Electrified 4.0: Sumitomo (SHI) Demag at K 2016

With eight machines running at K 2016, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag will set new milestones in the latest injection moulding technology for the production of plastic packaging, automotive parts and precision components. The injection moulding machinery manufacturer with headquarters in Schwaig near Nuremberg will present five machine exhibits under the trade fair motto "Electrified 4.0" on its own stand in Hall 15 and a further three with the partner companies Sepro, Yushin and ONI. All these exhibits underscore product-specific unique selling propositions: speed, an increasing number of electric drives and equipment designed for the opportunities and demands of Industry 4.0.

Two El-Exis SP machines with a clamping force of 2,000 and 4,200 kN are running on Stand D22 in Hall 15, along with a Systec Servo with 2,800 kN and two IntElect with 500 and 4,500 kN. They all support the application technology focus of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag. Both high-performance El-Exis SP machines demonstrate packaging applications, the intention being to highlight the El-Exis SP 200 as the most rapid IML exhibit at K 2016. With speed compression, the El-Exis SP 420 demonstrates how, even in the area of extremely thin-walled products, efficiency can be increased significantly. With the aid of in-mould decoration (IMD), the Systec Servo 280 produces a backlit, decorated component in an application for the automotive and consumer markets that demonstrates the utmost sophistication in process and application technology. The IntElect 450 produces crystal-clear headlight covers in a highly efficient electric production cell and, on the one hand, demonstrates the advantages of all-electric concepts in larger machines and, on the other, the "Automotive Goes All-Electric" trend. A premiere at trade shows, the smaller IntElect with 500 kN is presented with a particularly spectacular innovation.

El-Exis SP in detail
Over almost twenty years, the high-speed El-Exis machine has evolved into the leading machine for the injection moulding of plastic packaging today. Sumitomo (SHI) Demag has updated it over several generations and continually increased its clamping force range. Today, current models of the El-Exis SP are available with clamping forces of 1,500 to 7,500 kN. Over 2,000 machines have already been installed by manufacturers of thin-walled plastic packaging, screw caps and a broad variety of closures. The proven concept employed by the machine was most recently updated again in terms of energy optimisation and is equipped with an OPC/UA interface for communication conforming to the standards of Industry 4.0.

The fastest IML application at K 2016: 4 decorated cups in less than 2 seconds
The high-speed El-Exis SP 200 injection moulding machine produces decorated cups in a 4-cavity mould. A high-speed extraction robot intervenes through side entry in the parting level, places the labels in the stationary mould half and removes the four completed cups on the moving side. The cups are subsequently stacked. The exhibit illustrates the maximum speed currently possible and the highest available system productivity for the production of IML-decorated plastic containers.

With a cycle time of less than 2 seconds, the El-Exis SP 200 is most likely the fastest machine for the production of decorated containers at K 2016. The exhibit demonstrates the capability and performance of a variety of partners. The robot, gripper technology and injection mould are provided by Brink B.V., Harskamp/Netherlands. Labels are supplied by Verstraete, Maldegem/Belgium, a specialist for the production and application of IML (in-mould labels). The polypropylene is provided by Borealis.

Groundbreaking efficiency enhancement in thin-walled production: Speed compression of plastic trays
The high-speed El-Exis SP 420 machine produces four polypropylene trays in a 2+2 stack mould. The machine uses an injection compression process that involves depositing plasticised material in the cavity prior to complete mould closure. The closing movement supports the even distribution of the plasticised material in the cavity, reduces the injection pressure requirement and the required clamping force, ensures that the pressure is distributed evenly and, as a consequence, reduces the residual stress in the finished part. Warping due to shrinkage is less pronounced as a result, reducing the wall thicknesses as well as the weight of the moulded part. Compression at the highest mould and injection movement velocity, termed speed compression, is a particular challenge for the injection moulding machine and its sensors, control and drive technology. A high-speed extraction robot supplied by Sepro, La Roche sur Yon/France, intervenes from the side in both parting levels of the stack mould from Plastisud, Castelnaudary/France to remove the four containers.

As a consequence, the two El-Exis SP machines are most likely the fastest machines for the production of decorated containers and also the fastest exhibits with an injection compression function. They underline the market leadership of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag with a share of over 20 % when it comes to injection moulding machines for the manufacture of plastic packaging.

Systec Servo: Modular hybrid technology for complex process technologies
With its activeMotionControl technology, the Systec Servo possess a hybrid drive concept optimised for maximum performance and the highest energy efficiency where cycle times exceeding around 10 seconds are involved, as is the case with moulded parts for the automotive and household appliance industry and consumer goods. It is available in the Sumitomo (SHI) Demag product portfolio in nine clamping forces between 500 and 4,200 kN.

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag has already demonstrated combination IMD surface decoration and the integration of further functions in complete installations at the last trade shows in Friedrichshafen and Shanghai. The company will present a new highlight in this process technology at K 2016. The result is a production unit with a Systec Servo 280 machine at its centre, which, with the aid of in-mould decoration (IMD), creates decorated and, simultaneously, backlit door trim as an application that demonstrates the utmost sophistication in process and application technology. Contrary to standard applications, the decoration does not involve a full-surface cohesive and printed plastic film, but rather a porous wooden structure, which, in addition to the surface print for the daytime design, also enables ambient lighting as a night design.

The films with the decoration are moved with a film feeding unit supplied by Leonhard Kurz, Fürth, through the mould from HBW Gubesch, Wilhelmsdorf, and back injected with PC/ABS. A six-axis robot from Kuka manages handling of the moulded part in the production unit. Automation is supplied by SAR Elektronik, Dingolfing. It removes the finished part from the mould and conveys it to a curing and cleaning station supplied by Kist Maschinenbau, Dresden. All controls for individual line elements are visible and can be operated through a VNC integration in the injection moulding machine control system. The machine encompasses the activeMouldWater module for electronic monitoring of mould temperature control based on the temperature and flow and an OPC/UA interface for communication conforming to Industry 4.0.

The compact and flexible production unit is an example of the integration capacity of Demag machines and the technological expertise to operate sophisticated applications for the automotive and consumer markets. In the fast-growing IMD application market, engineers from Sumitomo (SHI) Demag can access a dense network of competent partner companies, who have been cooperating on numerous successful projects for many years. Sumitomo (SHI) Demag is considered the market leader when it comes to injection moulding machines for IMD applications.

IntElect: The leading fully electric injection moulding machine
IntElect is the all-electric injection moulding machine range from Sumitomo (SHI) Demag. It is equipped with innovative high-torque direct drives specially developed for this purpose, thus ensuring the highest level of precision, dynamics and energy efficiency. IntElect operators profit from decades of expertise in the area of electric drives pooled in the Sumitomo Group and a high vertical range of manufacturing in motors and control technology. At K 2016, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag demonstrates an IntElect with the smallest and a model with the largest of the seven clamping forces, which range between 500 and 4,500 kN.

The largest IntElect 450 available to date manufactures crystal-clear polycarbonate headlight covers in a highly efficient electric production unit. The mould and hot runner system are provided by HRS INglass, San Polo di Piave/Italy. The mould for large surface moulded parts, which need to meet high optical requirements, runs with electrically controlled HRS Flex-Flow system hot runner needles. Gentle opening and closing of the needles prevents sink marks on the moulded part, which are not uncommon with conventional cascade injection moulding involving abrupt sequential closing of hot runner needles. The automation with a 5-axis SDR 5X-35 robot was designed and manufactured by M.A.i. in Kronach. A special feature is the true-to-contour separation of the sprue realised with the aid of a laser. Due to the integration of the hot runner control in the machine control system, the exhibit can fully benefit from the sensitive guidance of the injection process. IntElect demonstrates the advantages of all-electric concepts where even larger moulded parts are manufactured through injection moulding and is an example of the "Automotive Goes All-Electric" trend in the sector.

Source: Sumitomo (SHI) Demag