This year, the world’s leading trade show K has succeeded in presenting practical solutions for greater resource efficiency on a broad front. A first foray through the trade show grounds.

K 2022 gave numerous practical examples showing visitors how recyclates can be reliably processed with digital aids.

16:9

State-of-the-Art Injection Molding Solutions for Greater Resource Efficiency.

State-of-the-Art Injection Molding Solutions at K 2022

Spritzgießen

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

Doriat, Clemens, Dr.

Solar / PV

Energieerzeugung

Erneuerbare Energie

Schaumspritzgießen

Temperiertechnik

Messe K-Kunststoffmesse

kunststoffe-international.com

Mehrkomponenten-Spritzgießen

Condition Monitoring / Prozessüberwachung

Instandhaltung

Spritzgießwerkzeuge

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Maschinen und Komponenten

Werkzeuge für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Biokunststoffe

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Handling, Handhabungstechnik

Automatisierungstechnik

Elastomer-Spritzgießen

Oberflächentechnik

Energieeffizienz

Industrie 4.0 für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Industrie 4.0

Digitalisierung

Spritzgießmaschinen

Kunststoff-Rezyklat

Silikonkautschuk

Kautschuk / Elastomere

Kreislaufwirtschaft

Compoundieren

Kunststoff-Aufbereitung

It Can Be Done!

The announcements in the field of injection molding give the impression that the developments of recent years are continuing. These include the increasing digitalization of injection molding production, as well as highly integrated production cells that combine very different competencies. The spotlight shines not only on the machinery, but rather on optimum system solutions for integrating molds and individually configured peripheries in the digital and the real world. 

Fakuma 2018: Injection Molding Networked and Integrated 

Steuerungen (Hardware und Software)

ERP-Systeme

Treibmittel

Spritzprägen

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

Reinraumsysteme / -technik

The Communicative Machine 

Lightweight construction, small batches, and progressive integration of electronic functions: general industrial trends are spilling over into the injection molding industry. Recent years have seen the development of remarkable solutions for meeting all kinds of requirements. Machine manufacturers have not been idle though: precision-regulated processes form the basis for many applications, and now it seems that the self-optimizing injection molding machine is no longer a fantasy. 

Visible and Invisible Innovations Continue to Confer Benefits on the Industry.  And on Mankind, too? 

Steuern, Regeln

Additive Fertigung

Spritzgieß-Sonderverfahren

Metallpulver-Spritzgießen

Laserstrukturieren

Nobel Prize for Injection Molding 

Every three years, the showcase of plastics technology, the K fair, takes place, where one can deduce the current state of the industry. What is occupying the experts today, and what will still be flourishing in the future? The following article describes some of the development paths and trends. At the end of the day, there is a lot of tried-and-tested technology that is being continually refined and improved. There were also some innovative and visionary applications to be seen. 

Industry 4.0 Comes to Injection Molding and True Innovations at K 2016 

Polyethylenterephthalat

Verbundwerkstoffe / Werkstoffverbunde

Mehrfarben-Spritzgießmaschinen

Normalien und Heißkanaltechnik

Hybrid-Spritzgießen (Metall / Kunststoff)

Schäumen / Reaktive Verarbeitung

Montagetechnik

Optische Mess- und Prüftechnik

Injection Molding 4.0 – Visionary and Tried-and-Tested Solutions 

Industry 4.0, lightweight construction, and combined technology – that is how one could summarize the current trends and challenges that have been the subject of countless injection molding developments during the past years. In their advance releases for the K exhibition, exhibitors clearly indicate that they are continuing along these lines. 

Injection Molding between Industry 4.0, Lightweight Construction, and Combined Technologies 

Hybridtechnik

Trip to a Known Destination 

As the leading international trade fair prepares to open its doors, the plastics industry has armed itself for the future with a host of novelty developments and technological innovations. The focus of many innovations is the "Internet of Things". Injection molding machine makers, especially, are pressing ahead with the various aspects of "Industry 4.0" and implementing them in new series, peripherals and controllers. 

Efficiency through Networking: The Injection Molding of Tomorrow 

The Injection Molding Machine 4.0 

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

Künstliche Intelligenz für die Qualitätssicherung

Industrie 4.0 für die Qualitätssicherung

Software

Digitale Transformation

Wirtschaft

Innovationen und neue Technologie

Nachhaltigkeit

Umweltmanagement

Spritzgießsimulation

Simulation

Schnecken und Plastifiziersysteme

Machine Learning / Künstliche Intelligenz für die spanende Fertigung

Industrie 4.0 für die spanende Fertigung

Kunststoff-Recycling

Lasermarkieren

Laserbearbeitungen

Inline- / Online-Messsysteme

Qualitätssicherung

Qualitätssicherung Kunststoff

There Is More beyond the Horizon

Making a racket is part of the trade. In the past, tradesmen would do this at markets by swinging wooden rattles to attract attention. Today, instead, it is the industry which is trying to make its developments heard and accepted, for example at trade fairs and in the media. What has injection molding technology had to offer recently, aside from Industry 4.0? The answer is process developments that in the main expand the range of applications for plastic parts, mechanical assistance systems that enable consistently high part quality to be achieved more reliably, and the huge field of temperature control. 

New Ways to Attain Special Part Properties Are Advancing the Art of Injection Molding 

Making a Racket for Plastics  

Under the motto “It‘s all Wittmann”, Wittmann Battenfeld is presenting its machines and systems in the new Wittmann design for the first time.

Automation cell with SmartPlus 90 for manufacturing a spirit level.

kunststoffe.de

Naturmaterialien

Verstärkungsstoffe

Green DC Current for the Injection Molding Machine

Three solutions for increasing the productivity in the automotive, medical and packaging industries are presented by Tederic at K 2022 with the Neo injection molding machine series. T

The Neo·Ec combines electrical and hydraulic drives.

Polylactid

Thermoplaste

Medizintechnik

Medizinprodukte

Applications in Three Key Sectors

In contrast to recent years, when particular key themes often dominated the fair exhibits of the leading injection molding machine builders, this year’s Fakuma will present more combinations of many different competences in complex production cells. Thus, Industry 4.0 not only takes slowly concrete shape, but is put into context with peripherals and controls in the development of new series. 

Re-Inventing Injection Molding Holistically  

Servomotoren

Instandhaltung, Wartung in der spanenden Fertigung

Polyurethan

Gasinjektionstechnik

Machines as the Heart of Production 

Together with partner companies Engel has developed a highly integrated process for delivering pre-finished visible parts in a single working step. For Fakuma 2017, the development partners expanded the range of Clearmelt applications and presented the first manufacturing cell for exterior automotive parts that is almost ready to go into series production. 

System Partnership Flanks Integrated Clearmelt Process on Its Way to Series Production 

High-Quality Visible Parts  in a Single Step 

The use of recyclates confronts companies with new requirements in the processing, bonding, printing and labeling of materials and components. Atmospheric plasma technology, in which Plasmatreat GmbH has specialized, has established itself as a key technology: it often makes the use of recycled plastics possible in the first place – and also proves to be the means of choice on the way to more environmentally friendly, more resource-efficient production processes.

When using Openair-Plasma, the plasma jet works in a location-selective manner and follows the component geometry with millimeter precision. During the plasma treatment, very little heat is generated, so that the treated components remain dimensionally stable.

Atmospheric Plasma Technology as the Key to More Resource Conservation

Bedrucken

Chemisches Bearbeiten (Auftragen)

Plasmabehandlung

Reinigen und Vorbehandeln

Improved Processing of Recyclates

Polycarbonate glazing can be produced in a combined process of injection molding and compression molding – a challenge for parts developers because simulation programs can only consider these separately. A CAE method now links the two processes. Moreover, in order to increase the abrasion and scratch resistance of the material, plasma coating has been combined with vacuum technology. 

Polycarbonat

Polycarbonate: The Long View 

It is familiar to every eyeglass wearer: Just a tiny spec on the glass ruins your vision. And there may even be a safety risk if car headlamps scatter the light in the wrong direction. The manufacture of optical parts by injection molding is therefore a serious and demanding task affecting the entire process chain.  

Optical Components Place High Requirements on the Entire Process Chain 

Kfz-Leuchten, Beleuchtung

Polyacrylate

Optik

Keeping a Sense of Perspective  

State-of-the-Art Injection Molding Solutions at K 2022, Part 4

While the previous parts of our trade show review mainly dealt with new digital helpers and innovations in mold, hot runner and process technology for injection molders, this time we are focusing on ways of generating part surfaces to requirements. Such flagship projects with automotive components are certainly not all you have to deal with, but they are becoming ever more common.

The exhibitors at K 2022 showed ways and means of achieving special surfaces by injection molding. A small selection.

When we imagine the car of the future, we think – prompted by numerous concept studies of past years – of futuristic designs, 3D light effects and intelligent functions both in the interior and exterior. The fact that all this is already possible in mass production-capable approaches was demonstrated by the thin-film specialist Leonhard Kurz and the machine manufacturer Engel, together with other cooperation partners, with an exhibit at K 2022 that was impressive not only for its size. Because of the complex requirements, implementing a future-proof design concept for the automotive rear region required extensive rheological calculations.

Forming, Contouring and Decoration in One Step

The process technology developed together with the Kurz subsidiary Schöfer combines 2-component processing of an ABS/PC and a transparent PMMA (manufacturer: Sabic/Röhm) with the IMD (in-mold decoration) process. “This special material mix with two different translucent polymers allows us, for example, to generate backlit elements with selective light barriers – with no undesirable light scattering at all. That is the series-capable response to the market demands for multicomponent technology,” says Martin Hahn, Head of Application, Technology & Innovation of the Plastic Decoration Business Area at Leonhard Kurz, explaining the scope of the project.

At the center of the application at the Kurz booth was an Engel duo 1300 Combi M large machine with 13,000 kN clamping force and a spin stack mold from Schöfer, which was laser-structured by the Reichle Technology Center and is particularly suitable for manufacturing ready-to-install parts with large dimensions. The 1.2 m long part – a so-called rear-end cover, in which design and functionality are harmoniously merged – was produced before the eyes of the visitors. The supporting element of the car tailgate module is a frame made of black ABS/PC (Fig. 1), which, in the first step, is used to backmold a PC sheet already printed by the PMD (Print Mold Design) process. After rotation of the central mold block, an IR radiator heats up the IMD transfer system (Fig. 2) and draws it into the cavity by vacuum. In the second step, the frame part is flow-coated with PMMA and decorated with the IMD lacquer system at the front side.

The injection molding machine is precisely tailored to the application. “For the use of swivel-platen technology, the duo 1300 Combi M has a second traveling injection unit on the moving mounting plate. The central mold halves are rotated via a horizontal rotary table with vertical intermediate plate,” says Michael Fischer, Head of Business Development Technologies at Engel. “An Engel easix KR120 articulated robot demolds the parts and supports them with the additional heating mirror during the decoration step. We have matched all the components, including the temperature control technology, to make production as efficient as possible.”

Exciting Design and Intelligent Functions

In this way, both three-dimensional part geometries and structures for 3D light effects can be implemented in a one-step process. Manufacturers benefit from reduced manufacturing complexity, which does not require thermoforming, punching or magazining. “For processors, this means time and cost-effective production together with a simultaneous reduction of CO2 emissions,” says Hahn. In addition, the process – a further development of the IMD DecoPUR technology presented by Kurz in 2019, in which the part is coated with a brilliant and self-healing polyurethane layer in the final step – can be adapted to customer-specific requirements by, for example, integrating additional touch sensors or freely combining intelligent functions. Hahn continues, “Our goal for the future is to develop a manufacturing platform for our customers, which can be individually tailored to different project requirements.”

The continuously closed surface, with its large-area, seamless decor and play of light (Title figure) has the following effect, “As a result, the rear-end cover also permits communication with other road users,” explains Hahn. In addition, the part is radar transparent and supports state-of-the-art driver assistance systems – through to autonomous driving. The latter is also not unimportant in view of the current transformation toward the circular economy. Thanks to the careful choice of material, the parts can be subsequently mechanically recycled. They can thus be reused as post-industrial recyclate.

This application is the inspiration, so to speak, for some others with a similar orientation. For example, the injection molding machine manufacturer Tederic demonstrated the production of a high-gloss B-pillar on a Neo M1120s/e1700c e1100c multicomponent machine. The 220 g part with a piano lacquer finish was produced by injection-compression molding – it is called “Coinsure” at Tederic – with two electrical injection units facing one another and a 2-component mold rotating on a horizontal swivel table. After low-stress injection in the mold, the first component PMMA is oriented with a minimum compression stroke and then, after the center block of the mold has rotated, is back-molded with an ABS via six gating points.

According to Dr. Daniel Ammer, Vice President R&D of the German sales partner Plastivation, the position accuracy of the tiebar is ± 0.01 mm, and thereby ensures the user a high dimensional accuracy of the parts. The position and force of each tie-bar are controlled independently of one another. The reduced cavity pressure makes it easier to meet the strict requirements for high-gloss visible components.

At the Yizumi booth, a UN500D1-E hybrid machine with a hydraulic clamping unit (5000 kN) and electrical injection unit produced a side-door panel in a cycle time of 90 s, with the mold closing also taking place in two phases. The ICM process (injection compression molding) also contributes to high part quality here. In contrast to the above-described applications, however, a film insert that a robot has previously placed into the mold cavity is backmolded with ABS. Besides the machine, the visitors were able to inspect the demo part in the backlit state (Fig. 3).

Complex Reflector Heat-Sink Module in a Compact Design

The production of low-beam headlamps currently requires six parts, just as many materials and several processing steps. Covestro, in cooperation with Lumileds, an industry leader in the lighting industry, has developed a slim, compact design that is based on LED technology and alleviates problems with thermal management. It is remarkable that the module consists of only one part and only three material sets are required for this: two polycarbonate grades, metallization and the LED module. “Moreover, with the introduction of a more efficient manufacturing process, OEMs can drastically reduce assembly complexity and manufacturing costs,” says Rainer Protte, head of development of injection molding technologies at Covestro.

Production of the prototype with integrated LED module and heat sink at the technotrans booth at K 2022 requires only two processing steps – two-component injection molding of the actual part and its metallization (e.g. by sputtering). In the Summerer Technologies injection mold, the LED module, which is inserted into the cavity by a six-axis robot, is overmolded in the first step with a heat-conducting polycarbonate (type: Makrolon TC), and the heat sink is thereby formed so as to be dimensionally stable. In the second step, the reflector is overmolded with a second PC grade (Makrolon DS). It is particularly important here that the metallization process can take place directly after injection molding without the plastic part requiring additional surface treatment.

The 2-component reflector heat-sink module is thus a compact part (Fig. 4) – i.e. comprises five fewer parts than the conventional unit. “This makes the module more than 40 % lighter. For the heat sink alone, we have achieved a weight reduction of up to 49 % compared to an aluminum casting and about 26 % for the reflector compared to the BMC design,” says Protte (BMC: bulk molding compound). Protte describes the reason for this simplification as follows: “By joining the polycarbonate grades Makrolon TC and Makrolon DS, designers can achieve dimensional stability for uniform photometry. Specifically, these materials offer low CLTE values for the coefficients of linear thermal expansion, which lie close together. This achieves good dimensional stability in the event of temperature fluctuations in the end application. In addition, the low processing shrinkage during injection molding contributes to keeping the warpage low.”

AI-Based Process Monitoring for Machines and Temperature-Control

The prototype, which fixes so many weaknesses of previous components, corresponds to some of the special features of the manufacturing process. The fact that the injection molded part can be easily metallized is also the result of the temperature control technology. On the exhibit with an Engel injection molding machine, technotrans gave a live demonstration of its enhanced variotherm system solution with a combined changeover and PLC control unit. “With this system, we are significantly improving the efficiency of energy-intensive variotherm processes by means of intelligent control technology,” says Ralf Radke, head of temperature control technology. The special feature of the solution is that the control and changeover unit, i.e. the valve technology, PLC and operating technology, are integrated into a housing concept. As a result, the overall system is much more compact and space saving.

To tap further efficiency potentials in plastics processing, technotrans also deals with the use of artificial intelligence. At the trade show, the company presented AI-based process monitoring for injection molding machines and temperature-control equipment (Fig. 5). The energy consumption can be reduced by processing the process parameters and consumption data from heating and cooling operations algorithmically and returning them back to the process. The system is the result of strategic cooperation with Nexocraft, a solution supplier for the digitalization of industrial plants, and is intended to help reduce the carbon footprint of plastics processing companies.

The solution, which operates with web-based software, permits process monitoring, intelligent process control and overarching machine control directly from the cloud. The aim is to optimize the plant’s effectiveness. Among other things, the machine connection was simplified, and is now performed by “plug & play” via preconfigured LTE gateways. “In principle, we can connect and integrate all injection molding machines and temperature-control units that have an activated OPC-UA server. This makes us independent of the equipment series and manufacturers,” says Radke.

When the talk is of surfaces, Plasmatreat must not be omitted. The (by its own account) world market leader in atmospheric plasma technology, with its Openair Plasma technology, offers a reliable and efficient alternative to conventional surface treatment of plastics. All plasma processes are solvent-free, and thereby improve the environmental balance, can be used selectively in certain areas and easily integrated into existing production lines.

The use of recycled plastics is increasingly confronting companies with challenges in terms of processing, bonding, printing or labeling. In such cases, too, the Plasmatreat solution is effective, namely activating non-reactive materials by increasing the surface energy and preparing them for further industrial treatment. The activation increases the wettability of the surface, and therefore also the adhesiveness. This improves the adhesion strength of adhesives and lacquers, and thereby the print quality on the parts.

On an IT-networked Allrounder 370 A injection molding machine (manufacturer: Arburg), together with the downstream printing station, Plasmatreat showed two things at its own booth: first, how durable and high-quality printing of drinking cups of recycled PP can be achieved with the aid of open-air plasma pretreatment and, second, how the circular economy is supported with the aid of digitalization. The cups are printed with solvent-free printing inks by UV digital printing without using additional adhesion promoters – and are impressive for the brilliant printed image (Fig. 6). Each cup receives a digital product passport. Clean and homogeneous separation in a recycling system is achieved by reading the marking via the printed QR code – all the information about the ingredients used are stored in a R-Cycle database.

Plasmatreat GmbH  

https://www.plasmatreat.de/

Technotrans Solutions GmbH  

https://www.technotrans.de

Engel Austria GmbH  

https://www.engelglobal.com

Leonhard Kurz Stiftung & Co. KG 

https://www.kurz.de

Covestro AG  

https://www.covestro.com

Yizumi Germany GmbH  

https://www.yizumi-germany.de

PlastiVation Machinery GmbH  

https://www.plastivation.com

Ausgabenartikel

The material mix of the “rear-end cover” allows backlit elements to be generated with selective light barriers – with no undesirable light scattering.

Fig. 1. The tailgate module is supported by a black ABS/PC frame, with the finished part next to it. 

Fig. 2. Before the part is flow-coated with PMMA and finally decorated, an IR radiator (left) heats up the IMD transfer system.

Fig. 3. This side door panel is produced by film backmolding with a compression phase. 

Fig. 4. The PC material of the 2-component reflector heat-sink module maintains the temperature of the LED housing within a temperature range of 2 to 3  °C, based on cast-aluminum heat-sinks.

Fig. 5. The AI-based process monitoring for injection molding machines and ancillary equipment is intended to help reduce the carbon footprint of plastics processing companies.

Fig. 6. An open-air plasma pretreatment (left) makes possible a brilliant and durable printing of recycled PP drinking cups.

Hauptartikel

Injection Molding: Surfaces as Required

Read the German version of the article in our magazine Kunststoffe or at <a href="https://www.kunststoffe.de/a/fachartikel/das-kann-sich-sehen-lassen-3441816" target="_blank">www.kunststoffe.de</a>