MACHINERY | AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS


fully integrated SAM-C robotic solution. The compact design saves floor space, and joint control of the machine and robot makes operation is intuitive, says the company. “What particularly impressed us was the seam- less integration of the SAM-C robot, which signifi- cantly simplifies operation and maintenance,” said Burtscher. In production, the SAM-C robot performs precise


part removal and handling for later processing steps, helping to raise process reliability and product quality. Michael Domes, managing director of sales in


Austria at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, added: “With the SAM-C series, we offer a fully integrated automation solution that is perfectly tailored to our fully electric machines.”


Above: Rejlek recently


commissioned a SAM-C automation solution from Sumitomo Demag


turers are more prepared to consider total cost of ownership (TCO), taking maintenance, downtime and energy consumption into consideration when making a purchasing decision. Another emerging trend is open platforms and


partnerships between hardware and software providers. Here, Fanuc highlights its partnership with Nvidia that will “bring physical AI into main- stream manufacturing”. Under the agreement, Fanuc robots will be


integrated with Nvidia’s AI computing stack – in- cluding on-robot systems like Nvidia Jetson and simulation platforms such as Isaac Sim. Fanuc has also released support for the open-source robotics platform ROS 2 which allows programming via Python.


“Open platforms such as ROS 2 and Python will help stimulate a new wave of innovation, enabling companies to build, customise and scale AI-aug- mented robotics solutions,” he said.


Integrated solution Austria-based injection moulder Rejlek recently commissioned a fully integrated SAM-C automa- tion solution from Sumitomo (SHI) Demag. The company manufactures precision compo- nents for industrial electronics, mobility and medical technology. On a new fully electric IntElect 130, it processes plastics with high glass fibre and recycled content. “For us, the combination of cost-performance


ratio and technical sophistication was decisive,” said Johannes Burtscher, operations manager for injection moulding and stamping technology at Rejlek “The machine an exceptional value creation depth – from the drive technology to the integrated robotic solution.” A key feature of the new production cell is the


24 INJECTION WORLD | March/April 2026


LSR overmoulding At K2025, Engel ran an automated production cell in which gas diffusion layers (GDLs) for fuel cells were encapsulated with a liquid silicone rubber (LSR) seal. It showed how sensitive functional elements made of film material can be overmould- ed with LSR. GDL foils are integral components in fuel cells and must be sealed with high precision without impairing their diffusion function. The core element of the cell was a vertical Engel


Insert 150 injection moulding machine with 1,500kN clamping force and integrated rotary table. It allowed simultaneous injection and demoulding, nearly doubling the output with a cycle time of 50 seconds. An Easix articulated robot handled all part manipulation. In the first step, it removed the GDL films from the feeding system and positioned them in the front station of the rotary table mould. After rotation, injection took place in the rear station – where films were partially overmoulded with a thin LSR seal. Finished parts were then removed, and new films inserted. An integrated camera inspec- tion system verified the wall thickness distribution of the LSR seal.


Linear efficiency German injection moulder Rauschert is using W828 linear robots from Wittmann to increase manufacturing flexibility and efficiency. At its plant in Steinbach, the company has almost completely replaced six-axis robots with W828s as part of a programme to raise automation. One product, a glass-reinforced polyamide plug with contact pins, is used in automobile air suspen- sion systems. They are produced in a 1+1-cavity mould on a 100-ton machine, with annual produc-


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IMAGE: SUMITOMO DEMAG


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