Pipette tips feature a challenging wall thickness/length ratio, an inner geometry that is key for analysis results, and a tip opening just a few tenths of a millimeter wide. They have been in extremely high demand during the coronavirus pandemic, which is why the mold construction and hot runner specialist Männer has developed a mold with an innovative cluster concept.

At the Männer test center in Bahlingen, Germany: an injection mold for manufacturing pipette tips, shown here in operation. Automation of the system is currently being set up

Pipette Tips: Männer Presents a Mold with Replaceable Clusters

Spritzgießen

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

Spritzgießwerkzeuge

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Maschinen und Komponenten

Werkzeuge für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Heißkanalsysteme

Komponenten für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Medizintechnik

Medizinprodukte

Maintenance During (Nearly)  Uninterrupted Production

Pharmaceutical crimp caps generally consist of a thin aluminum sheet and a plastic component, and are used to seal medical vials, for example for vaccines. Through a combined deep-drawing and backmolding process with previous inline laser treatment of the thin aluminum sheet, the process can be significantly shortened. The media-proof joining together of the two materials is carried out through a mechanically interlocking connection.

A crimp cap for injection vials is manufactured in a two-step process.

16:9

Combined Deep-Drawing and Backmolding Process with Mechanically Interlocking Joint

Hybridtechnik

Aluminiumlegierungen

Metall Werkstoffe

NE-Metalle

Laserbearbeitungen

Oberflächentechnik

Tiefziehen

Verfahren für die spanlose Fertigung

Spritzgieß-Sonderverfahren

Simulation Stanzen / Umformen

Software

Simulation

Laserstrukturieren

Hybrid-Spritzgießen (Metall / Kunststoff)

Process Chain for the Production of Hybrid Medical Products

In the injection molding of engineering plastics, mold temperature control consumes more than one third of the total energy input. A novel technology offers the opportunity to reduce this continuous major cost factor – and eliminate hotspots.

Fig. 1. The temperature control units have the highest energy share in the injection molding process

Source: M. Schläger et al [2]; graphic: © Hanser

Reduced Energy Consumption and Shorter Cycle Times due to Structurally Integrated  Heat Pipe Mold Cores

Temperiertechnik

Cooling with Heat Pipes

In plastics processing, efficient production methods are required, especially for articles with high volumes and exacting quality requirements, and these must be constantly optimized. The container specialist Walther Faltsysteme has been successfully working together with the Austrian moldmaker Haidlmair for many years.

Left: products which are manufactured using the technologies of the Haidlmair Group companies. Right: an application example with folding boxes

Walther Faltsysteme Combines Three Mold Technologies from the Haidlmair Group

Industrie 4.0 für die Qualitätssicherung

Industrie 4.0

Condition Monitoring / Prozessüberwachung

Instandhaltung

Paletten und Behälter

Logistik

Verpackungstechnik

Dienstleistungen

Werkzeug-, Formen- und Modellbau

Industrie 4.0 für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

With Broad Sword and Data Collector

The spring clamping cylinder ESZS for a nominal clamping force range from 16k N to 350 kN enables hydromechanical clamping.

The ESZS spring clamping cylinder can be used wherever shiftable or movable machine parts have to be fixed or clamped

Werkzeug- und Formenbau

Presswerkzeuge, Kunststoff

Werkzeugspanntechnik

Spanntechnik

Robust and Reliable Clamping

Aside from offering high mechanical strength, versatility and durability, polymer materials are ideal for applications in the electrical industry because of their ability to isolate electrical current.

For the conduction cooled MicroTCA systems, Harting processes LCP, a material that is flame-resistant, dimensionally stable at high temperatures, chemically resistant, and has only a low thermal expansion

Connectors for Industrial Lifelines: High-Tech Injection Molding at Harting

Polymere, flüssigkristalline

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Thermoplaste

Stanzen

Schneiden

Steckverbinder

Elektromechanik

Well-Balanced Hot Runner Technology for LCP Processing

The Reversecube two-part cube mold is used to produce 60 million multicomponent parts per year on one production line and in the same process. The cycle times must be kept very short while at the same time maintaining stable processes and a high part quality. Sensor-based monitoring and automatic process control is therefore deployed in the form of Fillcontrol from Priamus. It consists of hot-runner balancing, viscosity and compression control as well as automatic holding pressure changeover.

The two halves of the Reversecube cube mold, in stacked arrangement, rotate in 90° steps. Bottom: injection and cooling component 1, analogous to the component 2 above, which is offset by 180°

Automating Injection Molding with Process Control – with the Example of a Cube Mold

Werkzeuginnendrucksensoren

Messtechnik

Sensoren / Messwertaufnehmer

Steuern, Regeln

Mehrkomponenten-Spritzgießen

Werkzeugtemperatursensoren

Qualitätssicherung Kunststoff

Qualitätssicherung

Quality Assurance for Multiple Cavities

The area of application of cube molds has expanded to take in the production of technical parts. The new Allrounder Cube 1800 from Arburg with a clamping force of 1800 kN is providing the response to this trend. With its compact cube, this machine completes the portfolio of products at the lower end of the range.

At the heart of the cube machine is a compact cube designed by our partner Foboha which can be easily accessed from above. The rotation of the cube is powered servo-electrically and the horizontal movement relies on rack and pinion mechanisms

Spritzgießmaschinen, allgemein

Spritzgießmaschinen

Arburg Expands Hybrid Cube Series

The aim of the project was clear: a highly automated turnkey system must replace several decentralized, operator-guided machines in order to be able to mass produce enclosures for a vacuum sensor with three inserted pins in a way that is smooth, automated and therefore faster than before in large-scale production, and error-free. The plastics processor Goerlich chose the machine manufacturer Arburg as a partner in its goal of achieving greater production efficiency.

All upstream process steps are integrated in a very small space: after the pins have been  punched out (right), a Scara robot places them in the correct position on a loading plate (left) so that the Multilift V robotic system can pick up 24 pins and insert them into the mold

At Goerlich, a Turnkey Plant Replaces Two Machines with a Vertical Clamping Unit

Automatisierungszellen

Automatisierungstechnik

Linearroboter für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Handling, Handhabungstechnik

A Machine Strategy with  Extra Automation

Electrical components are made from conductive and nonconductive materials. Pressure of competition makes it necessary to reduce the number of components and work steps and to streamline assembly. The moldmaker Mühlbeyer uses a hybrid technology for manufacturing stators and rotors, in which the contact material and plastic are permanently bonded in one production step.

Various plastic-coated stators. During overmolding of the sheet components, not only insulation but also technical functions can be incorporated

Overmolding as a Prerequisite for Cost-Efficient, High-Quality Electric Motors

Elektromotoren

Antriebe

Injection Molds for Insulating  Stators and Rotors

For a cutlery series made of a new biopolymer, three full hot runner molds with digital process monitoring were developed in close cooperation with mold maker Uniform and hot runner specialist Ewikon.

The 16-drop family mold on the machine. The removal and packaging of the parts are fully automated

Complete Digital Hot Runner Solution for Automated Biopolymer Processing

Biokunststoffe

Virtual Reality für die Qualitätssicherung

Process Reliability Is Crucial

Over past months, many in-house workflows and development processes have slowed down and also changed. Nevertheless, time has not stood still, also not in injection molding technology. The debate and development have been shaped by two themes: digitalization and the circular economy. Below are some examples of developments and projects that underpin this trend.

Two displays are seamlessly integrated into the continuously 3D-formed instrument panel

Innovative Injection Molding in Times of Pandemic

Schaumspritzgießen

Künstliche Intelligenz für die Qualitätssicherung

Folientechnik (IMD, IML, FIM, u.a.)

Digitale Transformation

Wirtschaft

Innovationen und neue Technologie

Nachhaltigkeit

Umweltmanagement

Spritzgießsimulation

Schnecken und Plastifiziersysteme

Machine Learning / Künstliche Intelligenz für die spanende Fertigung

Industrie 4.0 für die spanende Fertigung

Kunststoff-Recycling

Kunststoff-Aufbereitung

Lasermarkieren

Inline- / Online-Messsysteme

Kreislaufwirtschaft

There Is More beyond the Horizon

For the first time a readable digital watermark, imperceptible to the naked eye, has been incorporated into an injection-molded flip cap.

On the flip cap, the digital watermark is not visually perceptible, but can be read like a code by specialized high speed camera

Integration of Digital Watermarks in Complex Injection Molded Packaging Products

Bildverarbeitung

Fertigungsautomation

Barcode-Systeme

Identtechnik

Inspektion, Analyse und Sortierung von Rohmaterial

Key to Purity of Recycled Resins

The article demonstrates the use of digital twins for molds in injection molding through the integration of track-and-trace technologies for data collection.

An RFID reader records whether a mold is ready for the setup process

How Track-and-Trace Technologies Can Support Mold Management

RFID

RFID Teileidentifikation

Digitaler Zwilling

The Digital Mold Twin

Internal pressure loads are typical for fiber-reinforced plastic components. To increase the burst strength of components, the fiber orientation can be modified in a targeted way during injection molding by means of a rotating mold core. A newly developed simulation method allows this modified fiber orientation to be taken into account at the design stage.

Practical implementation of a mold system with rotating core.

Mold System with Rotating Core Improves Mechanical Properties

Werkstoffprüfung, mechanisch

Werkstoffprüfung

Verbundwerkstoffe / Werkstoffverbunde

Faserverbundwerkstoffe

Andere Werkstoffe

Design Methodology for Parts Subject to Internal Pressure

Double Quick-Change System Speeds up Production

Zahoransky Automation & Molds GmbH has entered into a partnership with the Swiss company Kebo AG. The result of this collaboration is a new mold concept for the production of pipette tips, which features a double quick-change system.

Both 8x8 modules on the nozzle side and the cores on the ejector side can be changed in just a few steps to allow production to be resumed immediately when mold cores and wear bushings are replaced. Michael Schmidt, Managing Director Zahoransky Automation & Molds GmbH, comments: “Pipette tip molds are ‘divas’ from a production point of view – very sensitive in the process – and require precise handling: The challenge is that long thin cores are immersed in a counter-bearing and injected on one side. With our new design, all maintenance activities can be completed in a few minutes on the injection molding machine thanks to these quick-change systems on our mold.”

The new 64-cavity pipette tip mold with double quick-change system was developed together with Swiss-based Kebo AG. The company, based in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, has more than 40 years of experience in developing hot runner technology solutions. Says Gerold Keller, owner and CEO of Kebo AG: “We are very pleased with this special partnership between two mold makers who complement each other ideally for this project. As a result, we were able to achieve our common goal in a short development time and improve the technology for manufacturing pipette tips in a way that significantly reduces production costs and significantly improves service life for manufacturing companies.”

KEBO AG Formenbau  

https://www.kebo.com

Zahoransky Automation & Molds GmbH 

https://www.zahoransky-group.com

If a core breaks during production, it can be replaced quickly

2021-08-10 Zahoransky_Kebo

Each heating element can be removed individually in a few simple steps

The new pipette tool from Zahoransky powered by Kebo – 64 cavity

The heater can be disconnected via the cable and the block including the heating element can be removed