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A complete showcase: Four series of BOLE Machinery models

Aeyoung Park 2018-05-04

Engel Announces Management News

Changes at Wintec and Engel Packaging▲ Michael Feltes (© Engel)The injection molding machine builder Wintec – a member of the Engel group of companies – will be under new management as of April 1, 2018. Michael Feltes is transitioning fromEngel headquarters in Schwertberg, Austria, to Wintec in Changzhou, China, as President Sales & Service.Michael Feltes has been with Engel for three and a half years, during this time heading the Business Unit Packaging at Engel headquarters. Previously, he held leading positions in tool building in Shanghai, Suzhou and Wuxi for more than seven years. As the President Sales & Service of Wintec, Michael Feltes is responsible for the continuing development of the Wintec brand and its penetration into the worldwide target markets.Since 2014, Wintec has been building premium injection molding machines for standard applications in Changzhou. Initially only available in Asia, Wintec is taking the next big step this May and expanding its sales to the US, Canada, Mexico and Brazil.▲ Frank Schuster (© Engel)In related news, Frank Schuster is taking over as the Vice President of the Business Unit Packaging at Engel, effective April 1, 2018. He succeeds Michael Feltes.Frank Schuster has been with Engel for two years and, as the Sales Manager of Packaging, has made significant contributions during this time to the very successful development of the division and the continued strengthening of the Engel brand in the worldwide packaging industry. Prior to his time with the Austrian injection molding machine manufacturer, Schuster was already active in leading sales positions in the field of plastic machinery manufacturing with a focus on packaging.Source: Kunststoffe

Aeyoung Park 2018-03-29

Arburg Technology Days 2018: The world's largest in-house event for the plastics industry

- Full house: Around 6,300 guests learn about the latest trends in plastics processing at Arburg- Highlights: Efficiency Arena, large machines in the new design, over 50 "live" applications, specialist presentations- Digital transformation in practice: Connectivity Café, new assistance packages and demonstrations of AR and VRAround 6,300 invited guests from 54 nations came to Lossburg for the ArburgTechnology Days, held from 14 to 17 March 2018. Around 660 employees andtrainees played an active part in the event. They showed impressive commitmentand made the time in Lossburg an unforgettable experience for the visitors.The full range of machines, applications and processes for the efficient productionof plastic parts was on show. Expert presentations, a special show on service,company tours, and above all the Efficiency Arena, which this year wasall about "digital transformation", provided numerous sources of inspiration."Our concept has proven its worth, making the Technology Days the world's largest in-house event for the plastics industry. Overall, between 1999 and 2018, we have welcomed more than 87,500 visitors to our Technology Days in Lossburg," summarises Michael Hehl, Arburg Managing Partner and Spokesman for the Management Team. "The share of foreign visitors has steadily increased over the years, reaching 43 percent this year. For every second visitor, this is their first visit to the Technology Days and the first opportunity to get to know our products and services as well as our company "up close and personal". In 2018, the largest overseas contingents, with around 160 and around 100 participants, came from the USA and China. The largest number of guests from Europe were invited by the subsidiaries in Switzerland (around 200), France (around 185), Poland and the Czech Republic (each around 130) as well as the Netherlands and Austria (each around 100)."Focus: digital transformationArburg has long been intensively focussed on the digitalisation of its products and services, aiming to enhance production efficiency even further for our customers. Numerous examples were on view under the slogan "for digitalisation" in the Efficiency Arena 2018. The focus was on six new assistance packages that actively support the machine operator and that are now available for purchase:"4.set-up" for guided set-up,"4.start-stop" for easier production start-up,"4.optimisation" for reduced unit costs,"4.production" for greater freedom during programming,"4.monitoring" for process and quality monitoring and"4.service" for fast online support.Under the slogan "for assistance", Arburg presented the Arburg host computer system (ALS), as well as the new Gestica control system, including a mobile version and Selogica in the new design (ND) at two additional stations in the Efficiency Arena."for connection" was the theme of the Connectivity Café. Here, Arburg experts from Software Development and the Turnkey department were available to provide information on the data exchange between machines, robotic systems, peripheral equipment, moulds and workpieces. In personal conversations, visitors learned more about issues such as the current status of the Euromap interfaces 77 (MES systems), 79 (robotic systems) and 82 (peripheral equipment) or for the synchronisation of machines and robotic systems in turnkey systems.The "for visions" exhibition area offered a glimpse into the digital future. Also likely to be of interest in the future is the opportunity to work with a "digital twin" – a virtual simulation of a real machine. Under the heading of Augmented Reality (AR), an example was shown of how service can be improved in the future using computer-assisted augmented reality with virtual additional information or objects. In the Virtual Reality (VR) area, visitors were able to gain an insight into the clamping unit of the hybrid Allrounder 1120 H large machine and the production of the famous Arburg folding step stool in an interactive environment that cannot be seen in the real world. This is especially interesting in product development.Product highlight: large machines in a new designAt the Technology Days 2018, Arburg demonstrated that the changeover in the design and control of the large Allrounder machines is progressing successively. The hybrid Allrounder 1120 H, which celebrated its world premiere at the K 2016, has now been successfully deployed by the first customers. The new large machine, which with 6,500 kN extends the range of clamping forces by 30 percent, was also awarded the prestigious "iF Design Award" for outstanding design on 9 March 2018. At the Fakuma 2017, a hybrid Allrounder 920 H with a clamping force of 5,000 kN was presented in the new design and with Gestica control system, which has been available for customers to purchase since the Technology Days 2018. A "new look" hybrid Allrounder 820 H with a clamping force of 4,000 kN was on display for the first time. The premiere machine produced 48 screw caps from PP in a cycle time of around 12.7 seconds.Versatile: lightweight construction, packaging technology, LSR processingNo fewer than five different processes and solutions for lightweight construction were exhibited at the Technology Days 2018:Fibre Direct Compounding (FDC),physical foaming with Profoam,a turnkey Mucell production system,gas injection moulding technology (GIT) andprocessing of filler-optimised material consisting of hollow glass spheres.The hybrid high-performance Allrounder Hidrive machines combine the speed and precision of electric technology with hydraulic power and dynamics. The fact that they are predestined for high-speed applications in the packaging industry was demonstrated by an Allrounder 630 H in the Packaging version, which produced 20 disposable spoons from PS in a cycle time of 6.4 seconds. A hybrid Allrounder 820 H in the new design with the new Gestica control system produced screw caps on a 48-cavity mould in a cycle time of 12.7 seconds.Two technically interesting applications relating to the processing of liquid silicone (LSR) were presented:an electric Allrounder 520 A used highly transparent LSR (Shore hardness 70 A) to produce napkin rings in a faceted optical design with crystal look.In the case of an electric Allrounder 470 A, which produced seals for household appliances, the LSR dosing system was integrated in the machine control system via OPC UA.Freely formed: eight Freeformers for additive manufacturingA total of eight Freeformers produced functional parts from original material in the Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF) process. An innovative application was presented involving the processing of PMMA and medical-grade SEBS with a hardness of 28 Shore A (Cawiton PR13576). Moreover, closure caps made from standard PP were on view, as well as parts made from PC, PA10, ABS and from two components.Comprehensive: supporting programme rounded off the eventThe well-equipped turnkey area had everything, from simple pickers and linear Multilift robotic systems to a six-axis robot featuring the Selogica user interface and customised turnkey systems. The focus in service was on the new Arburg Remote Service (ARS) and preventive maintenance, as well as the current training programme.Over 1,600 participants attended the informative presentations on lightweight construction, Efficiency 4.0, Gestica control system and Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF) in German and English.Over 1,800 visitors from Germany took the opportunity afforded by the factory tours to become familiar with machine production. Furthermore, the company was also presented to all international groups visiting the Technology Days with their Arburg subsidiaries and trading partners in their respective national languages.Source: ARBURG

Aeyoung Park 2018-03-22

Yizumi Achieves Continued Overseas Sales Growth in 2017

Yizumi Achieves Continued Overseas Sales Growth in 2017Recently, Yizumi Global Business Development Center held a year-end summary meeting to review its performance in overseas markets. Over the past year, Yizumi has taken the initiative to seek further development in the global market. According to the report in the meeting, Yizumi’s overseas sales continued to grow steadily last year with better-than-expected results. With the introduction of new products, sales in Turkey, Israel, USA and India were noticeable and largely contributed to the overall growth.Overseas development in 2017In 2017, Yizumi strove for a new development model in the global market, fully implemented the YIZUMI-HPM dual-brand strategy and drummed up new business in Germany and India. Last year, Yizumi participated in 19 professional trade shows for injection molding and die casting industries, with footprints in France, Poland, Spain, UAE, South Korea, Turkey and other countries and regions in the world.▲ Yizumi India Factory▲ New facilities of Yizumi-HPM CorporationTo deal with the increasingly fierce competition in the international market, Yizumi also accelerated the adjustment of product mix in global markets. The D1 series two-platen injection molding machine, A5 series high-end standard injection molding machine, H series die casting machine, SM series servo injection molding machine and ARC series die casting machine were widely recognized in the market and generated boom in sales. Depending on excellent product quality and services, Yizumi has gained a good reputation in overseas markets.Preview of overseas trade showsAs a representative of overseas development of China’s equipment manufacturing, Yizumi will persist in tapping deeper into overseas markets through its products, brands and services in 2018, with the hope of continuing the encouraging results in previous year. Yizumi will also participate in nearly 30 overseas exhibitions, including NPE 2018, Plast Eurasia 2018 and ALUCAST 2018 to further expand the brand influence and provide high-quality products and services for customers worldwide.▲ James Zhang (left), Yizumi’s Deputy Managing Director and General Manager of IMM Divisionpresents awards to the staff member▲ Yizumi’s overseas teamSource: www.yizumi.co.kr

Aeyoung Park 2018-03-19

Husky sees double-digit growth in India and region

▲ Dinesh Budapanahaili, vice president (South Asia), Husky Injection Molding Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd.Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. sees India as a strategic market, with sectors like packaging, medical and automotive driving growth of more than 10 percent a year, a company executive said at the recent Plastindia 2018 show."The per capita consumption of plastic [in India] is still very low compared to other economies and its adaptability continues to grow in future," said Dinesh Budapanahaili, vice president (South Asia), with Husky Injection Molding Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd.He said Husky, based in Bolton, Ontario, continues to expand its plant in the city of Chennai, although he declined to offer specifics."We see a bright future in this region of the world," he said, adding that the plant's production is currently split about evenly between domestic and export markets, including Australia and New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates."We see growth in both the domestic and export markets in the range of 10 to 15 percent," he said.Husky entered the Indian market in 1999, opened an office in Mumbai in 2001 and opened the factory in Chennai in 2009. The facility supports Husky's hot runner and mold refurbishing business in the region.At the show, it exhibited co-injection multi-layer technology and PET tooling self-cleaning and integrated mold alignment technology.Source: Plastics News

Aeyoung Park 2018-03-13

HP and Dassault Systemes collaborate on software for 3D printing

HP and Dassault Systemes collaborate on software for 3D printingHP Inc. and Dassault Systemes intend to optimize Dassult’s Solidworks 3D design and engineering software to take advantage of HP’s Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing systems.The companies made the announcement Feb. 5 at Dasssault’s annual conference in Los Angeles. HP officials claims the company now is shipping more plastic production 3D printers than any other company in the world.“The $12 trillion manufacturing market is being digitally transformed and HP and Dassault Systemes share a vision to change the way the world designs and manufacturers,” said Stephen Nigro, HP’s president of 3D printing.In other news, HP has introduced a low-cost HP Jet Fusion 300/500 series that can print parts in full color. Prices start in the $50,000s.For information, go to www.hp.com/go/3D printing.Source: Plastics News

Aeyoung Park 2018-02-26

Milacron may shift work from Germany to the US and India

Milacron may shift work from Germany to the US and IndiaThe United States and India could get more injection molding machine production work under changes at Milacron Holdings Corp.The Blue Ash, Ohio-based machinery company is making to plans to phase out manufacturing at its factory in Malterdingen, Germany, a year earlier than previously planned.Spokesman Mike Ellis said machine production at the Ferromatik Milacron plant will end this year.The Jan. 30 email confirms a change in strategy for Milacron, which had previously said it would keep the plant in Germany open through the end of 2019, then move production to the Czech Republic. Now, instead, the company may move that production to existing plants in the United States and India.Ellis said another plan for production in Europe has not changed: the staging, testing and final assembly of the company's Magna Toggle Servo (MTS) and Elektron injection molding machines will remain based in the Czech Republic, at a 3-year-old plant in Policka.Ellis said: "We are currently reviewing production options for manufacturing locations of our various machines including the F-Series and the KTec."India and the U.S. (Batavia, Ohio) are the locations that are being reviewed, as we have capacity limitations in the Czech Republic due to our strong blow molding order book that was not originally anticipated."Milacron has consolidated European production of its Uniloy blow molding machinery into Policka. The company also relocated its European distribution center for aftermarket parts to another Czech plant, in Sasovice, in a move completed in 2016.Ellis also said Milacron plans to add more injection presses to its European lineup this year, including Hydron, the flexible servo-hydraulic press; and the fully electric E-Quantum.The chance that Milacron's main U.S. factory in Batavia could get the additional press assembly work had nothing to do with the U.S. tax reform package, Ellis said.Milacron's statement is more nuanced than a story Jan. 19 in the Badische Zeitung newspaper from Freiburg, Germany. The paper said Malterdingen made 100 presses a year of one type of machine that will be transferred to India.The German report quoted Denis Poelman, managing director of Milacron's injection molding press business in Europe, as saying the Malterdingen plant is no longer profitable. "The fixed costs are too high. With 100 machines, you cannot possibly keep a production plant," he told the newspaper.Poelman said Milacron's Indian location could get the production in January 2019. Production of another press model will be transferred to the United States, the core market for that model, he told the German newspaper.Milacron will continue to have administration, sales and service and product development in Malterdingen. The machinery maker is based in the Cincinnati suburb of Blue Ash.Source: Plastics News

Aeyoung Park 2018-02-02

KraussMaffei at JEC World Paris: Strong impulses for composite processing suitable for series produc

KraussMaffei at JEC World Paris: Strong impulses for composite processing suitable for series production – A new, fully automated wet molding system shortens cycle times and increases cost-efficiency – High demand for iPul pultrusion systems– A new spray mixing head ensures faster nozzle replacement– FiberForm successfully established for large-scale productionProcesses ready for large-scale production and groundbreaking lightweight construction: At JEC World (from March 6-8 in Paris), KraussMaffei is presenting cost-efficient solutions for manufacturing fiber-reinforced plastic components. The focus is on new processes and applications that are based on both thermoset and thermoplastic matrix materials. For the first time, wet molding is fully automated"The market trend for fiber-reinforced plastics is still on a positive trajectory. There is currently strong interest in China. Our five different RTM (resin transfer molding) processes are the main source of demand in this region," explains Philipp Zimmermann, Head of the Composites/Surfaces BU. Right now, there is significant interest in wet molding, which is a highly attractive, cost-efficient alternative to manufacturing lightweight components. At JEC, KraussMaffei is debuting a fully automated turnkey solution. "It cuts cycle times in half compared to manual solutions and simultaneously increases process reliability," explains Zimmermann. The distinguishing feature of the KraussMaffei wet molding process is a simple process chain. Low mold cavity pressures when wetting fibers ensure an affordable investment and upkeep of the systems as well as elimination of the entire preforming process. Wet molding is one of just a few processes that permits the use of recycled materials.The iPul pultrusion system meets the needs of the modern ageAnother highlight at the KraussMaffei booth is the iPul pultrusion system presentation. This is the first complete system for continuous pultrusion and has production speeds that are more than twice as fast as conventional tub processes. "The new iPul system meets the needs of the modern age. Interest remains high, particularly for applications in the construction industry such as window profiles or rebars for concrete or in wind turbines. We are also increasingly getting requests from the automotive industry," says Zimmermann. KraussMaffei recently expanded its Lightweight Construction TechCenter in Munich by installing a second iPul system for manufacturing pultruded rebars for concrete elements. Together with the iPul system for flat sections, KraussMaffei now offers its customers a unique research environment to develop and test new processes and applications in pultrusion.First-class surfaces for large componentsLFI (long fiber injection) can be used to manufacture large components with excellent surfaces for trucks and agricultural machinery. "The long-fiber injection process permits the use of high fiber volumes of up to 50 percent. This process produces lightweight components with high stability. The high degree of automation ensures short cycle times," says Zimmermann. The low viscosity of the components makes it possible to manufacture large, complex, thin-walled parts. These applications feature high temperature stability and an excellent impact strength and already have paintable surfaces. At JEC, KraussMaffei is presenting a side cover for customers' commercial vehicles.A new spray mixing head ensures faster nozzle replacementThe newly developed KraussMaffei nozzle-changing component for the SCS mixing head boasts a critical advantage. Flat-fan and air-assisted circular jet nozzles that are required for spraying various sections of the component can be installed on a single mixing head and used in alternation. "This doesn't just shorten cycle times. It also reduces investment costs because only one mixing head is required and the hydraulic switchover unit that had been used previously is no longer needed," explains Zimmermann.In the structural component spraying (SCS) process, layers made up of fiber mats and honeycomb cores are sprayed with unreinforced PU, inserted into a mold and compression molded. SCS permits outer layers with low thickness, so that the manufactured components are particularly lightweight. Flat-fan nozzles and air-assisted circular jet nozzles are available for the spraying process. Flat-fan nozzles produce a fan-like flat jet and are suited for large-format coating of the polyurethane mixture on relatively level, large-sized components. The air-assisted circular jet nozzles produce a finer spray and have a lower output capacity than the flat-fan nozzles. They are used primarily for component areas with challenging geometry.Breakthrough for FiberForm in large-scale production"The FiberForm process developed by KraussMaffei has been successfully established in large-scale production. Our customers appreciate the high quality, reliability and cost-efficiency in the production of thermoplastic composites," says Stefan Fenske, FiberForm & IMC Technology Manager at KraussMaffei. FiberForm is the thermoforming and over-molding of organic sheets, platen-shaped semifinished products with continuous fibers made of glass, carbon or aramide that, for example, are embedded into a thermoplastic matrix made out of polyamide (PA) or polypropylene (PP). In this process, these semifinished products are initially heated and reshaped in the injection mold and then back-injected with a fiber-reinforced polymer. The fully automated process enables short cycle times of less than 60 seconds and, therefore, production processes that are ready for large series. The entire production process, including infrared heating technology control for the composite sheet has been integrated in the MC6 machine control system. This simplifies operation."The lightweight, thermoplastic construction is an important business unit that is undergoing continuous development. Therefore, we are expanding and optimizing our automation solutions continuously so that we can offer our customers the best possible services. Standardization allowed us to compile the findings on the infrared heating station from previous years," explains Dr. Mesut Cetin, Product and Project Manager for Lightweight Construction at KraussMaffei Automation. For example, the use of new matrix materials and natural fibers in composite sheets is currently being tested. This offers significant potential for applications in the automotive industry (e.g. for door module carriers) and for other industries such as the sporting goods and packaging industries.KraussMaffei at JEC World Paris Pavilion 6, Booth F61

Aeyoung Park 2018-02-01