THIN WALL MOULDING | TECHNOLOGY


machines are extremely energy efficient and clean hybrid machines. The E-speed 280 expands the series into the lower clamping force ranges, with a particular focus on manufacturers of thin-walled containers, buckets and matching lids. The new E-speed with a clamping force of 2,800


kN produced 1-litre round containers for yoghurt made of PP in thin-wall technology for its market premiere at an Engel online event in October 2020. To allow this to happen, the E-speed 280/70 is equipped with an interactive IML solution, which Engel implemented in cooperation with partners Brink of the Netherlands and Verstraete of Belgium. Engel says that the new size further optimises the economical, hybrid machine, which combines an electric clamping unit with a hydraulic injection unit. The complete series will now cover clamping forces from 2,800-6,500 kN and will be designed with a performance upgrade. The inline injection unit with its electric plasticising drive can achieve even faster injection performance in the new generation of E-speed machines. It is designed for injection speeds of 800-1,200 mm per second. The ejector performance has also been enhanced. The E-speed machines are now equipped with hydrau- lic ejectors as standard. Electric ejectors are


available as an option. The machine bed and mould mounting platens have also been geared even more closely to the requirements of thin-wall packaging and the use of moulds with a high number of cavities. Engel adds that the new features will allow the E-speed machines to meet the trend towards further reductions in wall thickness and even shorter cycle times.


Engel has also been involved with packaging product specialist Gerhard Ilsen of Hövelhof,


Automotive thin-walling helped by Lanxess


Lanxess has been involved in a thin-walling project for a highly integrated front-end module for the Ford Kuga SUV, with wall thicknesses reduced by 20% in component areas subject to lower loads. The company says that thermoplastics with easy-flowing properties are usually somewhat more expensive than compara- ble standard materials; however, they offer advantages that ultimately pay off in terms of processing, production costs and freedom of design. These properties are needed for the highly integrated bolster produced in plastic-metal hybrid technology for the Ford Kuga, which uses glass fibre-reinforced Durethan BKV30H2.0EF polyamide 6 from Lanxess. The bolster houses an actively


controllable unit consisting of four active grille shutters that ensure a demand-oriented supply of air to the


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hybrid bolster.” Lanxess adds that as the plastic component for the hybrid part, PA 6 has advantages over the possible alternative material, PP. The compo- nent contains several direct threaded connections instead of using additional metal inserts. The threaded connec- tions designed using PA 6 are significantly more stable, have a longer service life and are more


engine cooling system. The bolster and the fully assembled front-end module were developed and are produced by Montaplast of Mors- bach, Germany. “Our easy-flowing PA 6 can be


processed at lower injection pres- sures,” says Ulrich Dajek, hybrid design expert at Lanxess. “For this reason, smaller injection moulding machines with lower clamping forces can be used in the production of the


reliable than with PP. PA 6 is also better at withstanding the thermal loads that arise when the grille shutters are closed. Due to the high flowability of PA 6, component areas with filigree geometries can be designed with thinner walls. “It was possible to reduce the wall thickness by around 20% in the areas subject to lower loads,” says Dajek. Due to the lower filling pressure, another benefit of the easy-flowing material is that compo- nents with lower stresses can be produced, minimising the distortion.


March 2021 | INJECTION WORLD 35


Above: The Engel E-motion 280 all-electric injection moulding machine at Ilsen


IMAGE: ENGEL


IMAGE: LANXESS


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