Getting Started with injection molding monitoring

I'm not sure that this is the place to ask such question, but the community seems friendly and helpful.

We have about ~35 machines, most are Arburg but there are a few Fanuc and some Feromatic. we are in the medical industry if it is important. the age of the machines is anything between the early 90's to 2012.

The entire programing/control of the machines is done on the machine itself (NOT remotely by a computer). but all the machines are connected to a central computer which receives very basic information (Engine status, In fault [true/false], In setup [true/false]).

I'm looking into the option of first upgrading the quality/amount of information that can be gathered from the machine. and later on perhaps even provide a basic remote control interface.

I know almost nothing about injection or PLC programming. for what I understand Arburg machines implement the EUROMAP protocol, is that correct? is there any version of it which will cover the majority of the machines we have?

Is there any Injection molding device emulator that I can use to learn and practice on?

Thanks.

Sorry, I know nothing, but I will bump you up to #1 again.

You might want to look at the Euromap site:
http://www.euromap.org/technical-issues/vg4-data-sheets

You do NOT want to monitor IMM perfromance

Do NOT attach or spend monies on machine monitoring equipment.

RE: Your customers are buying finished molded goods. You will achieve a better understanding on your molded products by measuring the properties of the molded plastic product.

Search for CAVITY PRESSURE monitoring or control. Or finished product CMM and SPC capability equipment.

Your finished molded parts are the "measurable", not the machine.