On March 22nd, Milacron’s India manufacturing team presented its 12,501st India manufactured machine. The Milacron Magna Toggle 450 ton 2K machine was handed over  to Vagish Dixit – Managing Director, Alpla India Company, a manufacturer of caps and closures and affiliate of Austria’s Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner GmbH & Co KG.

During the celebration, Milacron India’s Managing Director, Shirish Divigi, thanked Alpla India for their business and loyalty over the almost two-decade partnership. “As India’s plastics industry continues to grow, Milacron’s Indian operations will continue to excel and offer the industry’s most complete plastics offering.” Divigi added, “The entire Milacron organization is focused on a customer first mentality. We continue to add new value added products and services to better serve our customers in India and across the world. Our customers feel fully supported and connected with our team.”

Milacron India’s Ahmedabad facility completed its most recent expansion in 2016. The expansion allowed Milacron to increase its annual output of 1,500 injection and blow molding machines to 2,100 machines per annum, a 40% increase.

The competitive price point for all services, according to the company’s website, is “normally 30%-50% less than the US/European prices, due to lower labor costs. Moreover allowing a quick project start compares to other rapid prototype companies.”

As far as resolution is concerned, the accuracy of CNC machining at WayKen is typically higher than 3D printing, between 0.02mm and 0.05mm – 0.10mm depending on geometry. Turnaround time for 3D printing is typically faster at just 2-5 days versus 3 – 8 days for CNC. This does however come at a tradeoff with the volume of products than can be produced. A typical SLA/SLS run can create 1 – 10 parts, whereas CNC has a range of 1 – 50.

CNC operation is determined by computer aided design (CAD) or computer aided manufacturing (CAM) data translated into Gcode – as used by 3D printers. The precision tool path in a CNC system creates an excellent surface finish, and parts can be sanded and finished on the same machine.

The question is – which technology should you choose? As a WayKen spokesperson states, “it is very difficult to get a standard answer to the cost comparison between 3D printing and CNC machining.” Instead, technology should be selected based on application.

SLS and SLA 3D printing are useful for fast response solutions. With digital operational tools like slicer software, the process does not require as much specialized training as CNC machining. With little labour involved, the manufacturing cost of 3D printing is priced based on the amount of materials. As larger parts cost more 3D printing is advantageous for small volumes and lightweight parts. Realtively simple structures, wth less demand for surface quality and precision parts, also benefit the most from WayKen’s 3D printing services. The technology is ideal for protoyping small medical devices, industrial tooling, and outer covering of electrical tools.

Luckily, the company’s quoting system quickly responds to enquiries within 24 hours by our allowing “On-time delivery — every time, no exceptions.” Request a quote from WayKen Rapid online now at WayKen.com.

Established in 1995, the Indian plant offers a full range of injection moulding machines from 50-ton to 3200-ton clamping force, with capacity to manufacture 2000 machines per annum.

The primary SLA material used by WayKen is an ABS-like photopolymer, suitable for use in the lost-wax method of casting favoured in jewelry making and dental industries. SLS uses powdered Nylon feedstock, which acts like a support material throughout 3D printing, cutting down post-processing times. Parts made using SLS also benefit from the potential of nesting meaning that more designs can be 3D printed within the same build.

The rapid production time of 3D printing means it is finding increased uses throughout the medical industry. WayKen SLA & SLS 3D printing for medicine can be used to make hand held appliances, concept models, and new devices in low volume, e.g. diagnostic equipment, surgical instruments, electronic apparatus and ultrasonic systems. These devices are valuable for surgical planning, simulation and also to map dental correction procedures.

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 is a proud dachshund owner.

Further, at Plastivision 2017 in January Milacron Extrusion launched the TC Conical Twin Screw extrusion system in the Indian market. The TC’s customized screw designs are matched specifically to the customer process requirements for optimal performance. The TC uses advanced materials of construction, including tungsten coated screws and tungsten clad barrels for maximum wear protection and the lowest possible life cycle costs. Milacron’s breadth of extrusion offerings is all encompassing, from extruders, to new and rebuilt extrusion barrels and screws, to pipe heads, dies and downstream equipment, providing powerful, reliable solutions that meet customers’ unique needs. Milacron’s extrusion solutions are highly customizable and increase productivity, output and accuracy, while reducing costs.

Milacron Holdings Corp. marked a milestone recently with the shipment of the 12,501st injection molding machine from its Ahmedabad, India manufacturing facility.

Approximations of the general parameters of each process are detailed on WayKen.com in the company’s Technology Selection Guide, and a supporting Materials Selection Guide.

During the celebration at the Ahmedabad facility, Vagish Dixit stated, “Milacron is a progressive organization with innovation in engineering design and manufacturing. We’re extremely pleased with our partnership with Milacron in India.” Dixit added, “Milacron has fostered our relationship over the last 17 years, when we bought our first injection molding machine. The enthusiasm towards their work and commitment towards customers are the key strengths behind the consistent success of Milacron. The technologies Milacron provides us increase our productivity and the competitiveness of our products.”

3D printing services at WayKen are primarily laser-powered, offering a high level of speed and accuracy. WayKen stereolithography (SLA) is a UV based curing process, and selective laser sintering (SLS) uses a carbon dioxide laser.

“Traditional” processes at WayKen cover CNC plastic/metal parts machining, vacuum injection molding and rapid injection molding. In the case of CNC machining, a solid block of raw material can be used.

WayKen specializes in an ability to machine a range of plastics (opaque and optically clear) and aluminum. In the CNC process, a toolhead gradually subtracts material from a solid block. As such, molecular stability of the base material remains constant producing a part with unparalleled tensile strength.

In some cases, it may even be beneficial to combine both additive and subtractive manufacturing process to complete an end goal. As an example, SLA and SLS could be used as a preliminary stage before moving the CNC machining.

Milacron CEO Tom Goeke stated, “India is a vital market for Milacron and it continues to impress. Milacron places great importance in the Indian market and we’re uniquely positioned to serve it in ways our competition simply cannot with our ability to deliver the entire spectrum of services to the plastics industry.”

In other news, Milacron’s Mold-Masters product brand recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Mold-Masters started its Indian operations in 2007 as an engineering center along with a dedicated sales and service team to provide better support to domestic market. The India hot runner operations expanded in 2010 adding a manufacturing plant to become the first global hot runner brand to do so in India. In recent years the Coimbatore, India facility has undergone a number of expansions to better serve the rapidly growing market demands in India and grown over 350 employees. The anniversary was celebrated with a special customer event.

One of the main advantages of this process is material availability as virtually any material can be CNC machined. For this reason, and its use in industry since the 1940s, CNC machining remains the most common means of prototyping to date

Established in Hong Kong and located in Shenzhen, WayKen is a contender for China’s most experienced prototype manufacturer. The WayKen Prototype shop operates across two sites, one for plastic and one for metal. In total, the facilities span 20,000 square feet, employing over 60 dedicated personnel. WayKen’s specialist prototyping services include 3D printing (particularly SLA and SLS), CNC milling and rapid tooling technology.As a service bureau operating within high value automotive, medical, and aerospace industries, WayKen Rapid’s expertise is in selecting the right technology for the specific application, and delivering results at a cost competitive with the west.

CNC machined parts at WayKen on the other hand can be used to make functional prototypes which are suitable for engineering evaluation and testing. In contrast to the SLA and SLS services offered, CNC machining requires specially trained engineers to pre-program the processing parameters and toolpaths, then machine according to the programs. Manufacturing costs are therefore quoted taking the extra labor into account. CNC’s advantage is for machining parts with special requirements such as dimensional tolerances and surface qualities.

In automotive, WayKen applies a plethora of CNC prototyping and rapid tooling methods to the production of spare parts. The services are useful to car manufacturers running limited trials of a car/motorcycle, and allow volume customization. WayKen automotive rapid prototyping is delivered as a complete service, guiding customers through proof of concept design reviews and mechanical component engineering tests, to show car projects and exterior/interior prototypes.