Netstal demonstrates combined efficiency and highest precision at K 2013 – Production of Irrigation Drippers

Netstal will be demonstrating the manufacture of flat drippers made of Dow HDPE using an all-electric ELION 1200-530 on the stand of partner company T.H.E. Machines. In a cycle time of just 2.5 seconds, the high-precision technical parts will be produced in a 64-cavity mold from Swiss company Pro Tool. Cooling is to be provided by Swiss-based ef-cooling, while another Swiss company, Motan, will be responsible for material handling.

Fast, precise, reliable, user-friendly and efficient in operation: the all-electric ELION has all the typical Netstal features and also offers numerous innovative detail solutions that leave nothing to be desired in terms of a state-of-the-art injection molding machine. "Netstal is the ideal partner when it comes to manufacturing irrigation drippers for SDI systems," emphasized Ruedi Speck, head of the TEC business unit at Netstal. Thanks to more precise metering, dynamic injection, optimal energy efficiency and extremely short dry cycle times in comparison to other injection molding machines on the market, production of this high-precision application is exceptionally cost-effective and efficient.

Clean water is on the way to becoming a luxury item. Its scarcity is the result of a growing world population and global warming. Using water as a resource sensibly and efficiently is becoming a global challenge. The solution to this problem is SDI (subsurface drip irrigation). A drip irrigation system comprises a total of three parts: a water supply, a filtering system and distribution through so-called drippers – the latter being a Netstal domain. Be it a question of cylindrical or flat drippers, both can be produced extremely cost-effectively on Netstal machines. High cavity volumes (currently up to 128-cavity), optimal precision and reproducibility, and cycle times of between two and five seconds all speak for themselves. The finished drippers are inserted into a PE hose on an extrusion line to ensure the best possible flow precision. Drippers manufactured on Netstal machines currently achieve a maximum flow-through deviation of 1.5 percent. This guarantees accurate and uniform irrigation of agricultural land and a significant saving of water resources compared to conventional irrigation systems.

Source: Netstal