The main Sumitomo (SHI) Demag stand (Hall B1, Stand 1105) features a fully electric IntElect 180/570-250 injection moulding machine equipped with an LSR package comprising a twin dosing system, robotics, and vacuum and venting peripheral equipment. In a cycle time of just 17 seconds, this IntElect LSR package manufactures 256 individual 0.06-gram single wire seals with absolute precision and stability. Despite this high throughput, the IntElect machine’s energy consumption remains one of the lowest on the market.

At Fakuma 2023, visitors will get the opportunity to see Sumitomo (SH) Demag’s LSR processing competence in two live demonstrations.

LSR is regarded as a unique material, in that it remains flexible and elastic down to -50°C, yet also retains its properties up to 200°C. As a result, LSR is used extensively in electronic components, cables etc. where insulation is required, as well as in medical and healthcare products and the consumer goods sector. To support these markets, in the last five years Sumitomo (SHI) Demag has made significant investments developing an all-electric LSR package that inevitably delivers the cleanliness and precise shot control required to handle this low viscosity material. This year’s Fakuma exhibits demonstrate the company’s advanced proficiency in moulding high-specification LSR components, exclaims Aliyev.

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Modular by-design, the LSR eTwin Connect allows for quick configuration of programs and instant software upgrades. To support quick drum changes and for ease of  maintenance, the system also features a roll in device and automatic drum locks.

Over at Zeal Optics, the Colorado-based eyewear brand is making an even more interesting transition towards sustainable manufacturing while also tackling agricultural waste issues. The new See Grass Collection shows how, offering two unisex styles made of a unique material composed of straw, hemp, and flax waste mixed with recycled plastic.

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Given that each dental article weighs just 0.425 grams, and with an LSR shot weight of just 1.7 grams, the exhibit features Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s smallest IntElect injection unit. An LSR eTwin Connect from Reinhardt-Technik delivers material to the needle gate nozzle tool. Material is then injected into each of the four cavities twice. Metering data directly connects to the IntElect processing data via OPC-UA, ensuring a fully traceable and stable production process.

Truegrasses’ factory itself is powered by biogas sourced from methane extraction from a nearby landfill. In an effort to close the loop of the use cycle, Zeal will collect worn out glasses at their Boulder store and from select retailers and send them back to Taiwan for full recycling into more usable material. Carbon footprint aside, it's a pretty sound cycle.

Visitors to the Reinhardt-Technik booth (Hall A3, Stand 3313) will have the opportunity to view the healthcare sector where LSR processing is prevalent. Manufacturing surgical dental protection covers demands a combination of the thinnest walls and thicker beaded geometries. To accomplish this level of 3-dimensional LSR moulding precision, specialists in healthcare applications EMDE MouldTec supplies the gated 4-cavity mould tool, which fits into the generous tool space of the IntElect 75/420-65.

“Integrating a high precision dosing system with the IntElect machine and the optimal heat balance attained by the Rico dual tip nozzle delivery system ensures unprecedented distribution of the 15 gram shot weight. The result of the high machine dynamics means that part weight accuracy of 0.059 grams is repeatably replicated in the fastest possible cycle time,” explains Aliyev.

Ensuring the material is exposed to a consistent temperature in all 256 cavities, the Rico tool is designed to run on a cold clamping force. This helps to avoid premature curing of the material before every cavity is filled. As a result, it reduces the risk of component and tooling damage, and consequently expensive machine downtime and costly tool repairs.

Manufacturing four burr-free dental components every 25 seconds, a Sumitomo (SHI) Demag SAM-C5 robot performs the demoulding task. A special end of arm tool uses compressed air to delicately extract and place the dental covers into containers, ensuring hygiene standards are never compromised.

“The market for liquid silicone is growing dynamically, both in terms of applications demanding skills in LSR, as well as volume," observes Rustam Aliyev, the company’s LSR expert and business development director of automotive & electronics.

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LSR tooling specialist RICO supplies the 256-cavity open tool system. The Elastosil LR 3844/50 material from Wacker Chemie is dispensed via a sophisticated yet compact Industry 4.0-ready LSR eTwin Connect dosing system engineered by another LSR expert - Reinhardt-Technik. This metering and static mixing system guarantees the perfect mixing ratio of two additives, ensuring 99.75% of the LSR material is processed.

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Because of the nature of production, every pair will look slightly different. And for now, the material can only be produced in limited colors and matte finishes.

Supporting full connectivity, the OPC UA interface facilitates seamless communication between the IntElect machine control and the eTwin Connect dosing system. During every injection cycle, the intuitive, user-friendly multi-touch 15.6 inch HMI capturing all processing documentation, including material pressure, colouring and additive settings, to ensure high-level transparency and traceability.

Zeal's material partner in the project is Truegrasses, a Taiwanese company that got their start in 2013 making a durable, moldable textile for home goods (think pans, cups, plates) made out of fibrous agricultural waste from Taiwan and recycled PET from China. Fibers from the stalks of the waste are mixed with the melted-down plastic, then molded and ground into pellets ready for injection molding.

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Lewis hopes that this broader approach to sourcing and using sustainable waste-based materials continues to expand the conversation in the outdoor business. "Is this the be all, end all? No, but it’s great to see these brands push boundaries and get people to think about the multitude use of materials."

On their main stand, the company highlights its multi-cavity LSR processing competence, including OPC-UA interface compatibility, on an all-electric IntElect 180/570-250 injection moulding machine. Visitors to the Reinhardt-Technik booth (Hall A3, Stand 3313) will have the opportunity to view another market where LSR processing is prevalent, the healthcare sector.

To support the high-volume production of individual single wire seals, tooling partner Rico Group reveals its proprietary 256-cavitation LSR mould tool. Combining the direct injection system with double nozzle technology with the IntElect machines optimised clamp force, this LSR package successfully achieves the highest number of cavities in the most compact installation space. The turnkey system coordinates every processing step to efficiently manufacture 256 LSR parts every 15 seconds with minimal flash and material waste. “It’s the definition of high-volume sustainable production,” notes Aliyev.

The eTwin servo-driven piston pumps save processors up to 80% energy compared to air-driven pumps. While the integrated cooling system and pulsation-free volume flow helps to optimise the filling behaviour and prevent the LSR material from curing too soon. The unit also performs automatic venting, purging air from the material before it is fed into the moulding machine and tool. Combined with the IntElect’s high injection dynamics, the repeatable process ensures the highest component quality is achieved time and time again.

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“We’ve done a ton of a R&D and the durability is every bit as good as regular plastic or our glass material made from castor oil,” says Zeal’s Director of Marketing Mike Lewis. “We’ve seen zero breakdown.” (Zeal sent out early models to a number of its own ambassadors for testing in a variety of environments.)