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

Spritzgießen

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

Industrie 4.0 für die Qualitätssicherung

Industrie 4.0

Condition Monitoring / Prozessüberwachung

Instandhaltung

Spritzgießwerkzeuge

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Maschinen und Komponenten

Werkzeuge für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Paletten und Behälter

Logistik

Verpackungstechnik

Dienstleistungen

Werkzeug-, Formen- und Modellbau

Industrie 4.0 für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Heißkanalsysteme

Komponenten für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

With Broad Sword and Data Collector

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

Medizintechnik

Medizinprodukte

Maintenance During (Nearly)  Uninterrupted Production

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

Hybridtechnik

Polymere, flüssigkristalline

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Thermoplaste

Stanzen

Verfahren für die spanlose Fertigung

Schneiden

Hybrid-Spritzgießen (Metall / Kunststoff)

Steckverbinder

Elektromechanik

Well-Balanced Hot Runner Technology for LCP Processing

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

Steuern, Regeln

Software

Mehrkomponenten-Spritzgießen

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

Digitale Transformation

Wirtschaft

Innovationen und neue Technologie

Biokunststoffe

Spritzgieß-Sonderverfahren

Nachhaltigkeit

Umweltmanagement

Spritzgießsimulation

Simulation

Schnecken und Plastifiziersysteme

Spritzgießmaschinen

Machine Learning / Künstliche Intelligenz für die spanende Fertigung

Industrie 4.0 für die spanende Fertigung

Kunststoff-Recycling

Kunststoff-Aufbereitung

Lasermarkieren

Oberflächentechnik

Laserbearbeitungen

Inline- / Online-Messsysteme

Qualitätssicherung

Qualitätssicherung Kunststoff

Kreislaufwirtschaft

There Is More beyond the Horizon

Family molds belong to the state-of-the-art in injection molding – at least when wall thicknesses and volumes of individual components vary considerably. Using a trial mold soon ready for series production, Synventive demonstrates that – though demanding – optimal process control can be achieved using the right technology. The filling of each mold cavity is controlled individually and in real time. The Kunststoffe editorial team were among the first guests at the new Tech Center.

View into the mold space of the Engel Duo 2700 at the Tech Center. In the background, a 6-axis robot with 180 kg load-bearing capacity which removes the components.

16:9

Single-Shot Injection Molding of Heterogeneous Components

Schröder, Susanne

Leading-Edge Process Control

A solution, which is unique in Europe, significantly increases productivity and comprises the production from a 12+12 stack mold with fully automated in-mold labeling and removal with visual 100 % inspection of the parts.

Before relocation to the production site, extensive functional tests and the final trial were carried out at the roth technical center

Fully Automated Production Line with Stack Mold and In-Mold Labeling

Award-Winning Packaging Solution Increases Productivity

Starting with the systematic design of manufacturing processes and the precise simulation of part manufacture, through smart tooling technology and sophisticated melt guidance, to efficient mold temperature control, numerous exhibitors have many innovations in the field of tooling technology on offer at K 2019.The current debates concerning marine pollution as well as anthropogenic climate change and its consequences seem to be having an effect at this world-leading trade show for plastics processing in Düsseldorf, Germany. A number of companies are noting the growing customer interest in sustainable, carbon-neutral and resource-efficient modes of production, and offering products and services intended to satisfy this interest.

Resource-Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Products Are the Trend in  Tooling Technology

Werkzeuginnendrucksensoren

Messtechnik

Sensoren / Messwertaufnehmer

Temperiergeräte

Gießanlagen

Temperiertechnik

Normalien für die Kunststofffertigung

Normalien

Kaltkanalsysteme

Exhibitors See Green

The new Reverse Cube developed by Foboha manufactures various components or multi-component parts from varying materials in one step and assembles individual parts into finished products independently from the cycle time using an integrated handling robot. The automated process improves quality, accelerates cycle times by up to 40 % compared to separate injection molding and assembly processes, and thus enables substantial productivity gains at lower costs.

Two thermally separated cube molds rotate in opposite directions at a 90° angle. Bottom: injection and cooling of component 1 (roller made of PP) and component 2 (female connection made of POM), staggered by 180°

Manufacturing and Installing Multi-Component Parts on a Two-Part Cube Mold

Montage

Montagetechnik

Werkzeugtemperatursensoren

Industrieroboter

Reverse Rotation

A Polish pharmaceutical company is developing inhalation therapy for the treatment of lung disease and the appropriate drug delivery drug. The inhaler has a complex interior and consists of 14 components. In order to be able to produce these with the required precision, Celon Pharma has formed a partnership with the mold making company Glittenberg and its hot runner sister Witosa.

For its complex functional mechanism, the inhaler requires 14 components

Glittenberg Supplies Tools for Vital Medical Devices to Celon Pharma

Plastic in the Service of Medicine

Jessica Poliner has been appointed President of Barnes Molding Solutions. She replaces Norbert Scheid, who retired from Barnes Group in December 2020.

Jessica Poliner has been appointed President of Barnes Molding Solutions

Werkzeug- und Formenbau

Normalien und Heißkanaltechnik

New Management to Head Barnes Molding Solutions

The Institute for Plastics Processing (IKV) at RWTH Aachen University is investigating a new control approach for injection molding in which the cavity pressure is controlled by different positions of the hot runner valve pin. The influence on the cavity pressure of different strokes in the holding pressure phase is investigated.

The experimental mold with the cavity of a bicycle saddle has a servo-electrically driven hot runner

20:7

Cavity-Specific Pressure Control to Increase Process Consistency

Mess-, Steuer- und Regelgeräte

The Hot Runner Valve Pin  as Actuating Variable

Much as when injection molding materials were being developed 30 years ago, the current trend in additive production is toward higher melting materials and materials with improved mechanical properties. The latter can be achieved, for example, by fiber embedding. In machine technology, the developments are increasingly aimed at adapting processing times, sensor systems, and quality monitoring to the demands of high-tech companies.  

Materials Manufacturers and Process Developers Face Growing Demands in 3D Printing  

Kohlenstofffasern / -matten

Werkstoffe für additive Verfahren

Additive Fertigung

Rapid Prototyping

Rapid Tooling

Rapid Manufacturing

Selektives Laserschmelzen von Kunststoff, Metall, Keramik

Selektives Lasersintern von Kunststoff, Metall, Keramik

Pulver-Spritzgießen

Schleifen, Polieren

Additive Adolescence 

Susanne Schröder will become editor-in-chief of the magazines Kunststoffe and Kunststoffe international on December 1, 2020. The current editor-in-chief Dr. Karlhorst Klotz will leave the company by mutual agreement.

Susanne Schröder will become editor-in-chief of the magazines Kunststoffe and Kunststoffe international on December 1, 2020. Until now she has been editor-in-chief of the trade journal FORM+Werkzeug

Werkzeuge für Leichtbauwerkstoffe

Präzisionswerkzeuge

Tiefziehwerkzeug

Werkzeugüberwachung

Toolmanagement

Werkzeugwechselsysteme, Spritzgieß

Modulare Werkzeugsysteme

Absaugungen für Werkzeugmaschinen

Betriebsausrüstung / Betriebsmittel

Absaugvorrichtungen

Fluorkunststoffe

Werkzeugverwaltungssoftware

Prüfen von Kunststoffen

Presswerkzeuge, Kunststoff

Werkzeugreinigung, Kunststoffe

Standardkunststoffe

Kunststoffverarbeitung

Lohnfertigung

Technische Kunststoffe

Füllstoffe für Kunststoffe

Kunststoff

Bauwesen

Baustoffe

Kunststoffhandel

Handel

Betriebstechnik für Kunststoffverarbeitung (Peripherie)

Kunststofffasern

Verstärkungsstoffe

Hochleistungskunststoffe

Change in the Chief Editorial Office of Kunststoffe

The consumables required for In-vitro diagnostics are manufactured in a production process that is subject to high requirements in terms of precision and quality, but also the complex cleanroom manufacturing environment. This has implications for the entire plant technology – especially toolmaking.

64-cavity tool for pipette tips. The hot runner system is balanced across all cavities

Strategic Approach through Classification according to Product Groups

Mold Platforms for IVD Consumables

SPS – Industrial Automation Fair (SIAF) Guangzhou and Asiamold, the first China fairs to be hosted by Messe Frankfurt in 2021, concluded on 5 March after three days, with the visit number increasing an impressive 27% to 63,968.

Sensorik für Werkzeugmaschinen

Verfahren für die additive Fertigung

SIAF Guangzhou and Asiamold Conclude Successfully

Complete Digital Hot Runner Solution for Automated Biopolymer Processing

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.

Ecozema is one of the leading brands for biodegradable and compostable catering products, such as tableware, cutlery or containers made of paper, compostable plastics and wood. 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 project included a 16-drop valve gate family mold for the production of a complete cutlery set with knife and fork, another 16-drop valve gate system for a single fork and a 24-drop system for the production of an ice cream spoon (Fig. 1). For all three tools, Ecozema planned full automation right through to the packaged product. Also included in the planning was comprehensive digital process monitoring. “Cost-efficient mass production while maintaining high hygienic standards are essential factors for being competitive in our industry,” explains Antonio Munarini, managing director at Ecozema, “so it is important to have a high level of automation with minimal human involvement and optimal process control.”

Demanding Material Processed Safely and Automatized

With a multitude of already realized applications with biopolymers and an extensive database of material tests in the company’s own technical center, hot runner manufacturer Ewikon has the necessary extensive knowledge for the safe processing of this demanding material family. During extensive tests, which toolmaker Uniform and Ewikon carried out together with the customer at the company’s headquarters in Frankenberg, Germany, various valve gate concepts were tested for their suitability for processing the compostable starch blend (type: Mater-Bi, manufacturer: Novamont). Due to the performance of the solutions presented, Ewikon was able to beat out international competitors.

In the case of the 24-drop ice cream spoon mold – originally designed for open gating – the decision was made to give preference to side gating after simultaneous tests with the HPS III-MH multi-nozzle concept (Fig. 2). “The direct side gating solution proposed by Ewikon convinced us”, says Antonio Munarini, “it is much more compact than a standard system and is also more cost-efficient with shorter cycle times and lower production costs”.

The two valve gate systems mentioned above are equipped with HPS III-S hot runner nozzles with powerful direct heating and a flow channel diameter of 6 mm. Valve pin actuation is synchronized by using plates with pneumatic drive, which are directly networked with the injection molding machine via position sensors, thus enabling a precisely coordinated injection process. To increase ease of maintenance, gate exchange inserts made of wear-resistant material have also been integrated. These contain the prefabricated gate contour and can be quickly changed individually for each cavity in the event of wear, without having to replace the entire mold insert. The 24-cavity system for direct side gating features six in-line HPS III-MH nozzles in linear design, each with two melt outlets on the long side. These are positioned centrally between two vertical rows of cavities.

Rheological Balancing via Stepped Flow Channel Diameters

The first delivered and at the same time the most sophisticated system was the family mold for the simultaneous production of fork and knife, which not only have different shot weights but also significantly different geometries (Title figure). In addition to the automated removal of the articles by means of a handling system, the complete packaging is integrated into the process. After the fork and knife have been placed on a conveyor belt, they are picked up in pairs under camera control, automatically placed on a paper napkin and finally packed and sealed. When developing the hot runner solution, the highest process reliability and uniform filling behavior therefore had top priority in order to minimize rejects and thus avoid malfunctions or downtime in the subsequent automation steps.

The balancing of the hot runner system with two horizontal rows of four cavities for knife and fork in each mold half was therefore of particular importance (Fig. 3). Two possible solutions were considered: a naturally balanced system with one synchronous plate each for the simultaneous actuation of all valve pins of one article type, in which the filling differences are compensated by a time-delayed opening, or a rheological balancing via stepped flow channel diameters, in which all valve pins are actuated by only one plate. After carrying out extensive filling simulations and calculations at Ewikon, in which the material manufacturer was also involved, the decision was made in favor of the rheological version, which is more cost-effective in terms of mold technology.

Digital Process Monitoring Provides Transparency

To guarantee consistently high performance, Ewikon supplied the system with a complete digital package consisting of a matching 24-zone hot runner controller with external touch-screen operating unit (type: pro Control) and the Ewikon smart Control process monitoring and diagnostic unit. This unit is installed directly on the hot half (Fig. 4) and integrated into the Ecozema company network. It enables seamless recording and logging of all operating parameters of the hot runner system in real time (Fig. 5). In addition, it also monitors the temperatures of the mold plates, which have been equipped with thermal sensors for this purpose.

“For us, this is a very useful additional investment,” says Riccardo Passuello, sales manager at Uniform, “especially for applications with such a high degree of automation, a high level of process transparency is important. With smart Control, Ecozema has an overview of the system performance at all times and, at the same time, a valuable tool for quality control in the process. In case of deviations, it is possible to react at an early stage – for example, by initiating maintenance measures – before a drop in part quality or an unplanned shutdown of the system occurs”.

The second 16-drop valve gate mold and the 24-drop side gating mold were completed shortly after the family mold. Since automation with a handling system for fully automatic article removal and packaging is also used here, both molds are also monitored by digital “smart Control” units.

The family mold was put into operation for the first time at the end of January 2020. The good results in article filling confirmed the decision for the rheologically balanced variant. After the project had experienced some delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown measures in Italy, the mold has been producing trouble-free in series for a few months, just like the two other molds, which produce alternately on one machine.

At the same time, Ewikon has already launched the second smart Control generation. It offers significantly enhanced performance features and can now be fully integrated into networked injection molding production via OPC UA. In addition to monitoring the hot runner mold, communication with the machine, peripherals and higher-level software systems is also possible and thus the recording and monitoring of all relevant injection molding parameters.

Furthermore, the optionally integrable “Virtual Rheology” function enables live simulation of the shear rates and the residence time in the hot runner system based on the material and geometry data stored in the system as well as the hot runner temperatures and injection parameters of the injection molding machine recorded for the current shot. This offers the possibility of targeted process optimization, especially when processing shear-sensitive or residence time-critical materials, and thus guarantees optimum part quality. Especially for processes that require a high level of safety, monitoring with smart Control represents a useful additional investment.

EWIKON Heißkanalsysteme GmbH  

https://www.ewikon.com

Ausgabenartikel

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

Fig. 1. The product: cutlery made of compostable biopolymer

Fig. 2. View of the contour plate on the hot runner side of the mold for the production of the ice-cream spoon. The parts are side gated