Injection Molding (November 01, 2004)

QUICKER, CLEANER, MORE PRECISE DIRECT DRIVE

Demag has brought its direct drive technology for all-electric IntElect injection molding machines to North America. The direct drive is reported to be quicker, cleaner and more precise. It is available on the smaller IntElect models, from 55 to 165 tons.

“Our European operations have been building and selling IntElect with direct drive technology since the first of the year,” says Tim Glassburn, IntElect Series product manager. “The direct drive technology has already proven itself in real-world applications and in tests.”

The technology was first exhibited as a prototype at NPE 2003.

By incorporating synchronous high-torque, water-cooled direct drives, the new technology used on the IntElect does not rely on reduction gears and mechanical transmission components. There are fewer parts to wear out, which reduces maintenance time and costs compared with conventional belt-driven all-electric IMMs.

Stephen Sales Group 905-940-5577

MAXIMIZE TWO-COMPONENT OPPORTUNITIES WITH WIDE-PLATEN MACHINE

Beach Mold & Tool Inc. saw competitive advantages to moving up to two-component molding, but as a custom molder, the company needed equipment that was adaptable to the widest range of applications. “Lots of two-component molding is done on captive machines customized to a particular applications,” says Richard Shirley, vice-president of corporate tooling, Beach Mold & Tool. “Our situation requires a universal machine that can cover the needs of our broad customer base.”

The company selected a 310-ton, wide-platen Maxima two-platen machine from Cincinnati Milacron. Initially used to mold water filter components on a 2 + 2 mold, the machine will also be used to run a variety of two-component automotive parts.

“The wide platen and large daylight area make this press so much more universal for on-going and up-coming projects,” says Shirley. “We have a two-shot that opens up a different sector of the market and that can go any direction. Now we can look with open eyes at almost any two-shot program that comes along.”

The Maxima 310 provides a short tonnage build time of about 0.5 s and a clamp speed of 1143 mm per s.

Milacron 888-254-1919; Accuplast Solutions 866-630-0808

HYBRID MACHINE GIVES BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

At this year’s K Show, Negri Bossi introduced its Bi-Power 1800 “two-tier” press with hydraulic clamping on the mold and tie-bars and an electric plasticating screw. The screw consists of a parallel-axis reducer and an asynchronous three-phase motor piloted by a vector inverter. The machine’s electrical system offers the logic and reliability of the CANbus used on the company’s all-electric Vector line. Like the Vector series, the Bi-Power can be configured with the AMICO system, which provides remote assistance service that interfaces with the machine’s computer.

Negri Bossi Inc. 905-265-7257