NPE 2021 may have been cancelled, but that hasn’t stopped Wittmann Battenfeld from refreshing its product line. It recently shared information on new products and upgrades it has made across its portfolio of injection molding machines, automation systems, and auxiliary equipment. Here are some of the product announcements that stood out.

Wittmann Battenfeld has made advances in its robot and automation line since the last NPE, notably adding new features to its R9 robot control system. Most of these new features involve making the control easier to use with the addition of a quick “wizard” programming function and ergonomic vertical touch screen pendants. Other new features have made the R9 smarter and more error-proof through the addition of Replay troubleshooting and the incorporation of anti-collision features. A digital twin simulator helps users better simulate complex processes ahead of time to more accurately predict outcomes.

In addition to its environmental benefits, the material can be easily rolled out in strips and applied to pre-prepared molds. It has been used to construct rapidly deployable shelters – particularly in disaster relief situations – as well as for erosion control and ditch lining in as an alternative to shotcrete.

“The roll is cut down to size and the cut ends are sealed in order to prevent concrete from escaping from the canvas during the fabrication process.” Next, the concrete is prepared by immersing it in water, which gives it the flexibility necessary to create such unique shapes.

The pliability of the material makes it possible to create designs that would normally be impossible using standard concrete.

The Concrete Canvas Series of furniture also features the Todos and Enso tables, which have similar ribbon-like designs. To create these organic and sinuous forms, Aronowitz uses a specially developed casting technique involving custom-made wooden moulds.

“A 22-foot long trough was built to hold water and allow the Concrete Canvas to be unfurled and saturated in water for an hour. Then, the Concrete Canvas is wrapped around the wooden molds and clamped into position.”

The company shares information on new products and upgrades across its portfolio of injection molding machines, automation systems, and auxiliary equipment.

“The utilization of Concrete Canvas in sculpture and furniture design has only just begun to be explored. The design possibilities for this new material are tantalizing and ripe for exploration.”

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“Concrete has a heavy and very dense feeling to it, and I was trying to create something very light. With Concrete Canvas, it almost has a feeling of anti-gravity.”

At this point, the furniture-making process is a game of countdown, with only half an hour of working time available before the fabric becomes too hard to manipulate. When Aronowitz is finished, the piece is covered with plastic and left to set and dry fully overnight.

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“Essentially it is concrete cloth on a roll,” explains Neal Aronowitz, who runs his own design studio but also has extensive experience in construction. Inspired by this material, about eight years ago he decided to pursue a full time career as a designer.

The final product is a minimalist console table that explores the unique structural properties of this material. Seemingly defying gravity, the Whorl Series expresses a light, fluid, lyrical form in contrast to the dense and heavy associations with concrete.

Wittmann Battenfeld’s ultra-high-speed Sonic robot series is already a customer favorite because of its performance, according to the company. It achieves maximum acceleration of 65 m/s2, allowing for mold-open times of less than 1 second and sub-10-second cycle times at payloads up to 15 lb. The ultra-high speeds require a robust design, said Wittmann Battenfeld, and it has created a streamlined, efficient, and durable new look for the Sonic Ultra series.

“I thought that the first table would only take me about six weeks to develop but it took me about a year,” says Aronowitz. “The challenge was to stretch the tensile strength of the material to its limits. At the same time, it needed to maintain its structural integrity as a utilitarian object intended for everyday use.”

“A complex and very precise five-part mold was designed and constructed out of wood to fabricate the Whorl console,” he explains. But first, the Concrete Canvas has to be cut to size.

“The idea behind the Whorl series was to make a handcrafted piece that has presence as both sculpture and as functional furniture,” adds Aronowitz, who is one of the first designers to use the material to create furniture.

Available as a package with the EcoPower and SmartPower injection molding machines, the Ingrinder system integrates an advanced granulator and sprue picker with the press itself. The Ingrinder works best as a solution for smaller injection molding machines that run with molds incorporating cold runner technology with a corresponding need for scrapping or recycling sprues, according to Wittmann Battenfeld. Ingrinder integration provides cost savings through a more efficient grind and smaller footprint.

Aronowitz sands the piece to achieve a polished finish which is then custom colored with cement pigments to create a finish that mimics actual concrete. The surface is then sealed to prevent it from staining.

Unlike most concrete, Concrete Canvas is not classed as an irritant, and uses a phthalate-free PVC backing chosen to minimise its impact on the environment. As a result, the material can safely be installed without adverse effects on wildlife or the local ecology.

Until she retired in September 2021, Clare Goldsberry reported on the plastics industry for more than 30 years. In addition to the 10,000+ articles she has written, by her own estimation, she is the author of several books, including The Business of Injection Molding: How to succeed as a custom molder and Purchasing Injection Molds: A buyers guide. Goldsberry is a member of the Plastics Pioneers Association. She reflected on her long career in "Time to Say Good-Bye."

Two of the newest product lines from Wittmann Battenfeld are Mold Area Protection (MAP) and the Internal Air Cooling System (IACS). MAP is used to prevent condensation on the mold surface. This allows for cold-water temperatures — below the dew point of the ambient air — to be run year-round without concerns about the impact of climate conditions on production or the life of the mold. Operated through a FIT controller, all processes are monitored and any potential errors can be quickly corrected and addressed. The low-maintenance MAP is available for use in injection molding and blow molding applications. The IACS improves the quality of blow-molded products by exchanging the internal cavity with cold air during the cooling phase, which reduces thermal stress on the material and shortens the cooling time.

The company’s Primus robots are designed for pick-and-place applications, and Wittmann Battenfeld recently expanded the series with the largest Primus model yet — the Primus 48T. The 48T carries a 20-kg payload and has clamping forces between 20 and 900 T while maintaining the smooth and quiet operation for which the Primus series is known.

Using a uniquely flexible and ultra-thin concrete, designer craftsman Neal Aronowitz has created flowing pieces of furniture that fold in on themselves like this console table. Called “Concrete Canvas”, the pliable and cloth-like material is formed from fabric impregnated with cement, which hardens on hydration to form a thin, durable, waterproof and fire-resistant layer.

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“When it is hard enough, the molds are removed and the structure is reinforced with a wire mesh and covered with cement mortar to give it additional strength.”

“I found Concrete Canvas fascinating,” he says. “I thought it would be interesting to try and turn it into something from a designer’s point of view. It’s an industrial material and I had the idea to make furniture out of it.”