NEWS


Plastic camshaft module breakthrough revealed


A project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs & Energy and led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT), in partnership with the Mahle Group, Daimler, SBHPP/ Vyncolit and Georges Pernoud has succeeded in developing a camshaft module from fibre- reinforced thermoset polymers. This is now available as a functional demonstrator. Camshaft modules are used in automotive powertrains to enclose the camshaft, which itself ensures that the charge- cycle valves are opened and closed reliably and precisely. Traditionally, they have been made from aluminium. A plastic alternative has long been sought to reduce engine weight and cut


assembly costs, thus reducing CO2 emissions and lowering the vehicle’s centre of gravity. The module features a monolithic design with integrated bearings, making for reduced assembly time and eliminating the need for separate installation of the camshaft. Fraunhofer ICT added that after 600 test hours on the engine test stand, it passed all the requisite tests, despite the polymer being four times less stiff than aluminium. The polymers were chosen for their ability to withstand high


temperatures and mechanical and chemical stresses. They also allow near-net-shape manufacturing, with little reworking, while the service life of thermoset polymer injection moulds is


significantly higher than that of aluminium high-pressure die cast moulds. Finally, their damping characteristics help to reduce engine noise. � www.ict.fraunhofer.de


Machine safety standard


The ISO 20430 standard for injection moulding machines – the first international safety standard for plastics and rubber machinery – was published in April after seven years of discussions. The EN ISO version of the standard, which creates the link to the European Machinery Directive with the additional annex ZA, will be published within the next few months. ISO 20430 was based


The functional demonstrator replaces aluminium with fibre- reinforced thermosets


on an existing European standard, EN 201, and came out of a project in which about 40 experts from machine manufacturers, associations and health and safety organisations from 13 countries took part. It was convened and based in Germany, with the VDMA industry body taking the key role. � www.vdma.org


Hot runner patent judgement in Germany


US hot runner technology firm Synventive announced it has won an injunction in a patent infringement lawsuit against INglass and its German HRSflow subsidiary in the Mannheim Regional Court in Germany. It said in a statement the ruling includes a damages award in principle, as well as ancillary awards in its patent infringement lawsuit based on European Patent EP 2 620 266 B1. The lawsuit, which covers products sold in Germany, relates to HRSflow’s FLEXflow and FLEXflow ONE hot runner products. HRSflow previously had a


8 INJECTION WORLD | May 2020


licence agreement with Synventive. INglass responded in a statement


that the patent judgement in favour of Synventive relates to an old product series, not HRSflow’s current HRS FLEXflow Evo products. The Mannheim court ruling “does not affect any customer and their operations of HRSflow systems, which are or will be all upgraded to HRSflow FLEXflow Evo”, said INglass. “The court proceedings mentioned by Synventive relate to the past. They do not affect the present and the future of our products,” it said.


Synventive also said in its statement:


“A further decision by the Mannheim Court regarding a proposed redesign of HRSflow’s product (‘stepped profile’) is expected during the summer of 2020.” In response, INglass said: “The mentioned ongoing proceedings regarding the ‘stepped profile’, for which there is actually no judgment, do not relate to the current ‘HRSflow FLEXflow Evo’ sold and for sale worldwide.” � www.synventive.com � www.inglass.it


www.injectionworld.com


IMAGE: FRAUNHOFER ICT


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