Energy efficiency will be the big issue for ENGEL at Feiplastic 2013, which takes place in the Brazilian city of São Paulo from 20th to 24th May. Using four exhibits and four different manufacturing concepts, ENGEL will demonstrate how made-to-measure system solutions raise productivity and cut unit costs. The company will also be unveiling its new all-electric ENGEL e-mac series in South America.
“Energy efficiency in manufacturing is a key competitive factor in Brazil”, emphasizes Udo Löhken, Managing Director of ENGEL DO BRASIL LTDA. in São Paulo. “Energy costs are much higher in this country than the other BRIC nations. The only way to be successful on this market is to invest continually in process efficiency.” As far as injection molding is concerned, therefore, energy efficiency is a matter of the overall concept and not just drive technology. ENGEL covers the full spectrum of machines, from hydraulic and hybrid to all-electric injection molding machines with add-ons for specific sectors.
In this way, the company ensures maximum effectiveness and the ideal price-performance ratio for every application. At the ENGEL stand, this will be demonstrated in impressive fashion using two all-electric and two energy-efficient hydraulic injection molding machines.
ENGEL e-mac: the fastest injection axis
The highlight of the exhibits on show at ENGEL’s stand this year will be an ENGEL e-mac 310/110 injection molding machine. Designed to meet the highest standards of precision in the production of technical parts and electronic components, ENGEL’s new all-electric machines are setting new standards around the world. With acceleration of over 20m/s², the injection axis of the ENGEL e-mac is the fastest when compared with competitor machines. The synchronous movements of the drive axes also reduce cycle times.
From injecting and metering to mold and ejector movements, all drives in the ENGEL e-mac are servo-electric. This guarantees the best possible precision and process stability while maximizing the effectiveness of the machine as a whole. The drives are operated by a modern axis system solution with stabilized intermediate circuit; braking energy is recovered and fed back into the grid, thereby achieving very high energy efficiency. The highly compact design of the ENGEL e-mac saves floor space in the production hall – an efficiency factor that is becoming ever more important for many businesses. Equipped with the established CC 200 control unit for ENGEL injection molding machines, the ENGEL e-mac promises full modularity and integration capacity for automation.
The new series sees ENGEL reinforce its position as an all-rounder in the field of all-electric injection molding technology. As far as technical molding and electronics industry applications are concerned, ENGEL e-mac machines represent a highly cost-effective solution; meanwhile ENGEL e-motion injection molding machines have been proving their worth for more than a decade, especially in the areas of medical engineering and high-performance applications for the packaging industry.
ENGEL e-motion: fit for high performance
The ENGEL e-motion series has been consistently adapted to the requirements of high performance and high speed applications; with injection speeds of over 500 mm/second, it now combines maximum output with minimum energy consumption. During the five-day trade fair, ENGEL will produce drinks containers using an ENGEL e-motion 940/280 T with a four-cavity mold from Glaroform (of Näfels in Switzerland). Thanks to integrated in-mold labeling, attractive and ready-for-use packaging components will be created in a single work step with a cycle time of six seconds. The project partners for in-mold labeling are Beck Automation (of Oberengstringen in Switzerland) and the label producer Verstraete of Maldegem in Belgium.
“Process integration is quickly becoming more important in all sectors”, says Udo Löhken. “The combination of work steps within a highly integrated and automated manufacturing cell not only speeds up production, but also improves the energy performance of the manufacturing process considerably.”
ENGEL victory: extra savings potential from tie-bar-less technology
Minimal energy consumption values are not the exclusive preserve of all-electric injection molding machines, as the hydraulic ENGEL victory 200/80 tech injection molding machine fitted with energy-saving ecodrive option will prove at Feiplastic. Thanks to the servohydraulic ENGEL ecodrive, hydraulic injection molding machines realize energy savings of up to 70 percent (depending on the machine type and application) by reducing energy losses. In this way, they achieve consumption values comparable to those of all-electric machines. In several applications – for example, where hydraulic core-pulls are used – ENGEL victory machines with ecodrive actually offer greater energy efficiency overall. “Before any investment, we analyze the entire process with the customer”, says Löhken.
Another advantage of ENGEL victory machines that makes a positive difference to overall efficiency is the tie-bar-less clamping unit. Given that mold fixing platens can be used to the hilt, relatively small injection molding machines can be fitted with large molds. This cuts both investment and operating costs, for example in multi-component applications involving complex molds but a clamping force requirement that is low in many cases. Very often, a much smaller injection molding machine than the mold size would normally dictate can be used.
ENGEL insert: light curtain eliminates waiting time
Directly attaching plastic parts to cables, metal inserts or components of other materials is another element in process integration. Injection molding machines with vertical clamping units offer advantages in this area, both in the manual fitting of molds (thanks to better ergonomics) and in automation (through the excellent accessibility of the mold area). At Feiplastic, ENGEL will use an ENGEL insert 200/90 injection molding machine with ecodrive to demonstrate how these benefits can impact on day-to-day business operations. Another efficiency factor is the light curtain, which eliminates inconvenient waiting times associated with the opening and closing of conventional safety guards.
System solutions from a single source
ENGEL will use four exhibits at Feiplastic to illustrate its leading position in the fields of process efficiency and sustainability. Around the world, ENGEL covers the full range of injection molding technology – from injection molding machines and automation to process technology, mold project planning, training and service. In this way, the company is able to maximize efficiency potential and product quality simultaneously. ENGEL supplies turnkey system solutions from a single source and also takes general responsibility, even for components created through collaborations with partners. For the plastics processing company, therefore, efficiency begins with the selection, acquisition and commissioning of new manufacturing technology.
Source: http://www.engelglobal.com/engel_web/global/en/22_4517.htm
