Sustainable Plastics - November/December 2023 - 17

inside at... Wittmann
en to improve efficiency, uncover
potential savings and reduce
CO2 emissions. The module
has been optimised to interact
with Wittmann's MES solution,
TEMI, and can be connected to
auxiliary equipment to collect
data and analyze factors such
as temperature, pressure, humidity,
gas consumption and
water consumption - assisting
customers on the road to implementing
the EU Green Deal and
the transition to a more circular
economy for plastics.
It is not the only way Wittmann
is supporting the circular
economy. As a supplier of products,
technologies and turnkey
solutions for injection moulding
processing, it has also focused
of the need to ensure these
are able to produce equally
high-quality products from materials
other than fossil-based
virgin polymers.
" All Wittmann injection
moulding machines can be
used to process both recycled
materials and bioplastics, "
Wittmann said. A key factor in
processing alternative materials
is the plasticising unit. The
company has the know-how to
provide the right screw for every
application, even the most
demanding, which, in combination
with its smart assistance
systems that compensate
in line for fluctuations in
the raw material, ensures consistently
high product quality.
Wittmann even produces the
granulators needed to shred
sprues and rejects directly at
the machine, enabling these
to be returned to the injection
moulding process, should the
application so permit.
However, while the plastics
industry is working very hard
to close material cycles, there
is still a very long way to go
before we can really talk about
a circular economy, noted Wittmann.
" This is a challenge for
everyone - industry, consumers
and politicians. We need
uniform systems for collecting
and processing plastic waste in
order to secure a reliable supply
with high-quality raw material,
and we need even more
information for consumers in
order to enable them making
responsible decisions as early
as the point of purchase. These
are just two of many urgent
tasks which only can be solved
if society as a whole pulls together.
The plastics industry is
a strong driver here. "
Trends to watch for
Next to energy efficiency, one
development that continues to
play a major role is the ongoing
digitalisation process. According
to Wittmann, the company
is at the forefront of this transformation,
'both with our HiQ
assistance systems for supporting
the injection process
and with the networking of
entire work cells via Wittmann
4.0', he asserted.
The advantages of fully networked
work cells, made possible
with Wittmann 4.0, are
legion, ranging from a singular
point of control and entry for
all connected equipment, to a
common and centrally managed
mould data set.
" In general, this boils down to
an easier operation of the machinery
and equipment for the
user achieving more efficiency
and a higher quality at the same
time. This aspect is all the more
important as it becomes more
and more difficult to find qualified
specialists, " said Wittmann.
At the same time, the company
is dealing with what he
referred to as 'the mega topic
of AI' in injection moulding processes
and attendant activities.
In his view, AI opens up great
opportunities and new possibilities,
which will be exploited
together with their customers. A
key area of development in this
context is data security.
In the longer term
Asked about the future of the
plastics machinery industry for
a company like the Wittmann
Group - family-owned and Europe-based
- Wittmann was
both candid and direct. " The
high inflation in Central Europe
and the green transformation
with accompanying and announced
measures of the EU
for CO2 pricing of raw and primary
materials present us with
huge tasks, " he said. " These
require decisions that must be
approached very thoughtfully
and will have long-term effects.
A European plastics machinery
company with a high export
quota to non-European markets
looks increasingly unrealistic
from today's perspective.
We are positioning ourselves
accordingly, further strengthening
the decentralisation of
our production sites. In the
long term, plastics is a growth
industry. Polymer materials
play a crucial role in solving
many of our challenges for a
sustainable, healthy future. "
For Wittmann, Fakuma 2023
was a success. " It's a first-class
trade show for the plastics industry
with a very successful
overall concept and an optimal
location at the intersection of
the DACH region. This enables
the exhibitors to make a targeted
selection of exhibits and focus
on topics that are geared to
the needs of processors in Central
Europe - the main area of
attraction for visitors, " he said.
This year, although there
were fewer visitors, many of
the key decision-makers were
there. Although signs of the
unfavorable economic situation
were noticeable, footfall at
the booth was generally high:
" There were certainly visitors
at our booth to do business, but
some of them also informed us
that planned projects would be
further delayed and have to be
postponed, " Wittmann said.
November/December 2023
17
A super caps system
covers brief load peaks
Optimise energy use
through measurements
Sustainable Plastics - November/December 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Plastics - November/December 2023
