Arburg at NPE 2012
From 1 to 5 April 2012, Arburg will present with a total of six exhibits a specifically the US market addressing representative selection from its current product range at the NPE in Orlando.
The focus will be on the subject of efficient production. One of the highlights on the 500 m² exhibition stand, no. 3729 in the West Hall, will be the US premiere of the new Edrive series, with which Arburg has expanded its electric machine range. The stand will also feature electric and hybrid exhibits from the high-performance Alldrive and Hidrive series, as well as a vertical machine. There will be demonstrations involving the production of moulded parts for the automotive, medical technology, electronics and packaging sectors. The Selogica control system will also be on show, providing impressive evidence of its benefits in increasing efficiency.
“The focus during our appearance at the NPE will be on efficient moulded part production,” explains Friedrich Kanz, Managing Director of the Arburg Inc. subsidiary. “Important factors in reducing unit costs are energy efficiency, optimised production and, above all, cycle times. These exhibits and the production of a wide variety of moulded parts will enable us to prove to visitors to the trade fair in Orlando that Arburg’s modular range and expertise in applications technology enable us to offer the optimal injection moulding solution for every requirement.”
Edrive: electric machines for a wide range of applications
The new Edrive series has expanded Arburg’s electric machine range. The Allrounder E machines cover a range of clamping forces from 600 to 2,000 kN (66 to 220 US tons). The appearance of the Allrounder 370 E at the NPE show will mark the US debut of the new series. The Edrive machines are primarily designed for the efficient production of standard items, such as technical moulded parts, making them an energy-efficient electric alternative to basic hydraulic machines. Thus, the Edrive series for standard applications is the ideal complement to the existing Arburg range, which completely covers the high-performance sector with the Alldrive and Hidrive machine series.
Electric and hybrid machines for high-end applications
With a total of three high-performance machines, the electric Alldrive series will be prominently represented. The exhibits will offer impressive proof of their capabilities in a range of different applications, with clamping forces from 350 to 2,000 kN (38 to 220 US tons). The smallest electric Allrounder 270 A with a clamping force of 350 kN (38 US tons) operates with the Arburg micro-injection module, which combines an 8-mm injection screw with a second screw for melting the material. The electric Allrounder 520 A with a clamping force of 1,500 kN (165 US tons) operates with a 32-cavity mould and produces syringe barrels in a cycle time of 6.5 seconds. In order to meet the requirements of the medical technology sector, the exhibit will have a completely encapsulated, stainless steel clamping unit.
The electric two-component Allrounder 570 A with a clamping force of 2,000 kN (220 US tons) will be equipped for processing liquid silicone. Integrated in a production cell, the machine will produce a sophisticated hard/soft component from PBT and LSR for the automotive sector.
For the packaging sector, an IML system will be presented that produces two finished buckets with handles in a total cycle time of only 4.85 seconds. The plastic parts will be produced on an Allrounder 720 H with a clamping force of 3,200 kN (352 US tons), representing the hybrid Hidrive series, which is predestined for high-speed thin-walled applications. The total weight of the two items is 62 grams and the material throughput is approximately 50 kg/h.
Full automation on all exhibits
Automation plays an important role with regard to production efficiency. Accordingly, all exhibition machines operate with robotic systems. One of the highlights will be the fully automatic encapsulation of cables with a production cell built around the Allrounder 375 V vertical machine. All parts handling is dealt with by a six-axis robotic system, which the machine operator can program himself using an implemented Selogica user interface. In addition, the robotic system is linked directly to the Selogica machine control system. Online communication extends far beyond the Euromap interface and offers functions such as the synchronisation of movements and simplified machine start-up. The advantages of this solution are shorter set-up and cycle times.
Making the complex simple and fast with Selogica
The unique Selogica always guarantees that injection moulding systems can be programmed and operated simply, quickly and reliably, despite increasing complexity. The Selogica “Set-up Assistant” module, which will also be on show at the NPE, also contributes to this. This enables hydraulic, hybrid and electric Allrounder injection moulding machines to be set up simply, quickly and reliably without prior specific knowledge of the control system - menu guided from the mould change to the finished sequence. The resulting shorter set-up and downtimes have a positive effect on the efficiency of the entire production process.
A wide range of machines, applications and sectors
In addition to the six exhibits at the Arburg booth in the West Hall two more Arburg machines are on display at NPE: a hydraulic Allrounder 630 S with a Mucell application at Trexel’s booth # 1303 and a hydraulic Allrounder 320 C at Single Temperiertechnik.
Focus is on the electric machines: The two series, the Edrive and Alldrive, make it clear that Arburg can offer the appropriate electric machine for every situation, whether a standard or high-end application. A Hidrive machine is the right solution when short cycles and high throughput are required. A vertical Allrounder machine is ideal for the overmoulding of inserts. The extensive robotic range will be represented in Orlando by linear Multilift robotic systems, as well as a flexible six-axis robotic system. The applications presented from the automotive, electronic, medical technology, multi-component technology, micro-injection moulding and packaging sectors will make it clear that all Allrounders can be equipped to meet the specific needs for particular products and industries, enabling cost-effective moulded part production.
