Engel Delivers Its Largest Ever Injection Molding Machines - double injection mo/Engel Delivers Its Largest Ever Injection Molding Machines

NEWS

Engel Delivers Its Largest Ever Injection Molding Machines - double injection mo

Author：gly Date: 2024-09-30

PolySource worked with the OEM’s engineering department to come up with a material solution that would allow them to increase the line speed back to 300 fpm, while maintaining long conveyor life. The recommendation was to replace the lubricated nylon 66 corner wear strip with a lubricated POK—PolySource’s Integra POK 9060 LX BK-4000.

Across the show, sustainability ruled in new materials technology, from polyolefins and engineering resins to biobased materials.

Formnext Chicago is an industrial additive manufacturing expo taking place April 8-10, 2025 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Formnext Chicago is the second in a series of Formnext events in the U.S. being produced by Mesago Messe Frankfurt, AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, and Gardner Business Media (our publisher).

Join KraussMaffei for an insightful webinar designed for industry professionals, engineers and anyone interested in the manufacturing processes of PVC pipes. This session will provide a comprehensive understanding of the technology behind the production of high-quality PVC pipes: from raw material preparation to final product testing. Agenda: Introduction to PVC extrusion: overview of the basic principles of PVC pipe extrusion — including the process of melting and shaping PVC resin into pipe forms Equipment and machinery: detailed explanation of the key equipment involved — such as extruders, dies and cooling systems — and their roles in the extrusion process Process parameters: insight into the critical process parameters like temperature, pressure and cooling rates that influence the quality and consistency of the final PVC pipes Energy efficiency: examination of ways to save material and energy use when extruding PVC pipe products

Say “manufacturing automation” and thoughts immediately go to the shop floor and specialized production equipment, robotics and material handling systems. But there is another realm of possible automation — the front office.

This month’s resin pricing report includes PT’s quarterly check-in on select engineering resins, including nylon 6 and 66.

While prices moved up for three of the five commodity resins, there was potential for a flat trajectory for the rest of the third quarter.

In this three-part collection, veteran molder and moldmaker Jim Fattori brings to bear his 40+ years of on-the-job experience and provides molders his “from the trenches” perspective on on the why, where and how of venting injection molds. Take the trial-and-error out of the molding venting process.

Introduced by Zeiger and Spark Industries at the PTXPO, the nozzle is designed for maximum heat transfer and uniformity with a continuous taper for self cleaning.

technotrans says climate protection, energy efficiency and customization will be key discussion topics at PTXPO as it displays its protemp flow 6 ultrasonic eco and the teco cs 90t 9.1 TCUs.

Successfully starting or restarting an injection molding machine is less about ticking boxes on a rote checklist and more about individually assessing each processing scenario and its unique variables.

Multiple speakers at Molding 2023 will address the ways simulation can impact material substitution decisions, process profitability and simplification of mold design.

Thousands of people visit our Supplier Guide every day to source equipment and materials. Get in front of them with a free company profile.

In this collection, which is part one of a series representing some of John’s finest work, we present you with five articles that we think you will refer to time and again as you look to solve problems, cut cycle times and improve the quality of the parts you mold.

After the seal failed, water and dirt could then get into the shock-absorber mechanism. The shock absorber glided through a lubricated glass-reinforced nylon 66 bushing. Soon after seal failure, the bushing absorbed moisture and swelled, altering the interference fit between the shaft of the shock absorber and the I.D. of the bushing. The device quickly “destroyed itself” and failed.

The ‘DryerGenie’ marries drying technology and input moisture measurement with a goal to putting an end to drying based on time.

Ultradent's entry of its Umbrella cheek retractor took home the awards for Technical Sophistication and Achievement in Economics and Efficiency at PTXPO.

Driven by brand owner demands and new worldwide legislation, the entire supply chain is working toward the shift to circularity, with some evidence the circular economy has already begun.

August 29-30 in Minneapolis all things injection molding and moldmaking will be happening at the Hyatt Regency — check out who’s speaking on what topics today.

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) has released final figures for NPE2024: The Plastics Show (May 6-10; Orlando) that officially make it the largest ever NPE in several key metrics.

The aim of this presentation is to guide you through the factors and the numbers that will help you determine if a robot is a smart investment for your application. Agenda: Why are you considering automation? What problems are you trying to solve? How and why automation can help Crunch the numbers and determine the ROI

In this collection of articles, two of the industry’s foremost authorities on screw design — Jim Frankand and Mark Spalding — offer their sage advice on screw design...what works, what doesn’t, and what to look for when things start going wrong.

Upon further investigation, it was determined that the wear strip was losing its wear resistance over time as the nylon 66 absorbed moisture. The conveyor was located in an area of the bottling operation where frequent cleaning and rinsing with water were necessary to remove sticky buildup from spilled beverage, and this was causing the wear strip to reach moisture contents greater than 4.5%.

Resin drying is a crucial, but often-misunderstood area. This collection includes details on why and what you need to dry, how to specify a dryer, and best practices.

When, how, what and why to automate — leading robotics suppliers and forward-thinking moldmakers will share their insights on automating manufacturing at collocated event.

Despite price increase nominations going into second quarter, it appeared there was potential for generally flat pricing with the exception of a major downward correction for PP.

Sustainability continues to dominate new additives technology, but upping performance is also evident. Most of the new additives have been targeted to commodity resins and particularly polyolefins.

Mold maintenance is critical, and with this collection of content we’ve bundled some of the very best advice we’ve published on repairing, maintaining, evaluating and even hanging molds on injection molding machines.

While the major correction in PP prices was finally underway, generally stable pricing was anticipated for the other four commodity resins.

Join Engel in exploring the future of battery molding technology. Discover advancements in thermoplastic composites for battery housings, innovative automation solutions and the latest in large-tonnage equipment designed for e-mobility — all with a focus on cost-efficient solutions. Agenda: Learn about cutting-edge thermoplastic composites for durable, sustainable and cost-efficient battery housings Explore advanced automation concepts for efficient and scalable production See the latest large-tonnage equipment and technology innovations for e-mobility solutions

Across all process types, sustainability was a big theme at NPE2024. But there was plenty to see in automation and artificial intelligence as well.

Mike Sepe has authored more than 25 ANTEC papers and more than 250 articles illustrating the importance of this interdisciplanary approach. In this collection, we present some of his best work during the years he has been contributing for Plastics Technology Magazine.

When, how, what and why to automate — leading robotics suppliers and forward-thinking moldmakers will share their insights on automating manufacturing at collocated event.

A snowmobile recently introduced by a U.S.-based company encountered a warranty problem that arose from a shock-absorber assembly’s elastomer seal that could be dislodged by ice and rock impact.

In this collection of content, we provide expert advice on welding from some of the leading authorities in the field, with tips on such matters as controls, as well as insights on how to solve common problems in welding.

PolySource helped two OEMs—one in beverage packaging, the other in winter sports vehicles—transition from nylon 66 to polyketone (POK) compounds after parts failure.

Across the show, sustainability ruled in new materials technology, from polyolefins and engineering resins to biobased materials.

Gifted with extraordinary technical know how and an authoritative yet plain English writing style, in this collection of articles Fattori offers his insights on a variety of molding-related topics that are bound to make your days on the production floor go a little bit better.

Mixed in among thought leaders from leading suppliers to injection molders and mold makers at the 2023 Molding and MoldMaking conferences will be molders and toolmakers themselves.

Today, more than ever, granulation is an important step in the total production process. Our expert explains a few of the many common traps to avoid when thinking about granulators

Second quarter started with price hikes in PE and the four volume engineering resins, but relatively stable pricing was largely expected by the quarter’s end.

It is important to note that these two conversions to POK were deemed necessary not just because of nylon 66 tightness, but also because the applications suffered performance issues that necessitated alternative materials. In addition, the material conversion ensured stable pricing and material availability and exceeded all material specifications for these parts. Cliff Watkins, director of applications development at PolySource notes, “The new POK solution in each example was higher in price per pound than the nylon 66 it was replacing. However, when the life-cycle cost was analyzed, the POK material was lower in total cost, because the plastic part was achieving three to four times the usable life, compared to the nylon 66. Once initial test results were completed, the customer was able to easily measure the life-cycle cost benefit of POK.”

Processors with sustainability goals or mandates have a number of ways to reach their goals. Biopolymers are among them.

Mixed in among thought leaders from leading suppliers to injection molders and mold makers at the 2023 Molding and MoldMaking conferences will be molders and toolmakers themselves.

Despite price increase nominations going into second quarter, it appeared there was potential for generally flat pricing with the exception of a major downward correction for PP.

At captive processor McConkey, a new generation of artificial intelligence models, highlighted by ChatGPT, is helping it wade through the shortage of skilled labor and keep its production lines churning out good parts.

Introduced by Zeiger and Spark Industries at the PTXPO, the nozzle is designed for maximum heat transfer and uniformity with a continuous taper for self cleaning.

In a time where sustainability is no longer just a buzzword, the food and beverage packaging industry is required to be at the forefront of this innovation. By adopting circular packaging processes and solutions, producers can meet regulatory requirements while also satisfying consumer demand and enhancing brand reputation. Join Husky to learn more about the broader implications of the circular economy — as well as how leading brands are leveraging this opportunity to reduce costs, increase design flexibility and boost product differentiation. Agenda: The cost and operational benefits of embracing circularity Key materials in circular packaging — including rPET and emerging bioplastics How to design a circular food and beverage package Strategies for selecting sustainable closures to future-proof packaging solutions Optimization and streamlining of production processes for enhanced efficiency How Husky Technologies can enable your sustainable success

Processors with sustainability goals or mandates have a number of ways to reach their goals. Biopolymers are among them.

This Knowledge Center provides an overview of the considerations needed to understand the purchase, operation, and maintenance of a process cooling system.

Multiple speakers at Molding 2023 will address the ways simulation can impact material substitution decisions, process profitability and simplification of mold design.

Core Technology Molding turned to Mold-Masters E-Multi auxiliary injection unit to help it win a job and dramatically change its process.

Across all process types, sustainability was a big theme at NPE2024. But there was plenty to see in automation and artificial intelligence as well.

Join this webinar to explore the transformative benefits of retrofitting your existing injection molding machines (IMMs). Engel will guide you through upgrading your equipment to enhance monitoring, control and adaptability — all while integrating digital technologies. You'll learn about the latest trends in IMM retrofitting (including Euromap interfaces and plasticizing retrofits) and discover how to future-proof your machines for a competitive edge. With insights from industry experts, it'll walk you through the decision-making process, ensuring you make informed choices that drive your business forward. Agenda: Maximize the value of your current IMMs through strategic retrofitting Learn how to integrate digital technologies to enhance monitoring and control Explore the benefits of Euromap interfaces and plasticizing retrofits Understand how retrofitting can help meet new product demands and improve adaptability Discover how Engel can support your retrofitting needs, from free consultations to execution

Second quarter started with price hikes in PE and the four volume engineering resins, but relatively stable pricing was largely expected by the quarter’s end.

Discover how artifical intelligence is revolutionizing plastics processing. Hear from industry experts on the future impact of AI on your operations and envision a fully interconnected plant.

While prices moved up for three of the five commodity resins, there was potential for a flat trajectory for the rest of the third quarter.

If anyone has a doubt that foam blow molding is on the verge of a renaissance, take a look at what W. Müller USA is doing. At NPE2015, the Agawam, Mass., maker of blow molding extrusion heads, spoke quietly with potential customers about a foam blow molding process that it has been working on behind the scenes since 2013. Company president Wolfgang Meyer gave Plastics Technology details on the process, which uses a special head design for three-layer coextrusion with solid inner and outer skins and a foamed center. What’s different about this process is that it uses nitrogen gas injection into the head, not into the extruder like other processes. It uses no chemical blowing agent—only talc as a nucleating agent, so it is acceptable for food packaging, Meyer says. For more details, see this month’s Starting Up section.

From three machines in 1986 to 27 plants nationwide today, this family-owned processor has prospered through unwavering customer service, committed employees and dedicated service to its community.

Learn here how to take advantage of new lightweighting and recycle utilization opportunities in consumer packaging, thanks to a collaboration of leaders in microcellular foaming and multilayer head design.

After successfully introducing a combined conference for moldmakers and injection molders in 2022, Plastics Technology and MoldMaking Technology are once again joining forces for a tooling/molding two-for-one.

PolySource worked with the OEM’s engineering department to find a material solution—converting the nylon 66 bushing to a lubricated, 30% glass-reinforced POK (Integra POK 9030 GA6 LX3 BK-4000). The POK compound’s low moisture absorption combined with high melting point, low friction and high mechanical strength solved the problem and enabled the current 16-cavity mold to be used without any adjustments. The fast crystallization of POK yielded an extra bonus, a 17-sec reduction in the injection molding cycle.

As reported in April, a counter-trend appears to be emerging that could help bridge the materials knowledge gap. In addition to some savvy molders who are investing in new talent emerging from universities armed with materials know-how, others who have been stepping in to fill the gap include compounders, independent consultants, OEMs that have materials experts, and technically advanced materials distributors. One such materials distributor is PolySource, which differentiates itself based on its technical expertise in application development. The company discussed with Plastics Technology two case studies where its expertise solved performance problems in nylon 66 molded parts by converting to another engineering resin.

Join Wittmann for an engaging webinar on the transformative impact of manufacturing execution systems (MES) in the plastic injection molding industry. Discover how MES enhances production efficiency, quality control and real-time monitoring while also reducing downtime. It will explore the integration of MES with existing systems, emphasizing compliance and traceability for automotive and medical sectors. Learn about the latest advancements in IoT and AI technologies and how they drive innovation and continuous improvement in MES. Agenda: Overview of MES benefits What is MES? Definition, role and brief history Historical perspective and evolution Longevity and analytics Connectivity: importance, standards and integration Advantages of MES: efficiency, real-time data, traceability and cost savings Emerging technologies: IoT and AI in MES

Additive technology creates air pockets in film during orientation, cutting down on the amount of resin needed while boosting opacity, mechanical properties and recyclability.

This month’s resin pricing report includes PT’s quarterly check-in on select engineering resins, including nylon 6 and 66.

Ultradent's entry of its Umbrella cheek retractor took home the awards for Technical Sophistication and Achievement in Economics and Efficiency at PTXPO.

Sustainability continues to dominate new additives technology, but upping performance is also evident. Most of the new additives have been targeted to commodity resins and particularly polyolefins.

Resin drying is a crucial, but often-misunderstood area. This collection includes details on why and what you need to dry, how to specify a dryer, and best practices.

Meanwhile, in the two PolySource case studies shared with Plastics Technology, parts made of nylon 66 were replaced with aliphatic polyketone (POK). The POK base resin is produced by South Korea’s Hyosong Chemical. PolySource Integra POK comprises customized grades formulated by PolySource and toll produced to the company’s specifications

Exhibitors and presenters at the plastics show emphasized 3D printing as a complement and aid to more traditional production processes.

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) has released final figures for NPE2024: The Plastics Show (May 6-10; Orlando) that officially make it the largest ever NPE in several key metrics.

While the melting process does not provide perfect mixing, this study shows that mixing is indeed initiated during melting.

technotrans says climate protection, energy efficiency and customization will be key discussion topics at PTXPO as it displays its protemp flow 6 ultrasonic eco and the teco cs 90t 9.1 TCUs.

Plastics Technology covers technical and business Information for Plastics Processors in Injection Molding, Extrusion, Blow Molding, Plastic Additives, Compounding, Plastic Materials, and Resin Pricing. About Us

While the major correction in PP prices was finally underway, generally stable pricing was anticipated for the other four commodity resins.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Sustainable Manufacturing Technologies Group helps industrial partners tackle the sustainability challenges presented by fiber-reinforced composite materials.

In a recent article (see April Close-Up) on the evolution of the role of knowledgeable materials selection and associated technical support in the plastics industry, we reported on a gap that has been created over the last few decades. That gap relates to expectations between the molder and OEM/brand owner when it comes to the materials-selection portion of a project, because that role has swung from the resin suppliers to molders and then increasingly to OEMs and brand owners.

Plastics Technology’s Tech Days is back! Every Tuesday in October, a series of five online presentations will be given by industry supplier around the following topics: Injection Molding — New Technologies, Efficiencies Film Extrusion — New Technologies, Efficiencies Upstream/Downstream Operations Injection Molding — Sustainability Extrusion — Compounding Coming out of NPE2024, PT identified a variety of topics, technologies and trends that are driving and shaping the evolution of plastic products manufacturing — from recycling/recyclability and energy optimization to AI-based process control and automation implementation. PT Tech Days is designed to provide a robust, curated, accessible platform through which plastics professionals can explore these trends, have direct access to subject-matter experts and develop strategies for applying solutions in their operations.

Take a deep dive into all of the various aspects of part quoting to ensure you’ve got all the bases—as in costs—covered before preparing your customer’s quote for services.

Additive technology creates air pockets in film during orientation, cutting down on the amount of resin needed while boosting opacity, mechanical properties and recyclability.

While the melting process does not provide perfect mixing, this study shows that mixing is indeed initiated during melting.

Adding a lubricant additive to the POK enabled the line speed to be increased to 380 fpm while still achieving the desired conveyor lifetime.

Learn about sustainable scrap reprocessing—this resource offers a deep dive into everything from granulator types and options, to service tips, videos and technical articles.

Says Watkins, “The OEM estimated the replacement cost at $55,000 to $60,000 if they did nothing to solve the root cause, and just provided replacement parts and/or rebuilt the shock sub-assembly. Loss of brand value by not achieving a root-cause solution that eliminated warranty claims could not even be computed, but an approximation of $500,000 was used in life-cycle calculations. On an annual basis, switching to the Integra product will save the OEM $13,000 compared with just accepting the warranty cost.”

Exhibitors and presenters at the plastics show emphasized 3D printing as a complement and aid to more traditional production processes.

Take a deep dive into all of the various aspects of part quoting to ensure you’ve got all the bases—as in costs—covered before preparing your customer’s quote for services.

Thousands of people visit our Supplier Guide every day to source equipment and materials. Get in front of them with a free company profile.

As previously reported (see Dec. ’18 feature) a global supply/demand squeeze in the last couple of years has led some thermoplastic suppliers, compounders and distributors to address continued nylon 66 capacity constraints and price increases by proposing alternative engineering resins. The nylon 66 supply constraints—which are related primarily to tight supplies of key precursor adiponitrile (ADN), are expected to continue through at least part of 2020. At the 12th annual Wood Mackenzie American Nylon Conference held in Atlanta in April, Invista gave updates on the company’s investments to bring on additional capacity of ADN. Said managing director of commercial development Eric Jones, “We see the recent market tightness as a short-term imbalance resulting from increased demand and unforeseeable disruptions in the nylon 66 value chain. We expect it will correct itself quickly through debottleneck work that we’re performing at our sites to add more capacity. In fact, with strong production from our Texas facilities in 2018, we are already seeing improvements in supply to the market.”

In both instances, PolySource worked directly with the OEM’s engineering department. “Our process is to ask a lot of questions aimed at defining the problem and then arriving at a solution. The OEM then sponsors a molding trial with their molder and one of our technical experts attends and assists with the mold trial. Our OEMs source their molded plastic parts with contract injection molders who have expertise in processing engineering plastics, demonstrated capability in tight tolerance molding to precise dimensions and exceptional capability in mold design.

While prices moved up for three of the five commodity resins, there was potential for a flat trajectory for the rest of the third quarter.

The POK base resin has low coefficient of friction even without lubricant; its frictional and wear performance are unaffected by moisture; and it has a melting point of 428 F/220 C. By adding a lubricant to the POK, the line speed could be increased to 380 fpm while still achieving the desired conveyor lifetime. Explains Watkins, “PolySource has an active in-house materials development program and we identified the lubricant package that best optimized the line speed and wear resistance of the POK compound. We then collaborated with a trusted compounding partner to produce the compound to our specifications.”

August 29-30 in Minneapolis all things injection molding and moldmaking will be happening at the Hyatt Regency — check out who’s speaking on what topics today.

A modular plastic conveyor belt for 20-oz soda bottles in a beverage bottling plant was speed-limited because of too much frictional heat buildup in a corner section, where the conveyor made a 10° change in direction. The contact pressure between the side of the moving acetal conveyor and the stationary molybdenum disulfide-modified nylon 66 corner wear strip, when combined with the 300-fpm sliding speed, generated enough heat to cause the acetal conveyor to melt. The line speed had to be reduced to 200 fpm to prevent premature failure of the conveyor.

Core Technology Molding turned to Mold-Masters E-Multi auxiliary injection unit to help it win a job and dramatically change its process.

Learn about sustainable scrap reprocessing—this resource offers a deep dive into everything from granulator types and options, to service tips, videos and technical articles.

A collaboration between show organizer PLASTICS, recycler CPR and size reduction experts WEIMA and Conair recovered and recycled all production scrap at NPE2024.

The limitation in line speed at 200 fpm versus budgeted output based on 300 fpm, had an enormous cost impact—both in terms of variable cost and the potential to require capital investment for additional production capacity. The cost to add a production line was estimated at $1.2 million. “Converting the wear strip to Integra POK raised the material cost by 16%, but the 100 fpm increase in line speed that the new material enabled lowered the total cost by 27%,” Watkins sums up.

While prices moved up for three of the five commodity resins, there was potential for a flat trajectory for the rest of the third quarter.