Injection molding new dominated at Philadelphia Fair.

Injection molding made most of the news at the Philadelphia Plastics Fair in May. And plenty of news there was--in machines, controls, robots, hot-runner systems, and CIM. The few new items in extrusion, blow molding, recycling, and welding are also covered below.

'BINARY' INJECTION CONTROL

Presses with a new type of injection unit were introduced by Toshiba Machine Co., America, Elk Grove Village, Ill. The so-called "binary" injection unit (see diagram) has two pairs of hydraulic cylinders, with one pair larger in diameter than the other, instead of the usual single pair of cylinders. By selecting different combinations of cylinders and hydraulic circuits, four modes of injection can be obtained. In some modes, for example, oil moves from the small cylinder directly to the large one, rather than back to the tank, in order to provide greater injection speed. These four modes permit increasing the maximum injection speed while proportionately reducing the maximum injection pressure over a fourfold range. Injecting at high speed and low pressure--using the back-pressure from the mold as the primary filling-speed control--is said to be especially useful for thin-wall parts and ones with delicate core pins, such as connectors and hairbrushes. The process is said to dramatically increase tool life and eliminate bent pins, flashing, short shots, burning, flow marks, and warpage from molded-in stresses.

Binary injection is available on Toshiba's new ISF series from 60 to 390 tons. It adds about 10-15% to machine cost. (CIRCLE 68)

Also new from Toshiba is the Quick Color Change System, which is custom-built by a domestic supplier. It consists of a dual-input vacuum loader for two materials or colors, a low-inventory hopper, special programming in the machine controls, and a standard screw, though of a new design. The system reportedly can change colors in five to eight cycles without stopping to purge. The machine can be programmed to switch automatically to a new material and set of molding parameters after a certain number of cycles. The dual loader/hopper unit costs $3000-4000. (CIRCLE 69)

'NEW-LOOK' MACHINES

There was plenty of news from Newbury Industries, Inc., Newbury, Ohio. The company showed its first redesigned Mono-Toggle machine, a 100-tonner, though all models in the series will be similarly overhauled, according to sales manager George Dallas. He also said Newbury may expand the Mono-Toggle line from the current 300-ton maximum to 400 tons next year. And he noted that Newbury has sold the first three (and shipped one) of its brand-new 200-ton vertical C-frame machines with up to 45-oz shot capacity. Previously, 125 tons was the biggest C-frame Newbury had built. In Philadelphia, Newbury displayed a 30-ton C-frame model with new Barber-Colman MACO 400 control electronics, coupled with a MACO 4100 display. The MACO 400 for smaller machines is a scaled-down version of the MACO 4000. It has the same screen displays and basic electrical architecture, but at lower cost.

Meanwhile, Newbury president and owner Glenn Frohring confirmed rumors that the company is in the process of being sold to a U.S. manufacturing firm that is not presently involved with plastics. No details could be released before the deal was closed, which was expected last month.

The redesigned Mono-Toggle, called the 100AMT, has a number of features intended for easier operation and maintenance. The pump has been moved under the injection unit and is fully enclosed in the base. The clamp end of the machine is now fully enclosed. Gates and guards are reconfigured for easier operation, including greater rear-side gate clearance for mold water lines. The base itself is fully covered so that loose pellets won't fall down into the machine.

The machine is said to be much quieter, owing to new isolation mounts on the pump motor and a switch from a-c to d-c solenoids, which are also said to be more repeatable. Hydraulics have been simplified by consolidating five manifolds into two. Also, Newbury now uses the newest Temposonics LP position transducers as standard equipment. These magnetostrictive transducers from MTS Systems Corp., Research Triangle Park, N.C., are said to be more durable and offer greater long-term accuracy than conventional linear potentiometers. (see PT, Aug. '92, p. 12).

Among other new features are front access to electrical wiring, built-in operator control panel next to the safety gate, a single "universal" carriage for 2-9 oz injection units, and carriage redesign to simplify cleanup after purging. The redesign process isn't complete either. The new AMT model has new greaseless bushings just on the injection carriage; come the next Plastics Fair in Chicago this September, the AMT machine will have full greaseless bushings. (CIRCLE 70)

Another "new-look" machine was shown by Nissei America, Inc., Anaheim, Calif. The 44-ton PS 40 machine displayed (see photo) has a more open base to permit conveying parts out under the clamp end, gates and guards that pop off (without tools) for cleaning or access to the machine, and patented ceramic-coated tiebars (grease- and oil-free) as a standard feature. This new design will also appear on models of 11, 22, 66, and perhaps 80 tons. (CIRCLE 71)

What's more, Nissei is preparing to introduce a whole new line of small machines in different sizes than those the firm has previously offered. The first model, 17 tons, is already being quoted. By the end of the year, 33- and 55-tonners are expected to become available. These machines are planned to be much lower priced than previous small Nissei machines, more competitive with Arburg and Boy models, says a company source. They will have hydraulic clamps and fully supported platens for precision molding. (CIRCLE 72)

Responding to the popularity of its relatively new tiebarless horizontal machines, Engel North America, Guelph, Ontario, plans to build these machines in Canada by the end of the year. Over 1000 of these models (30, 60 and 90 tons) have been sold worldwide in their three years on the market, says sales v.p. Kurt Fenske. Lack of tiebars makes mold changes easier, facilitates addition of automation auxiliaries, and also increases the usable platen area. For example, the 90-tonner carries molds for a standard 150-ton machine. (CIRCLE 73)

In addition, Engel just announced that its large-machine operation in York, Pa., has added 24,000 sq ft of manufacturing space. Over 70% of large-press components are now made in North America. Mold-testing capability has also been added to the York plant.

MORE NEW PRESSES

Boy Machines Inc., Exton, Pa., showed an example of the upgraded 50-ton machines (50T2 and 50M) that were introduced at the K'92 show in Dusseldorf (see PT, Jan. '93, p. 67). These machines now have closed-loop hydraulic pressure control as standard, which is said to give control accuracy very close to that afforded by servo-valves. Also new are slightly expanded tiebar clearance, increased clearance for mold water lines between the guards and the machine frame, and quick-barrel-change mount. The Boy 50M Mipronic-Plus model also has new SPC displays of X-Bar and R charts for 19 different parameters--optionally expandable to 52. (CIRCLE 74)

Hull Corp., Warminster, Pa., has just built its first 45-ton press, which complements its 25-ton Mighty Mac. The $45,000 machine has upgraded software diagnostics and Smart Mold control. (CIRCLE 75)

Autojectors Inc., Albion, Ind., showed its first standard 90-ton shuttle-type vertical insert molder. The C-frame machine has variable-volume hydraulics and Texas Instruments Turbo Mold closed-loop controls. Coming soon is an upgraded Turbo Touch II touchscreen operator interface that's said to be faster and network compatible, with added graphics and "Help" displays, and capacity for remote troubleshooting and programming via modem. (CIRCLE 76)

A series of all-electric injection machines from JSW Plastics Machinery Inc., Bell, Calif., is expected to be introduced here this year--perhaps in time for the Chicago Plastics Fair in September. Available in Japan for two and a half years, five models of the J-EL series from 35 to 165 tons incorporate five-point double toggles, four a-c servo motors, and two additional electric motors. A couple of larger models are planned in the next year. (CIRCLE 77)

Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont., showed its first 175-ton hydromechanical X-Clamp modular machine with 20.5-in. square tiebar spacing and 23.6-in. clamp stroke. A 132-ton version is in the works. (CIRCLE 78)

From Korea comes word that Dong Shin has a new 710-ton model in its Pro Max 4000C toggle series. Sold here by B&B Machinery, Anaheim, Calif., these machines now sport Barber-Colman MACO 4000 controls. (CIRCLE 79)

And Lucky-Goldstar International (America) Inc. of Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and Cerritos, Calif., has a new 390-ton model and will offer a 2000-ton size here next year (one has been running for a year in Korea). The company is also building its first 3500-ton press. (CIRCLE 80)

Cincinnati Milacron's U.S. Plastics Machinery Div., Batavia, Ill., has extended its Vista Large series with the addition of a 4000-ton, fully hydraulic model. An unusual feature is dual clamp rams within a single clamp-cylinder housing. Dual rams are said to provide more uniform force across the platen, which has 90.5 x 74.8 in. between tiebars. Injection capacities range from 288 to 1054 oz.

Milacron also introduced two new sizes in the VL series, which differs from the standard Vista Hydraulic design. The new 725 and 850 tonners feature the VL low-profile design, modular hydraulics, pump packages, power gates, and injection bases. (CIRCLE 81)

NEWS IN HOT RUNNERS

Mold-Masters Ltd., Georgetown, Ont., is introducing a whole new line of hot-runner components that will eventually replace older models. First shown at K'92, the Dura line has the heating element fusion welded into grooves around the outside of the tool-steel nozzle body and bonded with nickel. Previously, the he cast into a hollowed-out portion of the steel body and filled in with copper. The new design has thicker steel sections for higher strength, providing greater durability in the most high-pressure applications. Also, the new models have larger internal bore diameters for higher flow, and they come in a wider range of lengths--up to 450 mm (17.6 in.) on the largest size. Also new are screw-in replaceable tips--sprue, hot tip, and valve gate--which provide economical interchangeability.

The Dura line includes the Centi Shot, which will complement the Master Probe series for shot sizes up to 50 g. The Deci Shot complements the Master Shot series for shots up to 500 g. And the Mega Shot complements the Big Shot for up to 5000-g shots. Two smaller sizes may become available in the next year. (CIRCLE 82)

Also new from Mold-Masters are manifold plates with built-in heating elements and thermocouple control. They're said to offer higher wattages and better heat conductivity than before. "Hole-through" design allows valve gating through the manifold plate. (CIRCLE 83)

Several new products were announced by D-M-E Co., Madison Heights, Mich. The company has new High-Performance nozzles with cast-in heaters around the nozzle body, encapsulated in copper alloy. They're designed to operate at up to 800 F for molding high-temperature resins, and are said to offer greater temperature accuracy than standard coil heaters. These new nozzles have new wear-resistant tips made of an alloy that reportedly lasts longer than the mold gates themselves when running abrasive materials. Prices are about 25% more than standard nozzles. (CIRCLE 84)

D-M-E also has a new SSH-10-02 10-amp, single-zone temperature controller intended for nozzles or hot sprue bushings. The microprocessor-based unit costs $375. D-M-E'S Smart Series DSS II heat-control modules have been upgraded with several new features. You can now program them to switch automatically to manual control if a thermocouple fails. You can also program individual zones for faster or slower response relative to other zones. And a new audible alarm module can set all zones to standby heating at 200 F (for weekends or lunch breaks) with a single switch. (CIRCLE 85)

A brand-new P07M multi-drop manifold from Polyshot, Rochester, N.Y., uses only one heater per drop, instead of the previous four, which improves serviceability. It's also easier to manufacture, which aids quick delivery. (CIRCLE 86)

Polyshot also reports that it has been working with Butler Designs of England, which makes small air-operated injection machines (6 and 9 tons)to supply turnkey molding systems. Butler (represented by Matchless Machinery, Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) ships the machines to Polyshot which installs a hot-runner manifold and the mold (also built by Polyshot) and then ships the total system to the molder. (CIRCLE 87)

A series of filter nozzles developed to prevent blockage of small gates used in hot-runner systems is now available separately from Plasthing Hot Runner Systems, Inc., Danbury, Conn. The company offers free 30-day try-out of the filters, which reportedly offer negligible pressure drop, easy cleaning, and improved color mixing. The nozzles have replaceable filter blocks and have been used with such heat- and shear-sensitive resins as acetal and PET. In PET bottle preform molding, the nozzles are used to filter out unmelted fines that cause white spots. Four nozzles sizes cover virtually all machine sizes. (CIRCLE 88)

LATEST ROBOTS

Intended to fill the cost and performance gap between simple pickers and traversing robots, the Apex PST series was introduced by Pressflow Robots Inc., Wood Dale, Ill. Imported from Apex Robot Systems in Taiwan, this all-pneumatic line comes in several sizes for machines from 50 to 300 tons. They can have single or dual arms (see photo, p. 21) and vertical strokes up to 35.1 in. PST robots have nine standard programs and three "teachable" sequences for custom programming, as well as diagnostic error messages. Minimum cycle is 8-10 sec. All models cost under $17,000. (CIRCLE 89)

ATM Automation in Reading, Pa., also showed a new line of three-axis robots. Developed in the U.K., the new EX series robots will be built here. They come in two heights: EX-L (low head-room) and EX-S (standard) and in three sizes, EX-S 1000 for 200-ton presses, EX-S 2000 for 600 tons and EX-3000 for 1000 tons. All are PLC-controlled and offer repeatability within +/-O.1 mm, ATM says. Mid-range EX-S 2000 robots start around $35,000. (CIRCLE 90)

An RX-G servo-driven robot from Sailor of Japan will be available soon from Automated Assemblies Corp., Clinton, Mass. The company also has a new SE-11 side-entry robot. (CIRCLE 91)

ENERGY SAVINGS

Several companies showed how to improve energy efficiency in injection and injection blow molding machines by controlling the pumping of hydraulic oil. Digital Technologies in Toledo, a startup controls and software company, introduced itself and its new "Power Miser" variable-speed hydraulic controls. Digital Technologies' founder, Russ Wumer, two years ago started Advanced Energy Control in Orange, Calif., which makes similar products (see PT, Aug. '92, p. 13). The Power Miser uses the injection molding machine's existing a-c motor and fixed pump system, and adjusts motor speed to supply only as much oil as needed. Digital says it has four systems installed, which are providing average machine energy savings of 60-65%. The potential range of energy savings is 40-70%. Lower savings are obtained when machines already have variable-volume hydraulic pumps. In addition to energy savings, Digital's monitor adds variable-speed control to the clamp closing speed, which could take seconds off cycle time. Power Miser controls fit 10-hp to 200-hp motors and can cost from $3000 to $60,000 or more to convert large, multi-motor presses. (CIRCLE 92)

Industrial Control Systems, Yorba Linda, Calif., takes the same basic approach to controlling hydraulic clamping force by varying the rpm of the a-c motor that pumps the hydraulic oil. These controls can cut 50-75% off electricity bills, and may qualify for utility rebates. ICS says it has retrofitted over 10 major injection molding plants, including one with over 80 presses for Milton Bradley in East Longmeadow, Mass. "That produced a $400,000 annual savings," ICS says. Retrofitting a typical 60-hp/300-ton press (single motor) would cost $8000-10,000. (CIRCLE 93)

Taking a different tack on energy savings, Insul-Vest Inc., Mulvane, Kans., in a joint venture with Exotherm Ltd. of England, introduced a novel ceramic beater band. The Insul-Watt heater is so new that the patent application was made just a day before the show. Insul-Watt heaters are all ceramic--the only metal is a terminal box and a resistance coil imbedded in ceramic beads surrounded by ceramic-fiber insulation. Insul-Vest says its heaters are so efficient that their PTFE outer surface stays cool to the touch. This permits mounting an LED current-sensing instrument to let operators quickly check the status of a heater. Such efficient insulation lets the heaters use lower wattage than conventional heaters to obtain the same heat output. Energy savings are 25-50% depending on resin processed. Heaters will be custom built in the U.S. and cost about 60% more than standard heaters, but 30% less than a conventional heater band plus ceramic insulation pack. (CIRCLE 94)

'BEAR MINIMUM' CIM

Penny-pinching processors might consider an elementary approach to plantwide machine monitoring from Bear Technologies Inc., Rochester, N.Y., a year-old startup company. It uses two wires to monitor a single machine function, most commonly the start of injection mold filling. This signal generates a count of parts produced (not distinguishing good from bad), and from that the software calculates parts left to run, elapsed time, and time left to run on a job. The software also calculates cycle time and compares the cycle to a password-protected machine standard. The PC software runs in Microsoft Windows, monitoring up to 48 machines on a single screen. A color-coded display shows at a glance how each machine is running--on-cycle, slow, fast, or down. The complete system with software and two-wire monitoring hookups for up to 48 machines costs $7500. (CIRCLE 95)

EQUIPMENT FOR RECYCLERS

A unique, patented deduster was shown for recyclers and compounders. Pelletron Corp., Lancaster, Pa., has made the deduster since 1986, but hasn't shown it publicly before. Flakes of ground waste, fines, and dust fall against an inclined deck with small holes through which a light updraft blows, removing small particles and dust. Other commercial elutriators use stronger air flow and have the disadvantage of removing good flake with the fines, Pelletron says. The sloped deck has channels that accelerate the slide of flakes. The deck is also bathed with a "magnetic flux" field that disrupts static attraction so dust doesn't cling to the flake. Pelletron dedusters range from 500 to 200,000 lb/hr, cleaning either flake or pellets with minor modification. A patented cartridge filter purges dust and fines, a segment at a time, without stopping. Model P30 for about 3000 lb/hr costs around $17,000. (CIRCLE 96)

FOR EXTRUSION AND BLOW MOLDING

Cincinnati Milacron introduced new 1.5-in. and 2-in. models to its single-screw extruder line, along with the "Harpoon" winders for cast and blown film that were first shown at K'92 (see PT, Jan. '93, p. 73). (CIRCLE 97)

For extrusion control, Barber-Colman Co., Loves Park, Ill., introduced the MACO 5050, a base-level system with compact, flat-panel electroluminescent display. It can control one drive and 12 heat/cool temperature zones, each with PID auto-tuning. (An expansion card to be introduced later this year will add to these capabilities.) The system can be used for multi-speed, open-loop drive control or closed-loop pressure control. Up to 16 job recipes can be stored internally and more on solid-state Insta-Set cartridges. Sequence-logic programming is available. An optional SPC package includes trending. Prices can run from a base of $7190 to $10,000-11,000 "fully loaded." (CIRCLE 98)

Syscon-RKC, South Bend, Ind., introduced the Farex-Mighty 5E, said to be an economical extruder control for up to 104 temperature zones (PID auto-tuning), 12 motors, 36 analog outputs, and 144 alarms and other I/Os. Job recipes can be stored. (CIRCLE 99)

A line of German film-thickness sensors and controls is newly available in the U.S. from Betacontrol, which recently opened a sales office in Towaco, N.J. Sensors include radiation, infrared, laser, eddy-current, and ultra-sonic types. (CIRCLE 100)

And for extrusion blow molding, Barber-Colman has added velocity pushout control to its MACO 8000 VA parison control module. This can be used to control accumulator heads or screw speed. (CIRCLE 101)

LOW COST WELDERS

Forward Technology Industries Inc., Minneapolis, introduced its Omega IIS ultrasonic welder, said to be the least expensive on the market. Cost is kept down by using simple, non-microprocessor controls. It runs at 20-30 kHz and 800-2000 watts. Prices run $6900-8200. (CIRCLE 102)

This was the first plastics show for a six-year-old company, Bryant-Assembly Technologies Inc. of Milford, Conn. Bryant showed its line of microprocessor-controlled, bench-top heat-staking and insertion machines. Three models come with 2.5-, 4- and 6-in. strokes and cost from $1400 to over $7000 with multiple zones. (CIRCLE 103)