Technological watch

At Plast India 2023 from February 1 to 5 in Delhi, India, injection molding machine manufacturer and system solution provider ENGEL will be demonstrating how the benefits of all-electric injection molding machines can be leveraged in a cost-efficient way.
Precision Molding for Caps and Closures
By manufacturing flip-top caps and closures from a 32-cavity mold using an e-mac 1340/280 injection molding machine, ENGEL will clearly illustrate the huge potential of all-electric injection molding machines from its stand at the trade event. Flip-top caps and closures are used for numerous products in the cosmetics and food industries, including shampoo, shower gel, vinegar and ketchup.
To ensure bottles and tubes maintain secure closing over long periods of frequent usage, the demands on precision molding are particularly high in the production of caps and closures. Very precise injection and constant movements of the mold platens during opening and closing are critical. For this reason, all-electric injection molding machines are often the first choice for this product segment. In the packaging industry especially, cost-effectiveness is all-important.
In the e-mac, ENGEL offers an all-electric injection molding machine that combines high power and energy efficiency with an extremely compact machine design for comparatively little capital outlay. The machine is tailored to the needs of the medium performance segment, which features cycle times of more than four seconds.
All movements of the ENGEL e-mac – including the nozzle movement and ejection – are performed by servo-electric drives. This means that the machine achieves very high overall efficiency. If required, a servo-hydraulic unit can be integrated into the machine frame without requiring additional space.
The ENGEL e-mac injection unit was developed from scratch with a focus on even better dynamics. It is available in three performance classes to ensure the machine can adapt to precise requirements while maximizing overall efficiency.
Across the whole series, e-mac machines of the latest generation are some of the most compact in the world in their respective performance segments when compared against other all-electric injection molding machines on the market. Thanks to optimized toggle lever geometry, the machines are shorter than previous versions - without reducing the opening stroke. This guarantees a high productivity per unit of area – an increasingly important indicator of efficiency for many businesses.
Related Read: Cost Saving Automation in Injection Molding.?

Smart Assistance System for Consistent Quality
Injection molding machines in the e-mac series promise ample flexibility when it comes to the integration of smart assistance systems. Alongside precise electrical axes, iQ systems from ENGEL enhance process stability and product quality by ensuring ideal process settings from one cycle to the next.
For example, iQ weight control analyses the pressure profile during the injection process and compares measured values by means of a reference cycle. The injection profile, switchover point and the holding pressure profile are adjusted to the current conditions for every cycle, which keeps the injected volume constant during the entire production run. In this way, consistently high product quality is achieved. Rejects are proactively prevented, saving raw materials and energy.
Potential is particularly strong in the processing of recycled materials, which are naturally subject to greater batch fluctuations than new materials. Smart assistance systems are thereby actively supporting the circular economy. Processed plastic waste can also be used in higher-value applications with the help of smart assistance.
For precision applications with cycle times of over four seconds, the e-mac is the solution with the greatest overall efficiency for many applications in the field of all-electric injection molding machines. Beyond the packaging industry, the e-mac is used in the technical molding, teletronics and medical technology sectors, among others.
At Plast India, ENGEL will cooperate with Piovan on the peripheral systems. Just like ENGEL, Piovan maintains a strong local presence in India. The 32-cavity mold for the manufacture of flip-top caps and closures will be from Vasantha, a company based in Hyderabad. ENGEL clients around the world benefit from these close working relationships with local partners. Regional networks ensure short communication paths, fast times to market and more attractive prices for integrated system solutions.
Source: ENGEL