Injection molding.This year's show will be the place to kick the tires on large two-platen machines. At least five suppliers will exhibit machines over 1000 tons. If you're a molder who needs to fit a really big machine in a limited space, this year's show is the right place to start shopping. At least six vendors will have large, two-platen machines on display, some of which are being seen publicly for the first time. Also look for new machines for the full spectrum of specialty markets - including ones for PET preforms (see sidebar), thin-wall molding, high-speed packaging, new "digital video disks," and thermosets thermosets, materials that can not be softened on heating. In thermosetting polymers, the polymer chains are joined (or cross-linked) by intermolecular bonding. Thermosets are usually supplied as partially polymerized or as monomer-polymer mixtures. . You'll also have the opportunity to view in person recently introduced machines (previously reported in this magazine) for multi-component molding, liquid silicone rubber, and low-pressure molding. For new developments in hot runners and other tooling, see this month's "Tooling Up" column. LITTLE BIG MACHINES It looks like large two-platen machines (1000-plus tons), which typically take up 20% less room than their three-platen counterparts, will be all the rage General Public's All the Rage was released in 1984 by I.R.S. Records. Track listing
One of the debuts in this category is the Vista Maxima two-platen machine from Cincinnati Milacron of Batavia, Ohio. A 1760-ton version will be at the show, though the Maxima line will eventually extend up to 4000 tons. Milacron's hydromechanical damp design doesn't use tie-rod cylinders to build clamp pressure; instead it builds tonnage with a direct-acting, short-stroke "pancake" cylinder mounted in the stationary platen behind the die plate. Once the moving platen locks onto the tiebars, the ram and die plate travel up to 1.37 in. to build pressure. The central location of the ram is intended to prevent platen deflection. A single hydraulic cylinder drives the nut locks that fix the moving platens to the tiebars. Milacron is claiming fast cycles for the machines: 30 in./sec clamp speed, 0.5 sec to build pressure, and dry-cycle times of 8 sec. Beyond its unique clamp design, the Maxima illustrates the kind of savings common to two-platen machines. Its footprint measures 449 x 151 x 116 in. This 1760-tonner uses just 500 gal of oil, less than half of what a conventional hydraulic machine would use. Other features include, walk-up access to the nozzle and an open base to ease parts removal, tie-rods that can be pulled from either direction, and a CAMAC (Computer Automated Measurement And Control) An IEEE standard (IEEE 583) for modular instrumentation systems. CAMAC "crates" are control stations that contain plug-in cards with ports to data acquisition devices. 486 closed-loop controller. Another brand-new two-platen machine is the Caliber Series from Van Dorn Demag, Strongsville, Ohio. A 1760-ton version will be shown. Designed jointly by Van Dorn and Mannesmann Demag, this new line features retractable re·tract v. re·tract·ed, re·tract·ing, re·tracts v.tr. 1. To take back; disavow: refused to retract the statement. 2. tiebars and will be displayed with an optional servo-electric screw drive to speed recovery times. Husky Injection Molding Systems, Bolton, Ont., will show a 1000-ton, two-platen Moduline E Series machine. Husky's design features a clamp with some "flex" to ward off platen deformation problems. The machine will be shown with an Automatic Part Tracking robot that uses a timing belt and new programming software to allow the robot to "chase" the moving platen and strip the part while the mold is still opening, shaving seconds off cycle time. Krauss-Maffei Corp., Florence, Ky., will show several two-platen machines, among them the largest one it has exhibited in North America. This 1000-ton model achieves cycle-time reduction through parallel clamp movements. At the show the machine will produce a beverage-can tray in a four-cavity tool with cycle-time target of 26 sec. The company will also roll out a recent extension of its "C Line" of two-platen machines - a 350-ton "clean-room" press with an isolated clamp. Engel Machinery Inc., York, Pa., will show a 2000-ton, two-platen Duo machine. And HPM HPM High Power Microwave HPM Health and Productivity Management HPM Hyper Page Mode HPM Human Performance Modeling HPM High Pressure Mercury HPM Hazardous Production Material (1997 Uniform Fire Code) HPM Human Potential Movement Corp., Mt. Gilead, Ohio, will show a 600-ton two-platen machine based on a design from Germany's Hemscheidt, which HPM recently acquired. This hydromechanical machine has a patented "Parabolic par·a·bol·ic also par·a·bol·i·cal adj. 1. Of or similar to a parable. 2. Of or having the form of a parabola or paraboloid. " platen that's said to virtually eliminate deflection. The tiebars retract TO RETRACT. To withdraw a proposition or offer before it has been accepted. 2. This the party making it has a right to do is long as it has not been accepted; for no principle of law or equity can, under these circumstances, require him to persevere in it. with the moving platen to provide easy access to the mold area. MIGHTY MITES Moving to the opposite end of the size scale, A.B. Jewelry Machinery of Montreal, Que., will introduce its AB-200-4 Plastic Injector, a 2-ton machine weighing just 88 lb and having a 20 x 25 x 31 in. footprint. The machine holds molds up to 2.5 x 3 x 2 in. and has a 0.25-oz shot capacity. This is one of a series of manual and automatic models designed for medical, electronic, jewelry, and prototyping applications. The smallest of the small at the show will be the new 0.14-oz Micro-Injector from Daca Instruments of Goleta, Calif. Two other small-machine specialists will be introducing control enhancements. Arburg Inc. of Newington, Conn., will bring out new software modules for its Selogica controller, including ones for automatic start-up and shutdown and SPC 1. (business) SPC - Statistical Process Control. Something to do with quality management. 2. (body) SPC - Software Productivity Centre. 3. (company) SPC - Software Publishing Corporation. 4. reporting. Arburg will also demonstrate an automatic process-control system based on cavity-pressure sensing. In addition, Arburg will show its S Series machines (28 and 55 tons) in universal configuration and with innovations such as an integrated sprue sprue, chronic disorder of the small intestine caused by impaired absorption of fat and other nutrients. Two forms of the disease exist. Tropical sprue occurs in central and northern South America, Asia, Africa, and other specific locations. picker that fits under the safety hood. Boy Machines Inc. of Exton, Pa. will show an upgraded Dipronic control system with auto-tuned digital PID (1) (Process IDentifier) A temporary number assigned by the operating system to a process or service. (2) (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) The most common control methodology in process control. temperature control and closed-loop control of the nozzle zone. GET VERTICAL Testifying to the popularity of vertical presses, at least seven exhibitors will display new developments in upright machines at the show. A new vertical/vertical line from Cincinnati Milacron will debut in a 50-ton version. This new Vector Series, which also comes in 75 tons, has a three-tiebar design and a two- or four-station oscillating os·cil·late intr.v. os·cil·lat·ed, os·cil·lat·ing, os·cil·lates 1. To swing back and forth with a steady, uninterrupted rhythm. 2. table. Closed-loop control of injection velocities and pressures are standard features of its CAMAC controller. Van Dorn has added Pathfinder controls to its Newbury vertical presses, three of which will be performing live demonstrations. A 30-tonner fitted with a rotary table will make security cards from PBT PBT Provider Backbone Transport (networking technology adding determinism to ethernet) PBT Polybutylene Terephthalate PBT Profit Before Tax PBT Paper Based Test (education) . A 125-tonner will produce screwdriver from an aluminum prototype mold produced by rapid-tooling techniques. And a 400-ton, four-tiebar machine will turn out gear-shift handles over-molded with soft PVC PVC: see polyvinyl chloride. PVC in full polyvinyl chloride Synthetic resin, an organic polymer made by treating vinyl chloride monomers with a peroxide. grips. Autojectors Inc. of Avilla, Ind., will show a new C-frame insert molder, the 130-ton HCR HCR High Commissioner for Refugees (UN) HCR Home Condition Report HCR Health Care Reform HCR Highway Contract Route (US Postal Service) HCR High Consistency Rubber HCR Human Cognitive Reliability . Its lower, moving platen incorporates a four-station rotary table with a proportional hydraulic drive. The HCR-130 accepts larger mold base (16 x 20 in.) than previous models, and it incorporates new SPI (1) (Stateful Packet Inspection) See stateful inspection. (2) (Service Provider Interface) The programming interface for developing Windows drivers under WOSA. safety features for vertical-clamp machinery. It also features servo-valve closed-loop injection control. This modular machine's rotary table can be converted to a shuttle. Two new series of vertical machines for thermoplastics from Wabash MPI MPI - Message Passing Interface , Warsaw, Ind., will also appear at the show: The WP Series of four-post machines comes in either up- or down-acting configurations, while the WPC WPC (in Britain) woman police constable WPC (Brit) n abbr (= woman police constable) → Polizistin f WPC n abbr (BRIT Series are down-acting C-frame machines. Clamp sizes for both range from 10 to 300 tons and shot sizes from 0.93 to 18.6 oz. Three new vertical Klockner Desma machines will be shown by KFD KFD Key Features Document Sales & Service, Erlanger, Ky. A 275-ton model will feature a horizontal, first-in/first-out injection unit, as will a new 110-ton model. Also, a 50-ton C-frame, shuttle-table machine for corner moldings will also be introduced. Trueblood, Columbus, Ohio, will bring out a redesigned 30-ton vertical clamp insert molder, a C-frame model with Allen-Bradley SIC 500 control (a Barber-Colman closed-loop MACO MACo Maryland Association of Counties MACO Military Assault Command Operations (gaming) MACO Mars Atmospheric Constellation Observatory MACO Medallic Art Company MACO Marshalling Area Control Officer 4000 controller is optional). Barber-Colman controls will also be featured on a new 20-ton insert press from Boston Matthews Injection Molding Machinery of Dayton, Ohio. SPECIALTY MACHINES The show will feature an ample selection of special machines for special jobs: * High-speed machines - High-speed and thin-wall packaging machines won't be in short supply. Nissei Plastic Industrial Co., Anaheim, Calif., will show 180- and 360-ton FC Series machines with a new clamp design and upgraded proportional-valve control. The company cites dry-cycle times of 0.9 sec for damp closing and 0.8 sec for clamp opening. These machines use Nissei's "Triplemelt" technology - a three-stage injection unit designed to hold a fixed melt pressure, temperature, and shot volume without need for closed-loop control. New to the U.S. is the 520-ton model SGA SGA abbr. small for gestational age Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) A term used to describe newborns who are below the 10th percentile in height or weight for their estimated gestational age. 520 LS high-speed, thin-wall packaging machine from Bucher Inc., Elk Grove Village Elk Grove Village, village (1990 pop. 33,429), Cook and Du Page counties, NE Ill., a suburb of Chicago; inc. 1956. With a population of c.100 at the time of its establishment on open farmland, the village has grown dramatically and steadily, largely because of its , Ill. Meanwhile, KFD Sales & Service will show a 550-ton Klockner-Windsor high-speed packaging machine making container lids in a 96-cavity, four-level stack mold from Tradesco Molds Ltd., Rexdale, Ont. Sumitomo will show new high-speed options for its machines as well. * Tiebarless presses - Engel has extended its tiebarless line with 125- and 175-ton models, which will be on display at the show. In addition, Cincinnati Milacron will introduce a new series of tiebarless machines called "Prowler." And HPM will have its new Access series in 60- and 250-ton C-frame models. * All-electrics - Milacron will introduce the Elektra IID IID Imperial Irrigation District (California) IID Interface Identifier (Component Object Model) IID Ignition Interlock Device (automotive security system) , an 85-ton toggle To alternate back and forth between two states. toggle - To change a bit from whatever state it is in to the other state; to change from 1 to 0 or from 0 to 1. This comes from "toggle switches", such as standard light switches, though the word "toggle" actually refers to machine enhanced with new low-inertia digital servos. Milacron will also bring out a new line of Roboshot EV all-electric vertical presses. * Two-color models - Van Dorn Demag has downsized its ERGOTech two-color/two-component machines to a new 50-ton model. Battenfeld, Arburg, Krauss-Maffei, and Cincinnati Milacron will also show recent two-color/two-component developments. * Thermoset A polymer-based liquid or powder that becomes solid when heated, placed under pressure, treated with a chemical or via radiation. The curing process creates a chemical bond that, unlike a thermoplastic, prevents the material from being remelted. See thermoplastic. presses - Bucher will show a new in-mold gate cutter on its TS 160P thermoset machine. The cutter reportedly produces better-looking parts and saves a secondary operation by trimming excess material before it has time to cure. What's more, larger gates can now be used to help improve part filling and packing. The TS 160 P will also feature the MC-4 controller, which are based on the Siemens S7-300 expandable controller. It controls the press, robot, mold functions, material handling, and polyester stuffer - all from a single operator interface. Krauss-Maffei will show a two-platen, 150-ton thermoset machine with a continuous-feed loader (up 340 lb capacity). * Injection-compression - MHI MHI Manufactured Housing Institute MHI Montreal Heart Institute (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) MHI Median Household Income MHI Main Hawaiian Islands MHI Material Handling Institute Injection Molding Machinery of Wood Dale, Ill., will demonstrate injection-compression molding at the show on a 390-ton Mitsubishi hydraulic press. Sumitomo Plastics-Machinery, Norcross, Ga., will also demonstrate the process - on a 385-ton machine. * Low-pressure and textile molding - A new 610-ton Mitsubishi hydromechanical press will perform in-mold textile laminating. And the company will showcase low-pressure molding on a 110-ton hydraulic machine. Hettinga Technologies Inc. of Des Moines, Iowa “Des Moines” redirects here. For other uses, see Des Moines (disambiguation). Des Moines (pronounced /dɪˈmɔɪn/ in English, , will show new low-pressure applications, including a plastic garage door with a molded-in textile hinge. * Digital video discs - The hot new field of DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc. DVD in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. molding will be represented by special machines from Toshiba Machine Co. America, Ontario, Calif., and Nissei America. MACHINES GET NEW BRAINS In addition to control developments noted above from the machinery OEMs, several independent controls suppliers will also have news: Northwest Technical Integrators of Crystal Lake., Ill., will show a new total machine control system based on a Pentium PC and Windows software. Also look for new controllers for injection and coinjection molding from Allen-Bradley Co., Mayfield Heights, Ohio Mayfield Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 19,386 at the 2000 census. Mayfield Heights was originally part of Mayfield Township. Geography Mayfield Heights is located at (41. . Barber-Colman Co. of Loves Park, Ill., will introduce scaled-down MACO controllers, including the Custom 40 "small-footprint" model and the economical Custom 4000 12-slot controller. Engel will pair its RISC-based controllers with new digital sensor technology intended to enhance molding precision. Solid Controls Inc. of Hopkins, Minn., will have a new version of its Scoremaster total machine control. And ABB n. 1. Among weavers, yarn for the warp. Hence, Noun 1. ABB - an urban hit squad and guerrilla group of the Communist Party in the Philippines; formed in the 1980s Industrial Systems of New Berlin, Wis., and D Tech Systems of Glastonbury, Conn., will introduce an energy-saving variable-speed drive retrofit for injection machines. SCREW NEWS R. Dray Mfg. Inc., Dallas, will announce that it now offers guaranteed recovery times for its screws. Improved performance is claimed for the new "Hopscotch" mixing section from Advanced Technologies Worldwide Inc., Cape Canaveral, Fla. Tungsten carbide screws for abrasive applications will be introduced by Spirex of Youngstown, Ohio. Likewise, Anval of Rutherford, N.J., will introduce new hardfacing materials - NiTung alloy powders and B-56 Ni-Cr-Si-B alloy. What to Look for * There will be more high-tonnage two-platen machines than ever before. * Radically new PET preform pre·form tr.v. pre·formed, pre·form·ing, pre·forms 1. To shape or form beforehand. 2. To determine the shape or form of beforehand. n. 1. machine uses a rotating platen. * PC-based robot controls create a familiar programming environment. * In-mold degating aids thermoplastic A polymer material that turns to liquid when heated and becomes solid when cooled. There are more than 40 types of thermoplastics, including acrylic, polypropylene, polycarbonate and polyethylene. and thermoset molding. RELATED ARTICLE: Robot Programming: Just Point and Pick It's getting a lot easier to teach parts-removal robots what to do. Several vendors of servo robots will show new PC-based touchscreen controls, some of which even allow graphical programming. Yushin America Inc., Cranston, R.I., will roll out PC-based controls with an 11-in. touchscreen and graphical interface for its Netliner VN-II-EA Series of servo traverse robots. Yushin will also show its new FLX FLX Finger Lakes (New York) FLX Fort Lauderdale Executive (airport code) FLX Federal Learning eXchange FLX Flatfishes Flexible Teaching Software, which lets users create and edit robot sequences and build custom operator interfaces off line. Other brand-new or recently introduced PC-based controls are available from Automated Assemblies, Clinton, Mass.; AEC/Application Automation, Wood Dale, Ill.; Conair Group, Franklin, Pa.; and Husky Injection Molding Systems, Bolton, Ont. In addition, AEC AEC US Atomic Energy Commission Noun 1. AEC - a former executive agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States Atomic Energy Commission will also show new Bosch CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) See numerical control. CNC - Collaborative Networked Communication servo controllers for traverse robots. And the new Windows 95 servo controller from Ranger Automation of Shrewsbury, Mass., features integrated vision inspection capabilities. In other robotics news: * New servo models - Yushin will show new SX Series side-entry robots that boast a 0.35-sec extraction rate. Yushin will also bring out three-axis AB Series robots with lubrication-free guide bearings, new VN-HS Series of high-speed (3-sec) traverse robots, and DRD DRD Dopa-Responsive Dystonia DRD Dividends Received Deduction DRD Drag Rescue Device (firefighter bunker) DRD Deputy Regional Director DRD Data Requirements Document DRD Direct Reading Dosimeter DRD Department of Redundancy Department side-entry swing-type robots for CD molding. CBW cbw - Crypt Breakers Workbench Automation Inc. of Fort Collins, Colo., will show a new top-entry servo robot with 0.5-sec extraction time for molding cycles as short as 4 sec. Also, CBW will show a new side-entry servo robot. The Conair Group, Franklin, Pa., will show new Sepro side-entry and vertical take-out robots as well as a new beam robot for low-headroom situations. Engel Automation, Guelph, Ont., will also show a new line of high-speed servo robots. KFD Sales & Service, Erlanger, Ky., will have three new Remak servo robots on hand. * Low-cost pneumatic models - Mark 2 Automation, Germantown, Wis., will bring out the ELC ELC Early Learning Centre (UK) ELC Environmental Law Centre (Canada) ELC Environmental Learning Center (Vero Beach, FL) ELC Education Law Center ELC Early Learning Coalition 2 line of pneumatic parts removers for the 25-300 ton range. They range in price from $12,300 to $14,900. * Sprue pickers - Geiger Handling of Madison, Wis., has a new picker, the EA-Mini 2000, which travels at a reported 98 in./sec, thanks to its lightweight construction of carbon-fiber composites. Yushin will bring out an updated version of the HOP-III sprue picker with a new main-arm drive and shock absorber shock absorber, device for reducing the effect of a sudden shock by the dissipation of the shock's energy. On an automobile, springs and shock absorbers are mounted between the wheels and the frame. for faster speeds. And Excel II series pickers from AEC will also debut at the show. * End-of-arm-toolling - To highlight its EOAT EOAT End of Arm Tooling (robotics) capabilities, Ranger Automation will create custom robot tooling at its booth while you wait. And the recently established firm of >SAS< Automation, Xenia, Ohio, will show off new EOAT based on technology licensed from a major German supplier. RELATED ARTICLE: Gas It Up Gas-assist molding will be hard to miss at the show, where it will be featured in at least 10 booths, including several live molding demonstrations. New and enhanced equipment systems from at least five vendors will be displayed. Epcon Gas Systems Inc., Troy, Mich., will bring out screw-in, three-part pins that allow users to vary both the depth and the orientation of the gas-entry port. The company will also have a PC-based controller on hand that handles up to six gas outlets with up to eight zones per outlet. The company's "flow-front" method of gas-assist control will also be highlighted. Also look for the latest versions of gas-assist equipment from Battenfeld of America, West Warwick, R.I.; Gain Technologies, Sterling Heights, Mich.; Gas Injection Ltd. of the U.K.; Cinpres Ltd. North America, Ann Arbor, Mich.; and Gas Products Inc., Sterling Heights, Mich. You'll also find nitrogen-generators for gas-assist molding at the show. Bauer Compressors of Norfolk, Va. will show units new to injection molding. So will Air Liquide America Corp., Houston. RELATED ARTICLE: New Ways to Make PET Preforms One of the more unusual machines scheduled to debut at the show is the "Index Machine" from Husky Injection Molding Systems, Bolton, Ont. To boost productivity, this 250-ton, two-platen machine uses a servo-driven moving platen that carries four core sets and rotates vertically. This permits simultaneous molding, cooling and ejection, for a significant productivity increase without need for a robot or cooling fixture. Husky hints that the cooling stations on this machine could be utilized for operations such as printing or stretch-blowing of bottles. In other news, Dutch supplier Tooling Preform Systems B.V. will show a four-section, servo-driven takeout system for PET preforms and will introduce molds for coinjected multilayer preforms. Krupp Formaplast, Edison, N.J., a relative newcomer to the U.S. preform-molding market, will show a 96-cavity PET preform tool. |
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