Plastics News - Show Daily - October 19, 2022 - 19

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Plastics News, October 19, 2022 * 19
Who really needs a dedicated
two-component molding machine?
By David Vink
Plastics News Correspondent
Two German plastics processors
have recently concluded
they can often produce two-component
moldings more effectively
on two separate single-component
injection molding machines,
each with small injection molds,
than using one larger two-component
machine with one large,
heavy mold.
Idar-Oberstein-based GS Kunststofftechnik
Gebrüder Schmidt KG
said at the end of May it can produce
parts faster and more cost effectively
on two separate machines.
GS says its record with this approach
has been supply of automotive
components within 12 weeks
from order placement to delivery.
Accepting that mold costs for
two separate small molds are
slightly higher compared with a
single two-component mold, GS
says this extra cost is compensated
by lower production cost
on small, fast, low-clamping-force
injection molding machines.
Aside from the automotive application,
GS has been recently
producing a two-component hood
in ABS with three 20-by-50-millimeter
polycarbonate windows for
the Ecolab Nexa Compact soap
dispenser.
GS used two 200-metric-ton
HAITIAN
INTERNATIONAL
GERMANY GMBH
Hall 15,
Booth A57
SEPRO
ROBOTIQUE SAS
Hall 12,
Booth A36
clamping-force Mars II injection
molding machines from Ebermannsdorf-based
Haitian
International
Germany GmbH for the
soap dispenser.
A 5X-25 robot from La Roche-surYon,
France-based Sepro Robotique
SAS with two separate gripper
holders removes the pre-molded
PC windows with one type of gripper
holder, then transfers them
and inserts them into the second
machine's mold area for them to
be overmolded by the ABS main
dispenser cover component.
Robert Heller, technical manager
at Illertissen-based Weiss
Kunststoffverarbeitung GmbH &
Co. KG, shares the WS Kunststofftechnik
view on two-component
molding. He refers to a case
of a customer expressing dissatisfaction
with a particular two-component
molding solution.
" If we were to implement this
process using conventional index
plate and transfer technology, we
would have to use machines that
are far too large for
the required injecweight,
tion
simply
because of the
mold size.
That's
why we looked for
an
2K injection molding, "
alternative
Heller
to
said.
" So
we linked two
1,000-ton injection molding machines
into a 2K system, each machine
served by a six-axis robot,
which also laser engraves the fi nished
two-component part. "
Dresden, Germany-based Anybrid
GmbH is a spinoff from the
ILK Institute for lightweight construction
and plastics technology
at Dresden Technical University
(TUD). As at K 2019, Anybrid and
ILK exhibit jointly in the Science
Campus area (Hall 7, Booth SC06)
at K 2022. Anybrid showed for the
fi rst time a completely new approach
to two-component molding
at K 2019. The name of the company
is derived from the term " any
hybrid, " which aptly describes the
function of its technology.
The Anybrid solution involves
a special lightweight mobile
C-shaped injection unit. This
weighs less than 140 kilograms
(309 pounds), due to its lamellae-construction
core
C-section
in carbon-fi ber-reinforced plastic
(CFRP). This is deliberately alRobin
unit overmolding large
composite sheet. Anybrid photo
lowed to elastically deform. The
injection unit operates with six or
12 tonnes clamping force. A Kuka-articulated
robot easily moves
it to any required point for thermoplastic
overmolding. The robot
involvement resulted in the name
for the Anybrid process: Robin (robotized
injection molding).
The Robin piston injection unit
handles material up to 50 grams.
Anybrid General Sales Manager
Michael Stegelmann likes to
call the process " injection molding
on the fl y. "
Robin can be applied equally to
applications that have been the
domain of traditional two-component
injection molding, as well as
particularly to parts that are diffi -
cult or impossible to overmold in
conventional molds mounted on
injection molding machines. Examples
are long extruded or pultruded
profi les, large-area or long
parts in wood or metal or fi ber-reinforced
plastic composites, including
fi lament- or tape-wound
composite tubes.
In a development with Automoteam
GmbH in Stuttgart, Germany,
Robin overmolding " Fillsert "
Two-component ABS/PC liquid
soap dispenser molded by GS
Kunststofftechnik.
GS Kunststofftechnik photo
porous CAST aluminum tubes and
plates with thermoplastics result
in application of functional features
with high bonding strength
to the metal, as the plastic is well
anchored in the metal pores.
Stegelmann says Robin " unites
benefi ts of polymer processing
with the fl exibility of robotics to
completely rethink the production
of the future. " Since the K
2019 Robin introduction, profi le
producer Rehau Industries has
developed a pilot production line
using an Anybrid Robin unit. This
is installed inline on an extrusion
line, so Rehau can now overmold
fl at or hollow profi les at any number
of desired points.
This
eliminates
" downstream
complex joining processes, "
Stegelmann says. And productivity
improves by using a number of
Robin units inline.
Another sustainability milestone...
" Milliken relies on our core values, including sustainability
and integrity, to drive our purpose and growth, " says Halsey
Cook, president and CEO of Milliken & Company. " The
EcoVadis assessment benchmarks our work and guides our
improvements to help us build a healthy future. "
Constantly Creating.
Advancing Circularity.
Together.
Meet us at K 2022
Hall 6, Booth A27
Or join us online
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Plastics News - Show Daily - October 19, 2022

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