news | NPE 2015 in brief
❙ Japanese robot maker Yushin showed a novel concept dual-arm beam robot offering 16-axes of movement from one controller. The un-named concept comprises two linear “arms” each with 3-axis wrists mounted on a common beam that provide a human- like way of working. It is designed for beside-the- press operations that would typically be carried out using articulated robots.
www.yushin.com
❙ Riverdale Global – a joint venture between US-compa- nies Riverdale Color and Maguire – said its first liquid colour satellite unit will shortly be in operation at Warrington in the UK. Riverdale Global uses Riverdale’s liquid colorants and Maguire’s simplified gravimetric dosing technol- ogy to provide a simple low-waste plastics colouring solution with minimal up-front capital investment.
www.riverdaleglobal.com
❙ HPM North America, a subsidiary of Chinese machinery maker Yizumi, previewed its HSE series all-electric machine, which will be available in the US later this year. Available from 60 to 260 US ton clamping force, the HSE machines will be supplied with Austrian- built Keba control systems. The machines join the company’s current HST servo-hydraulic and HS2 two-platen ranges.
www.hpmmachinery.com www.yizumi-group.com.hk
12 Wittmann invests for growth
Wittmann Group general manager Michael Wittmann said good performances in Germany and the US helped the company increase sales by
more than 13% in 2014 to reach €304m and order intake for the first three months of 2015 indicates further growth ahead. “We have a very strong
customer base in the US and Germany was also very good for us in the last year,” he said. “Markets such as France and Spain are really coming back, too.”
Wittmann said the company
is investing around €8m in its manufacturing operations in Europe, including construction of a new materials handling systems factory at Wolkers- dorf, reconfiguring of its existing robot and ancillary factories in Vienna, and installation of new machining and engineering capacity at its Battenfeld operation at
Wittmann Group general manager Michael Wittmann
Kottingbrunn. The company has also now
relocated production of all EcoPower injection machines from 55 to 180 tonnes to its expanded plant at Mosonmag- yaróvár in Hungary, where it also builds robots and temperature controllers. Wittmann said the Hungarian plant is now the group’s most cost effective. The company is also
installing a machining centre at its North American HQ in Connecticut, US, for production of robot system components. “We want to transfer manufac- turing of beams and kick strokes to the US,” he said. Wittmann Group sales
currently divide equally between its Wittmann Battenfeld injection machinery and Wittmann ancillaries operations. However, Wittmann sees injection machinery taking an increasing share in the future due to its successful re-entry into the large machine sector – its large MacroPower manufacturing unit in Austria is now in full operation. “We have not got a target for injection machinery but we are now selling large machines again and if we sell one 1,000 tonne machine we would have to sell 10 or 15 robots to make the same amount,” he said. ❙
www.wittmann-group.com
BASF displays lightweight Ford engine cover in carbon fibre LFT
BASF displayed a prototype carbon fibre reinforced PA LFT engine cover it has developed together with Ford within the company’s US Department of Energy sponsored Mixed Material Lightweight Vehicle programme. The complex component, a cover for the company’s 1.0 litre three-cylinder power unit, is injection moulded in a 50% long carbon fibre reinforced Ultramid grade (XA3370) and was developed using BASF’s Ultrasim software. The polymer grade is 48% less dense than aluminium and the new design provides a 23% weight saving over the current 3.6kg aluminium component.
BASF powertrain market segment manager Scott Schlicker said the design is concept ready and work will shortly begin to prove the cost effectiveness of the carbon fibre material and to ensure it meets dimensional and flatness requirements direct from the mould. ❙
www.basf.com
INJECTION WORLD | April 2015
www.injectionworld.com
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