HEALTH & SAFETY
modifications to part-ejection and gating arrangements. These process changes need to be factored into the mould, machinery, and packaging component design.
Even when using less raw material, packaging forms the protective layer so still needs to be engineered to provide strength. Choosing the best machine for your packaging application is critical. Understanding the melt stability and how the plastic will perform as an end product should form the basis of all decisions.
To support these efforts, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag continues to pioneer the development of packaging machines. The company’s El-Exis SP range, available globally, now comprises 10 machines, with a clamp force range of between 150 and 1,000 tons.
Capable of delivering dry cycle times of less than two seconds, the latest generation of EL-Exis SP’s are specifically designed to withstand the higher stresses and injection pressures that are so critical in achieving repeatability, particularly in thin walling. This range is aimed squarely at high volume manufacturers of polymer products, including caps and closures, thin wall containers and lids.
With the introduction of a new control valve regulating the hydraulic pressure during the loading of the accumulator, the range consumes up to 15 per cent less energy that previous generations of El-Exis machines. These savings are dependent upon the packaging application, moulding cycle time and process parameters.
Additionally, all-electric drives set a new benchmark for achieving absolute processing precision, accuracy and dynamics. These are essential criteria in the quest to achieve the highest process consistency, as well as reducing scrap to a minimum during start-up
The El-Exis SP 300 ton machine produced 72 water caps (26/22mm) every two seconds at K 2019
and during ongoing production. The fast and precise response of these direct drives also enables special processes to be implemented with pinpoint accuracy, opening up new possibilities for packaging moulders.
AHEAD OF OUR TIME
Like any other business, economic viability is just as important a consideration for packaging moulders. Low unit costs, high output coupled with energy savings all need to be factored in. That’s why so many packaging manufacturers today are prepared to invest in new high-performance plant. Increasingly, packaging moulders are looking to injection machinery suppliers to provide turnkey solutions, including robotic product handling, advice with tooling, training and testing and all the know-how and support that underpins efficient manufacturing.
Automated vision quality control is one area where significant advances have been made. At K-2019, we showcased our fastest closure turnkey exhibit to- date featuring the inspection Capwatcher Q Line from Intravis. Comprising eight high-resolution cameras, this technology collects, visualises and provides up to 144,000 cavity-based measurements per minute. It also sources a unique inline temperature measurement for each closure, which allows moulders to determine the shrinkage behaviour of each and every closure. From a quality control perspective, this is groundbreaking stuff and significantly reduces production waste.
Another way to achieve thinner yet stronger packaging containers is to apply injection compression techniques to stack moulds. With this, packaging moulders can increase output while reducing the wall thickness of containers and lids from 0.45mm to 0.35mm. This saves around 25 per cent in raw polypropylene materials compared to the standard injection moulding process, while maintaining comparable mechanical properties.
COMPLETING THE CHAIN OF CUSTODY
Sustainability and production efficiency is also intrinsically linked to skills. As we reopen our society, resource efficiency has probably superseded sustainability as an immediate priority. Attracting new people with the appetite for innovation is as critical as ever. Workforce and skill shortages can have a profound impact on cost, overruns and quality. Demands to create smaller, lighter parts have made thin-wall moulding one of the most sought after capabilities in the injection moulding community.
In mid-June the company reopened its training facility doors. To further assist moulders of all sizes and sectors, in July Sumitomo (SHI) Demag also hosted a free series of Webinars covering some of the basic principles of injection moulding. The first discussed how to calculate a correct clamping force. Packaging businesses we are in daily contact with are very much back to business. Nevertheless, the pandemic has forced another re-think to our way of living and future reliance on packaging. While food and medical packaging saw rises in demand, other categories softened. Responding to a pandemic of this scale will always be a series of educated guesses. I’m personally encouraged to hear how packaging moulders are flexing to this unknown landscape and acknowledging the fragility as well as the resilience of their product portfolios. Equally, the climate emergency has not been forgotten. As public health concerns gradually ease, I suspect demand for reusable and sustainable solutions will swiftly resume. However, the exact timings will be very much determined by consumers. Understanding how people interact with packaging and the channels they purchase through will be a clear driver, ensuring consumer safety, product security and future sustainability are evenly balanced.
Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK
http://uk.sumitomo-shi-demag.eu/
FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS | OCTOBER 2020 23
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