INNOVATION | AUTOMOTIVE
injection moulding machines offer good parallelism of mould mounting platens. The force divider enables the moving mould mounting platen to follow the mould exactly while clamping force is building up and ensures that the initiated clamping force is distributed evenly across
the surface. This prevents burr
station. The combination of a standard injection moulding machine and a two-component machine is synonymous with very high production flexibility. Both machines can also be utilised independently of the other with different moulds. System partners included Skymould of China, HRSflow, Innolite, Opsira and Gimatic of China. Engel also demonstrated the moulding of sophisticated LED lenses in LSR at NPE 2018. Lenses for LED headlights were produced on an E-victory 310/120 US injection moulding machine equipped with a two-cavity mould by ACH-Solution of Austria. These technical parts have a wide range of applica- tions from automotive to construction and street lighting. The company says that this is due to its special characteristics. Highly transparent LSR has a lower yellowing index than standard lens materials, is UV-resistant, and stable across a broad tempera- ture range of -20°C to +150°C. In addition, even complex lens geometries can be efficiently and consistently produced with injection moulding. “Prerequisite for the economic produc-
tion of advanced products with liquid silicone are automated processes and a high degree of precision and stability in the injection moulding process,” says Steve Broadbent, responsible for elastomer projects in the application technology of Engel in North America. “Thanks to its tie-bar-less clamping unit, the E-victory machine with its electric injection unit has shown itself to be predestined for this purpose.” Engel adds that free access to the mould interior simplifies setup and keeps the production cell compact. Because the mould mounting platens can be used all the way to the edge, the lens mould, which is larger in size due to the complex component structure, fits into a small 120-ton injection moulding machine. In addition, the robot can access the cavity directly from the side and requires less vertical space. The tie-bar-less
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formation even when processing low viscosity materials such as LSR. The components require no rework and can be used immediately after the injection moulding process. The mould and dosage system were developed and constructed by ACH-Solution and the mould uses the new electric nozzle control ServoShot. When processing LSR Engel also integrates all components of the production cell into a common control so that the entire process, including LSR dosage and handling, can be adjusted and controlled via the CC300 operator panel of the injection moulding machine. The goal of every moulder producing automotive lighting components has always been to achieve the highest part clarity and quality with minimal scrap, explains Adam Domurat, Sales Manager Automo- tive, Americas at Mold-Masters. “As lighting products have evolved to become more advanced and technical, the processing require- ments of resins such as PC, PC-ABS and PMMA have become more challeng-
ing. New solutions were needed in order to accom- modate these requirements
and to increase a moulder’s
productivity and keep operational reliability.” In order to meet these needs, Mold-Masters
introduced the Dura+ hot runner system. Launched to target modern automotive lens applications, Dura+ is manufactured with stainless steel to maintain system integrity and incorporates field replaceable components to minimise downtime. Dura+ is also claimed to enhance moulded part quality with superior part clarity. In the field, Dura+ has been reported to reduce scrap by up to 73%, improve cycle time by up to 22% and produce parts with significant cosmetic improvements. Additionally, Dura+ incorporates Mold-Masters’ Brazed Heater technology for good thermal profile control and reliability to maximise uptime. Dura+ will soon be available in a pre-wired system to enhance ease and speed of installation. The soon
September 2018 | INJECTION WORLD 53
Left: Engel connected two Duo injection moulding machines to produce thick-walled LED lenses at Chinaplas
Left: With their complex structure, silicone LED lenses place high demands on the precision of the injection moulding process
PHOTO: ACH-SOLUTION
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