Wittmann launches “Virtual Fakuma”

Since the Fakuma 2020 trade show has been cancelled because of the pandemic, processing machinery and auxiliary equipment maker Wittmann Battenfeld is showcasing product introductions and new technologies that it was going to exhibit at the event via videos on its Virtual Fakuma portal.

In a Sept. 3 press release, Austria-based Wittmann said that it plans to upload videos showcasing its new technologies on the Virtual Fakuma portal. The videos will be presented “primarily in personal meetings with customers,” the company said, but it will also make them publicly available through its YouTube channel. The videos feature product introductions in automation, recycling, material handling, and temperature control equipment that the company intended to display at its Fakuma booth.

Here’s a brief overview of what the company will be showing.

Revised automation for injection molding applications

Wittmann says it has completely redesigned its WX153 robot for automating injection molding processes in machines with clamping forces ranging from 500 to 1,300 tons. The horizontal Z-axis achieves stroke lengths up to 18,000 mm. For stroke lengths 4,000 mm and up, tandem solutions involving two independently moving robots can be configured.

A joint R9 TeachBox can control up to 12 axes simultaneously. Any combination of axes in the individual or tandem robots can be controlled to create movement profiles that will subsequently run synchronously.

 Video assistance system in Wittmann robots with R9 control

Similar to what you see in sporting events, a slow motion replay function is now installed in Wittmann robots with R9 control systems. It records the robot’s axial movements, entrance and exit points, and other relevant data, all of which is displayed on the TeachBox, where the data can be viewed at various speeds.

“A time controller installed on the TeachBox makes it possible to define a point in time within the displayed sequence,” Wittmann said. “This controller can be shifted in both directions, as desired, in order to examine in detail critical changes of status that have occurred. 

Granulator is designed for inline recycling

Capable of processing up to 35 kg of material per hour, the beside-the-press G-Max 13 granulator is designed for inline recycling of soft to medium-hard PP, PE, ABS or PU sprue and is compatible with injection molding machines having clamping forces up to 230 tons.

Material screens with conically shaped perforations measuring 4- and 5-mm in diameter are available to accommodate varying materials and throughputs. The cone shape allows soft and sticky granulate to pass through more easily, minimizing accumulation of material deposits in the openings. The tiltable material hopper simplifies cleaning and servicing of the equipment.

Superior control with the M8-IPC

With the revision of the current M7-IPC control system, the new CAN-bus-based M8-IPC network control system simplifies the administration of complex installations and shows a clear display of every appliance in modern design. Programmable modules support queries, counting functions, loops, and more to enable logical switchovers.

Other new features include coded regrind recycling, by which regrind coming from different granulators is transported unmixed to separate containers to prevent different types of regrind being processed together; and recovery of residual materials that are conveyed back to their source when production has been interrupted, preventing material from staying in the machine and causing start-up issues when production resumes. 

Tempro plus D120 temperature controller

The Tempro plus D120 temperature controller, available in single- and dual-circuit versions, has a direct cooling capacity of 80 kW with a Delta T of 75°C as standard. The standard heating performance of 9 kW can be increased to 12 or 16 kW, if a higher production temperature is required.

Stainless-steel pumps with wear-free magnetic couplings accommodate maximum flow volumes ranging from 40 to 90 L/min.