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| – The injection molding machine produces multi-part screw-cap closures that are fully assembled and ready-to-use
– Product change-overs are made simple for packaging and medical applications – “Open house” at the expanded Chinese plant in April |
| (Munich, February 13th, 2014) Injection-mold components, combine them with other components and assemble them as ready-to-use: This is possible, all thanks to the SpinForm injection molding technology from KraussMaffei, along with a flexible cube concept from the mold manufacturer, Zahoransky. This will be demonstrated on a CX machine with SpinForm technology (CXW) at the Chinaplas international exhibition (April 23 to 26, hall E.1, booth K 41). From April, customers in Asia will benefit from an expanded KraussMaffei Group factory. The production area, especially for MX machines, has been doubled in size and can be seen in action as part of an “open house”.
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Efficient production thanks to integrated assembly
On the CXW 200-380/180 SpinForm, three-part polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (LLDPE) push-pull screw-cap closures for drink bottles are manufactured in a cycletime of 6.4 seconds. The machine produces these closures fully assembled thanks to the TIM (Total Integrated Manufacturing) technology from the mold manufacturer Zahoransky, a company from Todtnau-Geschwend near Freiburg im Breisgau. This offers the processor increased production efficiency because, thanks to the integrated assembly process, there are fewer interfaces and thus fewer fault sources – and no need for a longer cycle time. “When compared with commonly used production cells, which consist of several machines and an additional assembly station, our system is significantly more compact and more efficient,” emphasizes Frank Peters, Vice President Sales at KraussMaffei. In the mold of the swivel-platen machine the basic body is manufactured in parting line 1, while the valve and lid are manufactured in parting line 2. Thanks to the cube mold with a reversing 90 degree rotation, the basic body is turned on the operator’s or non-operator’s side of the machine. In this position, the valve and the cap are assembled during the injection molding cycle. The patented TIM (Total Integrated Manufacturing) stack mold makes it possible to use various assembly processes, irrespective of the tool sequence. This is the key to producing multi-part plastic components on just one machine, quickly and so that they are immediately ready to use. In addition to assembly processes, it is also possible to screw in parts or check for leak-tightness as integrated, cost-effective functions. “This concept is simpler, more cost-effective and allows for narrower tolerances than the recognized technologies on the market,” emphasizes Peters. In contrast to the double mold cube technology, mold complexity is reduced while flexibility is increased as a result of the external assembly units. This means that three-part screw-cap closures can also be easily produced. If the application changes, the machine can be quickly retrofitted thanks to the cantilevered spin unit and the easy-to-replace cavity plates. This makes it easier to adapt the design if component designs or the products to be manufactured change. “In particular, this type of flexible production concept is specially tailored to the requirements of manufacturers of packaging and medical technology products in Asia,” explains Peters. The two-platen technology in the CX, GX and MX series from KraussMaffei scores highly thanks to the position of the second injection unit: Located behind the movable platen, it provides a direct connection to the second mold as well – with an extremely short melting path and with no direction change or pressure losses. A BluePower servomotor and controller actuate the SpinForm machine. To provide movement, the sliding table and the spin unit are also equipped with electrical servo drives. This has the advantage of parallel movements during the clamping movement with a significantly reduced oil requirement, meaning energy consumption is reduced by approximately one third. If the focus is on short cycle times, electrical screw drives for simultaneous plasticizing should be your first choice. Thanks to the combination of swivel-platen machine and cube mold, customers have flexible options for processing multiple colors and multiple components. With the extension of production at the Chinese plant in Haiyan, the KraussMaffei Group is also continuing its clever strategic positioning on the Asian market. To mark the occasion of the opening of the plant extension, customers and visitors to Chinaplas will have the opportunity during an “open house” (April 23 to 25, 2014) to learn about the efficiency and innovative capacity of the KraussMaffei Group and its KraussMaffei, KraussMaffei Berstorff and Netstal brands. KraussMaffei is offering an insight into the successful local production of MX injection molding machines. “Thanks to our strategy of producing large injection molding machines locally while maintaining our high European quality standards, we have already set the benchmark in China,” says Peters, who believes that KraussMaffei is thus extremely well positioned to take advantage of growth potential in the Asian market and who wants to further expand on this position. |
| About KraussMaffei The KraussMaffei product brand is internationally recognized for its groundbreaking, multitechnology system and process solutions for injection and reaction molding technology and factory automation. With its standalone, modular or standardized machinery and systems, and a wide, customizable service offering, KraussMaffei is a full-system partner for customers in many industry sectors. KraussMaffei bundles many decades of engineering expertise in plastics machinery and is headquartered in Munich, Germany. For more information: www.kraussmaffei.com
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About the KraussMaffei Group |
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