Elmet to present SMARTshot i at Fakuma 2026

Elmet, an internationally active provider of solutions for liquid silicone rubber (LSR) processing, will present its SMARTshot i system to a broad international audience of industry professionals at Fakuma 2026. The system is a new generation of intelligent cold runner technology for LSR injection molding. It continuously analyzes the injection process, automatically balances the cavities and independently optimizes nozzle pin positions. According to the company, SMARTshot i is particularly effective when used with family molds that include cavities of different sizes. Instead of manually fine-tuning each cavity through time-consuming filling studies, the system adjusts the nozzle positions automatically to match the specific filling behavior of each cavity. In tests with a 16-cavity mold, 20 shots were sufficient to balance the cold runner, reducing ramp-up time by up to 95% compared with the conventional approach.

Servo-electric needle control with 2 µm accuracy

As part of the optimization process, SMARTshot i uses high-resolution data collected during injection to analyze and control the process. Pressure sensors in the cavities are not required. The system also detects and compensates for thermal changes during the ramp-up phase by continuously adjusting the needle positions.

A key factor in the balancing speed of the system is its ability to position each nozzle needle servo-electrically with an accuracy of 2 µm. This precise control supports automated balancing in applications where different cavity geometries or volumes influence filling behavior.

Dr. Thorsten Häuser, Head of R&D at Elmet, comments: "The potential of SMARTshot i is particularly evident with complex mold families. Automatically balancing the different cavities significantly reduces setup time and minimizes operator influence on the process. At the same time, we are paving the way for increasingly automated LSR processing."

AI-ready platform for further automation

SMARTshot i is designed to be AI-ready and is intended to serve as a technological foundation for further automation steps. Features currently under development include online rheometry for real-time measurement of material viscosity and material fluctuation detection without external sensors.

Live demonstration and digital twin at Fakuma

Visitors to Fakuma 2026 will be able to view SMARTshot i from two perspectives. A live demonstration at the Momentive Performance Materials booth in Hall A4, Booth A4-4307, will show the technology in a production process. In addition, a digital twin of SMARTshot i at the Elmet booth in Hall A5, Booth A5-5306, will provide a detailed view of the technology and the development work behind the system. It will show functions and interrelationships that are usually hidden during the injection molding process.