TECHNOLOGY | MEDICAL MOULDING
them to the integrated compact cell for cavity-sort- ed depositing. The new automation cell can be custom designed. It houses all automation compo- nents and downstream process units, such as quality control, a tray server or box changer, and is significantly narrower than conventional safety guarding. Its standardised build-up allows for speedy mould set-up of the production unit in case of a product change. Production cells can be precisely tailored to the
IMAGE: ENGEL
Above: The compact, all-electric Engel E-mac machines are equipped with particularly powerful
servo-motors for optimum overall efficiency
mould require absolutely precise movements of the mould mounting platens during opening and closing. All-electric injection moulding machines are therefore the preferred solution in this applica- tion segment, where cost-effectiveness is a decisive factor in choosing a machine. The E-mac is an all-electric machine that combines high output and energy efficiency with an extremely compact machine design, ensuring the lowest possible unit costs even in a cleanroom environment. Engel has also reduced the footprint of the E-mac machines even further. Due to an optimised toggle lever geometry, the E-mac 265/180 used for market launch is 450 mm shorter than the previous 180-tonne version, without reducing the opening stroke. Engel says that among the all-electric machines on the market, the E-mac machines of the new generation are the most compact worldwide in their respective performance segment across the entire series. All movements of the Engel E-mac – including the nozzle movement and ejection – are performed by servo-electric drives. This means that the machine achieves high overall efficiency. If required, a servo-hydraulic unit can be integrated into the machine frame without requiring additional space. The Engel E-mac injection unit was developed from scratch with a focus on even better dynamics. It is available in three performance classes. As a result, the machine can be precisely adapted to require- ments in order to achieve the highest overall efficiency for the widest variety of applications. The E-mac 180 demonstrated the performance of
the next generation machine with the production of pipette tips made of PP in a 64-cavity precision mould by Swiss company Tanner. The cycle time was 6 s. For precision applications with cycle times of more than 4 s, the E-mac is often the most economi- cal solution in the field of all-electric injection moulding machines, according to the company. Automation also contributes to the small footprint. An Engel Viper 20 linear robot removes the 64 pipette tips from the mould and transfers
34 INJECTION WORLD | September 2021
application and include solutions for digitalisation and networking, in addition to the injection moulding machine and automation. For the production of pipette tips, the production cell is equipped with the iQ weight control and iQ flow control smart assistance systems. While iQ weight control readjusts the melt volume for each indi- vidual shot, ensuring consistently high quality of the injection moulded products, iQ flow control automatically adjusts temperature differences in the cooling water manifold circuit. To do this, the software uses the measured values determined by the E-flomo temperature control water manifold system. This results in constant temperature control conditions and significantly improved energy efficiency, as the speed of the pumps in the Engel E-temp temperature control devices is also automatically managed to reflect requirements. The demand for plastics injection moulding in the medical market has increased exponentially, reports Husky, and manufacturers now need technology to enable scalability, in particular for high growth, single-use critical medical products like syringes and drug delivery devices. “Technol- ogy innovation must be connected to two things in the medical industry – production advancements and risk reduction,” says Mike Ellis, Global Business Manager, Hot Runners and Controllers at Husky. “We have all witnessed exponential increases in demand driven by Covid-19. When moulding medical parts, risk is a major factor in making decisions because it directly translates to approval timing, usage safety and cost. Technology that enables more production with lower risk is key in today’s medical environment. How OEMs can reduce this risk and ultimately enhance the master process is crucial. This is where innovation plays a key role by ensuring that parts are more consistent dimensionally, with a perfect balance and by having a more stable, predictable and controllable process,” he says. Husky has developed UltraShot hot runner technology, which offers a number of important advantages for the medical market. These include increasing scale faster with lower risk, which helps
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