, intelligent collision monitoring of linked axes, and flexible assignment of process steps to different robot axes. The new MC7 generation extends that logic with modern UI tooling and web technologies, responding to user expectations shaped by smartphone interfaces and Industry 4.0 projects.

For processors, the practical upside is that complex automation ceases to be a patchwork of separate robot programs and PLC logic. Instead, the injection molding cell can be treated as a single, coordinated system where mold movement, demolding, assembly, quality checks, and buffering are programmed against a shared timeline.

Designed for real-world plants: compatibility and layout options

KraussMaffei positions the LRXplus series as universal, easy-to-integrate linear robots with over 500 axis combinations, covering every clamping force level with preconfigured axis and wrist options. The LRXplus Twin follows that approach, but adds multiple-kinematics capabilities to the package.

According to the company, the LRXplus Twin can be operated as an integrated or standalone solution, and is compatible both with current KraussMaffei machines and older control generations, as well as injection molding machines from other manufacturers.

That matters for plants where the press fleet is mixed and where investment cycles are long. Rather than tying the twin robotics exclusively to new premium machines, KraussMaffei is signaling that multi-kinematics automation can be applied as retrofit or cell upgrade without forcing premature machine replacement.

The company has also introduced more compact linear-robot concepts on the same platform, such as the LRXplus SE side-entry robot for high-cavity and cleanroom applications, enabling higher machine density—for example, five production cells in the space previously used for four. Those developments sit in the same design philosophy: extraction and downstream processes should occupy less footprint while becoming more dynamic and payload-capable.

Impact on complex molding: fewer dead times, more options

For molders and brand owners, the most immediate implication of the LRXplus Twin concept is better use of machine dead time. By overlapping mold opening with robot entry—an approach KraussMaffei previously promoted under its “synchronous motion” function—demolding time reductions of up to around 35% and cycle time improvements of about 6% have been reported in large-part applications such as trash containers.

While the new twin kinematics are described more generally than that specific case, the direction is clear: cycle time is attacked through coordinated motion and early intervention, not just faster drives. As more gripper operations, insert placements, and quality checks are folded into the same cycle, the ability to choreograph multiple robots against the mold movement curve becomes strategic.

For processors, this opens several routes:

• Higher throughput on existing presses by cutting non-productive time between cycles.
• More integrated work steps per cycle, supporting functional integration and multi-component strategies such as KraussMaffei’s Multinject and multilayer concepts.
• Reduced hardware complexity where robot motion can replace elaborate gripper mechanics, simplifying maintenance and changeovers.

In sectors like automotive, medical, and packaging—where traceability, cleanliness, and repeatability are paramount—being able to centralize robot and peripheral control around the machine also supports tighter documentation and more robust validation of the production sequence.

How it fits into the wider digital and automation trend

The LRXplus Twin debut arrives as the plastics industry doubles down on automation and digitalization to cope with labor shortages, cost pressure, and recycled material variability. KraussMaffei, for instance, has recently expanded digital process control with AQCplus, which adapts holding pressure based on part weight to stabilize cycles when recyclates or filled compounds fluctuate.

Taken together, weight-based adaptive process control, compact linear robots such as LRXplus SE, and multiple-kinematics solutions like LRXplus Twin point to a future where:

• The molding machine defines the cycle, but robots and sensors collaboratively squeeze out idle time.
• Complex demolding and assembly are no longer afterthoughts, but engineered as part of the machine’s process window.
• Quality assurance and material-efficiency targets are built into the cell’s software architecture, not just downstream inspection.

For processors evaluating automation investments, the questions now shift from “one robot or two?” to how many axes can be centrally coordinated, on which presses, and with what upgrade path. KraussMaffei’s move to extend LRXplus with a Twin option—and to run up to four robots and 24 axes under smartControl MC7—positions the company as a supplier of integrated, scalable automation rather than isolated pick-and-place hardware.

The commercial stakes are high: as molded parts become more sophisticated and sustainability demands tighter material and energy performance, the plants that can orchestrate multiple robots, quality controls, and assembly steps in one synchronized sequence will be better placed to win long-term programs. The LRXplus Twin gives KraussMaffei users a clearer route into that kind of automation—without abandoning their existing presses.