Days of open doors in Germany received 1,000 professionals

What do 1,000 people at a factory where the moulding machines are constructed by injection? Plastic universal became interested in this information and decided to go to the factory of Ferromatik Milacron in Malterdingen, Germany. The Builder of machines organized the past 28 and 29 April a conference where not only could see 15 machines across its range in operation, but also listen to technical conferences that have found a great interest among the attendees. On the other hand, the Spanish subsidiary is in luck, as it celebrates its 15th anniversary, for which also organized days of open doors in Barcelona (inform about them in our next issue).

Configuration of a special machine for a client, with the second unit of injection in an unusual position.

The sector of injection in Europe is going through difficult times. United States demand has begun to wake up (Ferromatik increased their exports to the USA a 72 per cent), but not in Europe, where after the conclusion of the K'2004, a fair with good contacts to the exhibitors, there was the expected upturn in orders. The counterpoint is found in countries such as India, where the increase for this year is expected to exceed 10 per cent. China is of course a market also coveted by Ferromatik. In fact, opens the first technical center in China, where they already have a joint-venture with a local company in July.

In this situation, the results of Ferromatik Milacron are especially optimistic. The Elektra Evolution increases years in figures higher to 10 per cent per annum and, for instance, this constructor machines intended for multi-component applications increased by 20 percent last year.

Meanwhile, Ferromatik Milacron has completed its maximum range, with the addition of a maximum of 1,000 tons that covers the previous gap between 800 tons and 1,600 tons.

Slightly more than half of the machines produced in Malterdingen are devoted to the German market, particularly in sectors such as the packaging (22%), consumer goods (15%), automotive (14 per cent), inyectadores for third (11%)electric power industry (11%) medicine (9%), and others as industrial parts. And no more and no less than around 60 per cent of them are machines suitable to the client's specifications.

In the near future, this machine Builder seeks to continue enhancing its current strengths. I.e., machines of high performance, the technical multicomponent electrical machines and all the forces of closure, where fully confident in his leadership.

Guided visits caught the attention of some 1,000 professionals

Different sectors to those who run the Ferromatik injectors have a number of different preferences with regard to the injectors. In the automotive sector, for example, the main thing is technology and processes. There is a growing presence of technical multicomponent as the Monosandwich (a material and skin of other core), in which Ferromatik is a real expert. It is a sector for which the maximum series is ideal.

Meanwhile, in containers and packaging, there is a clear tendency to use molds with more cavities. It also calls for increasingly a plasticizing for high performance (Special spindles) and spaces for versatile moulds, reasons that advise a series like K-Tec, for example fitted with accumulators, special plasticizing and technical multicomponent. From another point of view, we are also seeing a relocation to countries of Eastern Europe.

Medical and personal hygiene products requires much more than the simple ability to operate in clean rooms. Required functions to the extent and, among other things, high-performance injection units. The Elektra Evolution brings to this sector accuracy, cost-effectiveness and flexibility in the configuration (two components and Monosandwich, hydraulic elements for cores).

These ensaladeras have shown the capacity to do good finishes.

In Ferromatik, which already released their first entirely electric Elektra in 1992, they claim that the current Elektra Evolution offers a yield unattainable, something fundamental in an era in which the cost per piece and the production costs are in the foreground. Long time, so they explain in Ferromatik, power injectors are no longer located in niche markets. Today they can be used in all kinds of applications and they are conquering very demanding sectors. In the days of Malterdingen, were in injection techniques of metals and multicomponent injection assisted with water. A total of six machines Elektra Evolution, between 30 and 180 tonnes of clamping force, were running during the two days.

The complexity of some of the applications demonstrated that the successive developments over the past years and the expansion of their capacity to very demanding applications, have become the electric machines a "sovereign" technology. They are no longer machines for simple jobs, but, due to its precision and parallel functions, machines suitable for complex techniques.

Doing parts two, three or four colors or components is no longer a problem. However, the security and profitability of a process of multicomponent injection depends on the configuration of the fuel transfer and peripherals. Ferromatik configured all their computers with the option for the technical multi-component and at the Conference showed interesting applications, also with electric machines. For example, a 75-2F Evolution Elektra showed the advantages that ended up convincing Braun for manufacturing multi-component pieces for some of their equipment: machine molded, with a 4 x 4 mold cavities a two components of PA connector. Through parallel functions it was able to reduce the cycle by 20 per cent, at the same time increasing the quality of the product and the availability of the machine.

A 155-2F Evolution Elektra showed an application of duro-blando for the car, Ferromatik developed as manufacturing, together with the specialist in peripheral Wittmann cell.

A fun machine, is the K-Tec 2F "playmobil edition", the machine for smaller multicomponent uses the well-known manufacturer of toys.

Examples of interesting applications were many, but not be mentioned the Monosandwich technology. The injection can save costs in many ways. In parts of great volume, the reduction of the costs of the material by using material recycled at the core of a piece is a good alternative to improve the balance of costs. A K-Tec 350 MSW, with a lateral extruder which prepares the recycled material and transports it to the process of injection for his injection, was one of the attractions of the presentation. Subsequently recycled material and the Virgin for the surface of the piece are introduced into the mold with a single injected. Thus you can save costs of material by up to 30 percent. A maximum 800 MSW - 2F showed another variant of this process. There was a second unit of injection, which can be used to Monosandwich.

Fuel transfer with plasticizing unit more long, for high performance in this function.

The packaging was another of the major issues in the days of Ferromatik. The this Builder injectors have features in common: high flexibility of the machines, short cycles through parallel functions and high production capacity.