LS Mtron is part of South Korean conglomerate LS Group, which employs more than 25,000 employees and has annual revenue in the neighborhood of $30 billion. LS Mtron Injection Molding Machines (LS IMM) is a division of LS Mtron, which was started in 1969 by another South Korean giant, LG Corp. Initially, LS IMM exclusively molded components for LG-branded TVs, appliances, and other products. As LG expanded across the globe, LS IMM followed and since then has installed thousands of machines across North America for automotive, appliance, and other applications. That heritage is valuable, according to Caprio, because it allows LS Mtron IMM to say that “we are molders ourselves. No other machine builder can make that claim,” said Caprio, adding that it gives the company a unique perspective on the best molding machine for a given application and an ability to communicate meaningfully with machine buyers.

The core of the technology is a six-axis robot that delivers a greater degree of rotation than traditional rotational molding. Instead of using a heating oven, the robot tumbles the electrically heated mold, which incorporates a multitude of separate heating zones. Direct heat applied to these zones enables resin to reach its ideal processing temperature and permits manufacturers to create geometries that were previously unattainable.

Acetal has previously been used in injection-molded fuel tanks, but material suppliers have now developed new rotomolding grades that incorporate additive packages that raise the heat performance.

In South Korea, Shin announced that it is expanding injection molding machine production at a new factory in Jinju. The 15,000-square-meter (3.7 acre) facility cost approximately $12 million and began operations last month. It will produce around 50 presses each month for shipment to customers in the United States, Europe, and Korea.

By any measure, LS Mtron Injection Molding Machines USA has been remarkably successful at penetrating the US market in a short amount of time. In 2018, the Korea-based company had 1.5% market share in the North American injection molding machine space. By 2023, that share had grown to 7.5%. And that pales in comparison with the company’s goal of capturing 20% of the North American market. No deadline has been set as yet. It’s a tall order, but consider this, said Paul Caprio, president of sales, at a press conference at NPE2024: LS Mtron has shown consistent growth during fallow times for the plastics industry; imagine what it can achieve under better economic conditions.

There is ample space in the 210,000-square-foot facility on a 10.6-acre lot to manufacture injection molding machines, the company added, which is part of the company’s strategic plan for the United States.

Robomold’s computer-controlled technology allows for precise control of multiple heating and cooling zones, customized material flow, optimized material use, increased product quality, and part traceability. It also offers instant cycle data collection, reduced cycle times, focused cycles for highly engineered resins, and the elimination of labor-intensive processes.

During the NPE press conference, LS Mtron Global CEO Chai Ho Shin also shared some news about the company’s recent expansions.

Gemstar has commercialized several EPA-certified acetal fuel tanks made with its unique Robomold robotic rotomolding process as a fluorination-free solution. “Our innovative technology is a highly viable option that can fill the emerging needs of OEMs and molders who are struggling to fill production needs amidst disrupted supply chains,” said Kevin Lumberg, channel manager for Gemstar Manufacturing.

Gemstar’s exclusive Robomold technology reportedly provides tighter tolerance control with precision-distributed heat and material control for consistent part repeatability and optimized strength-to-weight ratios. It is also said to allow for unsurpassed design flexibility, including the ability to layer different compounds and coatings into finished parts. Rotomolded acetal fuel tanks provide single-layer barrier protection that meets EPA requirements in comparison to injection-molded HDPE tanks that require fluorination.

As end-use requirements become more stringent, Robomold robotic rotational molding is also finding greater use in custom applications. It is reportedly ideal for military, OEM, industrial, and commercial applications, where precision and unsurpassed repeatability are required.

Editor in chief of PlasticsToday since 2015, Norbert Sparrow has more than 30 years of editorial experience in business-to-business media. He studied journalism at the Centre Universitaire d'Etudes du Journalisme in Strasbourg, France, where he earned a master's degree.

In Texas, meanwhile, LS Mtron has established a dual-purpose facility in Palestine, which will serve as a demonstration center and warehouse for its injection molding machine business as well as a second US production facility for the conglomerate’s popular tractors. The company produces more than 12,000 tractors a year at its Battleboro, NC, factory; the new Texas facility will produce another 12,000, doubling the company’s US output.

The company is exhibiting in booth W1101 at NPE2024, which is running at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, through May 10.

LS Mtron is reinforcing that message of confidence on the NPE show floor, where it has tripled its footprint to 13,500 square feet and populated the space with several signature production cells. These include a 1400-ton hydraulic press molding an automotive part and a “sandwich” molder that processes virgin resin for the surface layer and recycled materials for the core. The result is a product with a quality appearance and sustainability cred.

Rotomolded fuel tanks made of acetal, produced via Gemstar Manufacturing’s Robomold robotic rotomolding technology, have been identified as a highly viable alternative to fluorinated fuel tanks in the wake of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decision to halt the production of fluorinated coatings for high-density polyethylene (HDPE) containers due to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination.

Robomold also delivers a range of sustainability advantages compared to conventional rotational molding. Robotic rotational molding reduces cycle times by 25 to 30% with little to no scrap compared to traditional rotomolding. Researchers at Queens University Belfast recently reported that Robomold’s electrical mold heating method takes significantly less time to heat the mold compared with a conventional oven, saving more than nine minutes (22%) with no appreciable difference in part quality.

Stephen has been with PlasticsToday and its preceding publications Modern Plastics and Injection Molding since 1992, throughout this time based in the Asia Pacific region, including stints in Japan, Australia, and his current location Singapore. His current beat focuses on automotive. Stephen is an avid folding bicycle rider, often taking his bike on overseas business trips, and a proud dachshund owner.

Some of the machines are equipped with automation systems, none of which are made by LS Mtron, a point of pride for Caprio. The company prefers to rely on forward-thinking automation experts that pursue innovation, said Caprio, rather than build an in-house team that may develop tunnel vision over time.

Polyamide (PA) 6 has historically been the only material option to achieve a permeation barrier with a single-layer rotomolding process. However, PA 6 is difficult to rotomold and yields a high scrap rate and poor cosmetic appearance. In comparison, acetal delivers a single-layer structure that achieves permeation requirements and provides good processability, low scrap rates, and favorable cosmetics.

EPA ruling banning fluorinated barrier layers opens up the acetal option developed and commercialized by Gemstar Manufacturing.