
At K 2025, Wittmann presented the new M8 plus control system intended for large central material conveying installations in plastics processing. The new generation is aimed at shortening operating times and reducing energy and material consumption through higher performance, expanded functions, and simplified operation enabled by a larger high-resolution touchscreen. The solution is designed to handle medium and large setups where coordinated supply to multiple production cells is required. M8 plus allows control of up to eight separate material supply systems using a single controller. Within a single installation, up to 320 granulate loaders and 64 dryers can be integrated, as well as auxiliary components such as filters, blowers, and valves. All components are networked and assigned to specific tasks, enabling flexible adaptation of material flow to application needs and performance parameters. The manufacturer’s booth in Düsseldorf featured the motto "Smart choice, smart savings," highlighting the direction of development for material supply automation systems.
Scope and system architecture
The M8 plus system was developed to manage complex central conveying installations. A single controller can handle up to eight separate raw material supply systems, which simplifies supervision of extensive infrastructure and allows the setup to scale without expanding the control hardware. Integration covers up to 320 granulate loaders and 64 dryers, as well as numerous auxiliary devices including filters, blowers, and valves. Each component is networked and configured for a specific role in the system, resulting in high flexibility of material distribution, alignment with application requirements, and performance-optimized operation.
Interface, identification, and data connectivity
The high-resolution touchscreen enables intuitive control, streamlines process parameter setup, and provides a clear overview of all connected devices. Even during detailed analysis of individual installation elements, the complete material flow remains visible, which facilitates supervision and material changeovers. Particular emphasis has been placed on material traceability and audit compliance; therefore, material distribution is encoded using RFID technology. Process and diagnostic data can be provided on demand via the OPC UA protocol. A new feature is the ability to incorporate entire networked production cells, integrated via Wittmann 4.0 software, into the central control system. Users also gain access to AIM4Help via a QR code, providing AI-based support for technical queries and speeding up troubleshooting.
The new M8 plus network control system makes material conveying operations even more flexible and reliable