AUTOMOTIVE | UNDER THE HOOD
Sumitomo (SHI) Demag has developed a new LSR package for applications such as
moulding an automotive matrix light
Below: A vertical Allrounder 375 V from Arburg overmoulds metal inserts with plastic during K2019
Materials like thermosets are experiencing a renaissance. Additionally, the vibration and resonance behaviour of an all-electric car is totally different and needs a new selection of materials and part design. The front of all-electric vehicles will be more design influenced. Unlike conventional passenger cars, designers will not be constrained by internal combustion engines and fuel tanks. This means they can package up functional parts differently, and the engine bonnet or hood will be more of a design element.” Fuel cell technology is one area that requires a new generation of parts, and consequently new supply chains. “It is an area where Sumitomo (SHI) Demag is regarded as a strong development partner, working with customers to determine the best solution,” says Langwald. “We are currently supporting several projects to establish new market concepts. In general, the ecological trend is influencing moulders to use more recycled materials and bio-fibres to increase stiffness in parts. However, the use of different materials means undergoing a complete validation, test and approvals process across the entire supply chain.” The company has also developed a new liquid silicone rubber (LSR) system that has particular relevance for under-the-hood applications in electric vehicles. “This technology is currently being utilised in combination with others to produce parts for hybrid vehicle fuel cells,” adds Langwald. “In this application field you need a high level of machine control. Our IntElect series uses our own in-house developed motion control technologies like frequency converters and our own drive units built by Sumitomo in Japan. This enables extremely precise control of resin flow even with viscous resins like LSR and high-precision moulds such as light guides, contributing to a reduction in defect rates.”
He continues: “Our current development focus continues to follow our overriding efficiency and all-electric precision principles, clearly illustrated by our new LSR package which uses our best in class drive technology. At the moment we are building one of the most efficient injection moulding machines on the market and we are going further in this direction to improve this efficiency step-by- step. With less energy consumption and higher part quality we can make a contribution for a better environment and help save limited resources.” At K2019, Arburg demonstrated the capabilities
of its machinery for two under-the-hood automo- tive applications. The company says that it estab- lished an intelligent process chain for the manufac- ture of hybrid connectors suitable for use in the automotive industry in the field of electric mobility. A first production step was on a vertical Allrounder 375 V that automatically produced connector inserts. The next step processed the pre-moulded parts into finished hybrid connectors. An electric Allrounder 470 A was used for this purpose. In practice, it is possible to interlink the two injection moulding machines to form a fully automated turnkey system. With a Multilift Select robotic system mounted on the machine base, the vertical Allrounder 375 V with 500 kN of clamping force featured compact and space-saving automation. The pre-stamped metal inserts were provided on a reel from an upstream stamping/bending cell, formed and then fed to the injection mould. In the mould, three contacts were overmoulded to form an assembly each and then cut out of the stamped reel. In a cycle time of around 30 s, three metal pins at a time were overmoulded with glass-bead filled PA6 (GB30). The Multilift Select removed the pre-moulded parts from the mould and set them down on
18 INJECTION WORLD | May 2020
www.injectionworld.com
IMAGE: ARBURG
IMAGE: SUMITOMO (SHI) DEMAG
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