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.

Complete Digital Hot Runner Solution for Automated Biopolymer Processing

Spritzgießen

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

Condition Monitoring / Prozessüberwachung

Instandhaltung

Spritzgießwerkzeuge

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Maschinen und Komponenten

Werkzeuge für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Biokunststoffe

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Virtual Reality für die Qualitätssicherung

Industrie 4.0

Industrie 4.0 für die Qualitätssicherung

Heißkanalsysteme

Komponenten für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Process Reliability Is Crucial

Once again, the K 2019 in Düsseldorf, Germany, lived up to its claim to be the leading trade show for plastics technology. At least in the field of injection molding, there were exciting global innovations to see – if you looked closely.

Injection Molding Trends at K 2019

Schaumspritzgießen

Smart Factory

Energieeffizienz

Mikrospritzgießen

Mehrkomponenten-Spritzgießen

Spritzgießmaschinen, allgemein

Spritzgießmaschinen

Fließpressen

Handling, Handhabungstechnik für die spanende Fertigung

Automatisierungstechnik

Handling, Handhabungstechnik

Spritzgieß-Sonderverfahren

Spritzgießsimulation

Software

Simulation

Elastomer-Spritzgießen

Linearroboter für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Industrieroboter

Montagetechnik

Industrie 4.0 für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Montage-Spritzgießen

Knickarmroboter

Co-Injektion (Barriere-/Sandwich-Spritzgießen)

Hybrid-Spritzgießen (Metall / Kunststoff)

Ressourcenmanagement

Produktion

Technical Excellence thanks  to Digital Assistance

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.

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

Montage

Steuern, Regeln

Werkzeugtemperatursensoren

Messtechnik

Sensoren / Messwertaufnehmer

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.

Glittenberg Supplies Tools for Vital Medical Devices to Celon Pharma

Medizintechnik

Medizinprodukte

Plastic in the Service of Medicine

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.

Cavity-Specific Pressure Control to Increase Process Consistency

Mess-, Steuer- und Regelgeräte

Qualitätssicherung

Qualitätssicherung Kunststoff

The Hot Runner Valve Pin  as Actuating Variable

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.

Strategic Approach through Classification according to Product Groups

Werkzeug- und Formenbau

Dienstleistungen

Werkzeug-, Formen- und Modellbau

Mold Platforms for IVD Consumables

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.

Pipette Tips: Männer Presents a Mold with Replaceable Clusters

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.

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

Hybridtechnik

Polymere, flüssigkristalline

Thermoplaste

Stanzen

Verfahren für die spanlose Fertigung

Schneiden

Steckverbinder

Elektromechanik

Well-Balanced Hot Runner Technology for LCP Processing

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.

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

Elektromotoren

Antriebe

Injection Molds for Insulating  Stators and Rotors

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.

Innovative Injection Molding in Times of Pandemic

Künstliche Intelligenz für die Qualitätssicherung

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

Digitale Transformation

Wirtschaft

Innovationen und neue Technologie

Nachhaltigkeit

Umweltmanagement

Schnecken und Plastifiziersysteme

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

Kreislaufwirtschaft

There Is More beyond the Horizon

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.

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

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.

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

Award-Winning Packaging Solution Increases Productivity

A tool logbook on paper is often not to hand just when you need it most. Or it is incomplete, since it is time consuming to keep the information up to date. A cloud-independent, electronic tool log, which is directly integrated into the tool could make all the relevant data available directly.

The Electronic Tool Logbook as a Combination of Operating Manual and Check List

Werkzeuginnendrucksensoren

Messdatenerfassung und -verarbeitung

Papierlose QM-Dokumentation

Qualitätsmanagement

Dokumentationsmanagement

Werkzeugkonstruktion

Mobile Datenerfassung

Logistik

Lagertechnik

Fernwartung / Ferndiagnose

Dokumentenmanagement, CAQ

Data Management at the Tool

Marbling is often a real eye-catcher in plastic components. However, the effect is difficult to create and there are some pitfalls when it comes to reproducibility. Novel nozzles for injection molding machines in combination with a special dosing technology allow marbled molded parts to be produced far more easily in a much more robust process.

A 3D-Printed Nozzle and Modified Dosing Method Deliver Reproducible Marbling  in a Robust Process

Kunststoffe

Photonik

Optik

Additive Fertigung

Farben, flüssig

Additive

Exciting Design instead of  Exciting Manufacturing

The toolmaker Siebenwurst uses injection molding simulation to optimize part design and production processes in its routine workflows. Among other things, Simcon’s software ensures the quality and dimensional accuracy of the plastic frame for the first series-produced injection molded e-bike.

Controlling Complex Development and Manufacturing Processes, Using Simulation

Composite-Halbzeuge

Halbzeuge und Zwischenprodukte

Kunststoff-Halbzeuge

Verbundwerkstoffe / Werkstoffverbunde

A Bike Frame from an Injection  Molding Machine

Walther Faltsysteme Combines Three Mold Technologies from the Haidlmair Group

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 working together with the Austrian moldmaker Haidlmair for many years, and now, for the first time, two other companies from the Group have come into play in current projects, helping Walther to achieve higher productivity and production efficiency.

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.

The development of customized reusable transport containers that are precisely tailored to the special requirements of customers is the art of Walther Faltsysteme GmbH: folding containers that are mechanically folded and unfolded in automated warehouses, foldable mega-packs made of lightweight plastic that make heavy wire mesh boxes redundant, flexfold containers made of conductive plastic for the transport of electronic components, inner packaging adapted to the millimeter that protects sensitive goods – the list could go on and on.

The traditional family business from Kevelaer is one of the few companies in its sector to have its own moldmaking shop, which is mainly used in development projects and in the production of prototype molds. In addition, Walther has been relying on the quality of Haidlmair’s injection molds for several years, especially when it comes to high volume or high-performance molds. In addition to the pure performance data, Dominik Lemken (Fig. 1), project manager and procurement leader at Walther Faltsysteme, appreciates above all the good cooperation with the moldmaker from Nussbach in Upper Austria, the adherence to the promises made and the commitment to meeting deadlines. For example, the simulations prepared in advance clearly show what results are to be expected. “These are clearly communicated and adhered to,” as Lemken points out, “and that is particularly important because these commitments serve as an important basis for our calculations.”

Since the spring of 2020, Walther has had two new molds in use, which for the first time combine Haidlmair’s know-how with two technologies that originally came from the mold maker’s development department. These are the hot runner system Flat Die Unit (FDU) and the digitalization solution Mold Monitoring. Behind the two innovations are two companies that now stand on their own two feet: the 100 % Haidlmair subsidiary FDU Hotrunner GmbH and Digital Molds GmbH, a 50/50 joint venture between Haidlmair and Siegfried Hofmann GmbH, Lichtenfels, Germany.

Hotrunner with Flat Die for Pallet Runners and Pallet Deck

The two molds in which both Mold Monitoring and the FDU system are installed are used to manufacture a pallet (Title figure). The first mold produces the three runners, the second the deck of the pallet. The reason for the division is due to the different materials used to produce the pallet. In the case of the runners, glass fiber is added to the plastic in order to achieve a more wear-resistant and bend-resistant design, while some recycled material is used for the deck.

These two factors pose several challenges for producers. In the case of the runners, the glass fiber must be evenly distributed in the product. Some of the advantages of the FDU come into play here. The flow channel in the nozzle is projected onto a flat nozzle (Fig. 2). This means that the plastic flows evenly into the cavity through a defined long gap instead of through a small point gate. The FDU promotes this even distribution of the material and thus increases the quality and durability of the runners.

In the past, the recycling material and its performance in the process was a potential drag on the pallet deck and caused problems. The friction in the mold, especially in the vicinity of the injection points, repeatedly resulted in local temperature peaks, degradation and, as a result, the material sticking. Walther is now solving this problem with the use of the FDU, as the slot nozzle brings the material into the mold more gently. In addition, the ratio of new raw materials to recycled material can be shifted in favor of recycled material, in order to be able to produce the product even more sustainably.

The two molds are currently running synchronously next to each other on two machines at Walther. In between, an articulated arm robot assembles the parts to make the finished pallet. Four years ago, Walther ordered the same mold set from Haidlmair. Since then, these molds, equipped with conventional round nozzles, have been running flawlessly and with excellent performance. At the end of 2019, Walther decided to expand its capacity with another production line. The manufacturer’s specialists took a very close look at the mold and tried to optimize the performance in terms of mold construction and through minor product changes.

But, after all the analysis, the issue of gating emerged as the bottleneck in the truest sense of the word. Approx. 6.5kg of material per pallet must be injected as quickly as possible. With conventional needle valve nozzles, the users quickly reach the limits. The FDU, with its significantly larger cross-section (in this case a FDU Midi with a blade width of 22 mm), enables the user to bring much more material into the mold in a short time and expands on the previous injection capacity limits, pushing the performance envelope further.

In the specific case at Walther, the cycle time could be reduced by approximately 10 %. Dominik Lemken is extremely satisfied with the performance so far: “We have already produced over 100,000 units since April without any problems worth mentioning and I would be happy if we could use the FDU for other molds we use, for example applying this to production process for roller plates or various folding boxes would also be ideal, because the improved performance and the extended process window clearly support doing this.”

The requirements for the second technology used by Walther Faltsysteme from another company in the Haidlmair Group were completely different. The Mould Monitoring delivered by the company Digital Moulds is less about the pure performance of the mold and more about the verifiability of the production processes plus the use of information gained, for example to optimize the material use and to be able to adjust the production plan accordingly at an early stage.

Mould Monitoring enables production and location data to be recorded using hardware that is mounted directly on the injection molding mold (Fig. 3). The data is determined by internal and external sensors, pre-processed in the device and transferred to a cloud-based system via the cellular network. This means that production can be checked in real time, even if the user is not on site. In addition, the data provides more precise information about the condition of the mold, which means that deviations from the specified parameters can be identified quickly, which in turn avoids problems and even loss of production.

Additional Support for Production Reliability

At Walther, the same points were decisive for the decision to use the system. In addition, the specialists there see a special need for information from their customers, especially in the project business. You have to make ad hoc statements about the current status of production and answer questions from the customer, which massively improves the relationship with them, additionally increases the transparency in the process and increases the customer’s trust in the supplier.

At Walther, five molds are now equipped with the system. “With the molds that are equipped with Mould Monitoring, information on the output quantity, completed cycles, fault identification, better planning of short-term maintenance (which can reduce the daily output), and other basic data is important to us. It mainly helps in project management, customer service and purchasing,” says Dominik Lemken as a summary of the system’s main areas of application.

Digital Molds was able to fully meet all of Walther’s requirements. In practical use, the positive, preventive examples of Mould Monitoring in production reliability were already evident. In production, there was a gradual increase in the cycle time for a mold, which could be recognized immediately with Mould Monitoring. This increase in cycle time gradually led to a reduction in the output volume. The system immediately sounded the alarm and, when analyzing the Mould Monitoring data, the specialists at Walther were able to recognize relatively quickly that there had to be a problem with the cooling, which in turn extended the cooling time. The quality of the produced part was still delivered, but the actual cycle time values no longer matched the original production planning, which as a result would have led to problems. Thanks to the timely alarm from Mould Monitoring and the data it made available, the Walther specialists were able to identify the problem quickly and clearly. The fix was simply unblocking a cooling hole that could be quickly exposed again without any problems.

The opposite case occurs more frequently at Walther, however: “If problems or malfunctions occur on molds without Mould Monitoring, this can lead to production downtimes of up to several days because the error is not recognized in time or is not recognized for a long time. Our colleagues are already claiming that this would not have happened with Mould Monitoring,” says Lemken describing a rethink in the company.