ENGEL injection magazine Feb 2012 - Techspan

Injection

February | 2012

The magazine from ENGEL for the plastics industry.

Dolphin: First series production Softtouch-surface in just a single process step Page 13 For more efficiency and ergonomics ENGEL victory 500 with new design Page 15 Three in one Highly-integrated turnkey solution for Dura Automotive Page 18 Heartbeat of the factory Philips combines three component injection moulding with in-mould labelling Page 20

Easy with easix Additional functionality of the ENGEL CC/RC 200 control unit: complete integration of multiple-axis robots Page 8

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More efficiency thanks to complete robot integration

Dr. Peter Neumann, CEO ENGEL Holding

Crisis, what crisis? If you believe public opinion, the world economy is headed straight for the next credit crunch. Cyclical changes in demand will always exist, and the peaks and troughs will be more pronounced than ever. This is the cost of globalisation and transparent communications. But the ENGEL Group's business activities are as positive as always. And if you compare the stable and successful volume of orders for the past few months with the topics that currently dominate the headlines, you might be excused for thinking that people are trying to talk themselves into the next crisis. The global economic crisis dominates public media – but it still hasn't reached ENGEL. Why is that? – Plastics processors seek stable partnerships and ENGEL as an owner-managed company guarantees its customers stability for the future.

This is becoming increasingly important for our customers. At the same time, however, companies are increasingly turning to automation, and expect to see consistent use of automation solutions turn into a competitive advantage.

Automation means reducing the wage bill, and being able to produce even complex parts quickly and efficiently with best-in-class quality. In the past few years, ENGEL has taken decisive steps to continue to strengthen its customers' ability to perform.

For example, ENGEL set new standards in economy and innovativeness with the recent extensions to the ENGEL viper robot series. With innovative software features such as vibration control and mass identification, the viper model range is unique on the linear robot market. And it offers extremely easy operation of the overall system via the ENGEL injection moulding machines' CC 200 control units. The overall performance of the automated production cell can thus be easily and reliably optimised to guarantee efficiency and quality in resulting production.

Now it's time to take the next step: ENGEL easix now supports full integration and operation of industrial robots by brand-name partner companies with the CC 200 machine control unit without needing a Euromap 67 interface (p. 8 and 16). This sets the ENGEL solution apart from the many other suppliers whose understanding of integrating multiple-axis industrial robots is that of simply mirroring the robot's user interface on the injection moulding machine's display, without removing the need for the users to familiarise themselves with the two different control approaches. The ENGEL product developers' primary goal is thus: if you can operate the injection moulding machine, you can operate the robot, too. ENGEL is the global leader in injection moulding machine automation. With our network of sales facilities and representatives, we provide targeted automation competency on site to be able to offer comprehensive consulting services to our customers around the world and thus define the most meaningful choice of automation solution.

Imprint Publisher: ENGEL AUSTRIA GmbH | Ludwig-Engel-Straße 1, A-4311 Schwertberg, Austria, www.engelglobal.com Editorial team: Susanne Zinckgraf, ENGEL | Markus Haderer, ENGEL | Gerd Liebig, ENGEL (responsible editor).

Injection is the ENGEL customer magazine. It is published regularly in German and English. Articles may be reprinted with the editor’s consent and reference to source.

2_ENGEL injection-2011

Retrospective

NCurrent ewsEvents 4

ENGEL worldwide. around the corner.

Fairs, events, projects

8

Easy with easix Fully integrated multi-axis robots

10

Fakuma 2011 – a great success for ENGEL Customers' attention grabbed by clearmelt application

12

1000th ENGEL ecodrive machine ENGEL awards prize to Volkswagen at Fakuma

13

Dolphin: First series production has started Softtouch-surface in just a single process step

14

Most innovative supplier ENGEL receives Supplier Leadership Award from Johnson Controls

15

For more efficiency and ergonomics ENGEL victory 500 with new design

16

Getting started without programming skills ENGEL easix improves machine availability for Key Plastics

18

Three in one Highly-integrated turnkey solution for Dura Automotive

20

Heartbeat of the factory Philips combines three component injection moulding with in-mould labelling

22

Lord of the rings Parker Hannifin banks on best-in-class economy for o-rings

24

Single source for global business Wide-ranging technological competency secures competitive advantage for Argomm

26

Eye-to-eye with the automotive industry Sieper manufacturing for collectors' cabinets and children's play rooms

A new line-up in Technology and Production management at ENGEL AUSTRIA GmbH from 1st January 2012. Dr. Hubertus Schulte (2nd from left) an expert with international experience has taken over this important position. The ENGEL AUSTRIA Management Team (from left to right): Gotthard Mayringer (CFO), Dr. Hubertus Schulte (CTO), Christian Pum (CSO) and Dr. Peter Neumann (CEO).

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ENGEL injection-2011

ENGEL worldwide. around the corner.

An additional 1000 square metres ENGEL Automation Technology in Hagen, Germany, growing Construction work in Hagen is in full sway as ENGEL Automation Technology, Germany, looks to expand.

The production area in particular will benefit from significant extension, with a new hall to be added by April 2012. The expansion will provide an additional 1,000 square metres in total. Of the new floor space, 750 square metres will be devoted to the assembly of robots and other automation solutions whilst new office space will account for 250 square metres: the staffing level at ENGEL automation in Germany will also be increased.

“ENGEL's market share in the field of automation technology is growing all the time, and we've reached our capacity limit”, says Jörg Fuhrmann, Managing Director of ENGEL Automatisierungstechnik Deutschland, explaining the reason for the investment. ENGEL Automatisierungstechnik Deutschland is set to celebrate its 10th anniversary in April 2012 – by when the new hall and offices should be up and running.

Fit for High Performance Brau Beviale in Nuremberg With the shortest cycle times and highest injection speeds, all-electric injection moulding machines are steadily capturing the market for high-performance and high-speed applications. At the Brau Beviale trade fair, which took place in Nuremberg from 9th to 11th November 2011, ENGEL AUSTRIA was using video presentations to demonstrate the dramatic cuts to unit costs that innovative machine technology can facilitate in the field of cap and closure production. On board: The ENGEL e-cap series which sets new standards on the caps and closures market.

“ENGEL's market share in the field of automation engineering is growing all the time.“ Jörg Fuhrmann, Managing Director ENGEL Automatisierungstechnik Deutschland

Doubling production ENGEL invests in South Korea

Building contractors and Managing Directors of ENGEL automation and ENGEL in Germany Jörg Fuhrmann (right) and Rolf Saß (left) with the architect Bernd Neuhaus.

4_ENGEL injection-2012

ENGEL's small to mid-range machine works in Pyungtaek City is growing. The capacity will be nearly doubled,at the same time, the machine park is being expanded. All told, ENGEL is investing 8 million euros in South Korea to do justice to the growing domestic market and the increasing demand from south-east Asia and India. "The growth drivers in the region include the mobile phone industry and manufacturers of LED

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Hammacher Straße, ng, Nach dem Straßenverlauf folg ca. 1,5 km rechts abbiegen in übergeht. Nach die BYOTE en, bis dieser in L ca. 500 die Dolomitst Lange Eck das ENGEL-Gm sehen Sie auf der linken Seite raße Saniye an der Kreuz Ermutlu ebäude. ungSok. zur No: 3 | 34742 Kozyatağı – İstanbul Von der A1 kommend Tel: 0216 / 571 61 : 00 Abfahrt HA-Nord in Richtung Hohenlim Sayın Müşterimiz, rechts ab (wieder burg. An der ersten Hohenlimburg). Sie Ampel biegen Sie Datum / Untersch noch zwei weitere bleiben rift des Anmelde Ampeln. Nun befinden auf dieser Straße und überquer rs Nach ca. 500 – 600 en Sie sich auf der m biegen Sie an Schwerter Straße.

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CHLAN intelligenten zyumunda eeffizienz in der produk D GmbH tiver und wirtsch Verschlussprodukti aftlicher gestalte Spritzgießlösungen können Sie Frau Antje Walter rimizi aramızLange on n?

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DEUTSC Katılım ücretsiz olup, Komme Auf GmbH HLAND der Braube | Lange Eck den viale +49ENGEL otopark ve vale hizmetsamtlösungen,n Sie auftel: 2331 7880-0 1 | D-58099 in Nürnb Messes | fax: tand Hagen erg. Vom 9. bis +49 2331 die Ihre Wettbe XXX7880-100 imiz de olacak in Halle| XXX ed-hg@en 11. November werbsfähigkeit steigern undgel.at tır. erfahren | www.enge lglobal.co Sie mehr mouldZusammen.indd . m Spritzgi über Lütfen katılımcı1kaydın Wir laden Sie dazu eßgesehr herzlich ein ızı, und freuen uns www.engelglobal.co auf Ihren Besuc m/teknoloji ’den ENGEL h! gerçekIhr leştiriniz.packaging Team

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recently, ensures the highest possible quality standards at all training centres, across the board and around the world.

Now with a Technical Centre ENGEL invests in India TV sets, followed by the automotive industry", says Robert Bodingbauer, Managing Director of ENGEL Machinery Korea Ltd. Instead of the current 650, the aim is for South Korea to build some 1100 machines a year.

Measurable success ENGEL training with new test offers Year after year, some 3000 employees from plastics processing firms take part in seminars or workshops at one of ENGEL's 14 global training centres. Now they can take a final examination to complete their course. “For those who join a course, it is becoming ever more important to get objective feedback on how much knowledge is actually conveyed”, reveals Robert Brandstetter, head of training at ENGEL Austria in Schwertberg. The final examinations are offered for all regular courses around the world. At the same time, ENGEL sheds light on the effectiveness of the training services. A quality assurance system, developed

ENGEL extended its sales base in Mumbai to include a technical centre and a seminar centre. In making the investment, the manufacturer of injection moulding machines and automation specialist is addressing the rising demands on plastics processing companies in India. “The Indian market for injection moulding is transforming beyond recognition”, says Jitendra Devlia, Managing Director of ENGEL MACHINERY INDIA Pvt. Ltd. “Issues like maximum product quality, long-term reproducibility, proper mould protection and set-up time optimisation are becoming ever more important to our clients.” The technical centre will be used for machine demonstrations, customer trials, pre-production and running mould trials. Courses offered at the newly created training centre will lead to qualifications for machine operators and maintenance technicians; the basics of plastics processing will also be taught.

“The Indian market for injection moulding is transforming beyond recognition.”

Jitendra Devlia, Managing Director of ENGEL MACHINERY INDIA

_5

ENGEL injection-2012

Focus on efficiency Plast Eurasia in Istanbul

An annual event from now on Technology Day in Turkey

At Plast Eurasia from 27th to 30th October 2011 in Istanbul, efficiency was the key focus at the trade fair booth of ENGEL Enjeksiyon Makineleri Tic. Ltd. Şti, ENGEL AUSTRIA's subsidiary in Turkey. Based on two exhibits ENGEL demonstrated approaches to increasing productivity in injection moulding while at the same time cutting unit costs. The keys to success: process integration, automation and all-electric drive technology.

More than 100 injection moulders took up the invitation by ENGEL Enjeksiyon Makineleri and attended the 1st Technology Day in Istanbul. The keynotes focused on system solutions for cost and resource-efficient production and premium quality standards. "The trend among plastics processing companies in Turkey is towards more quality awareness in combination with the goal of reducing manufacturing costs," said Abdulkadir Topuçar, the Managing Director of ENGEL Turkey in the course of the event. "This is why our Technology Day is not focusing on individual machines, but on system solutions that can be tailored to match the requirements of the companies." With the premiere being a great success, ENGEL is planning to host a Technology Day in Turkey on an annual basis in future.

More than 400 visitors Molder’s Corner in Hagen Football unites people – not just fans in the stadium, but also injection moulders at the 11th Molder’s Corner by ENGEL Deutschland in Hagen. 400 plastics processors followed the invitation to the traditional exchange of information and experience and to the ENGEL football championship. "Exchanging views on innovations and experience in injection moulding and automation technology; this is what makes Molder’s Corner so special, and ensures a full house every year", enthuses Rolf Saß, Managing Director of ENGEL Deutschland in Hagen, talking about the successful event.

"The trend in Turkey is towards more quality awareness in combination with the goal of reducing manufacturing costs."

Abdulkadir Topuçar Managing Director ENGEL Turkey

Capture the efficiency Packaging Days in Mexiko

"Exchanging views on innovations and experience; this is what makes Molder’s Corner so special."

Rolf Saß, Geschäftsführer von ENGEL Deutschland in Hagen

6_ENGEL injection-2012

Shortest cycle times, maximum output, best-in-class energy efficiency: an ENGEL e-cap 3440/420 demonstrated the excellent performance of the all-electric ENGEL e-cap series at the ENGEL DE MEXICO Packaging Days at Querétaro in November 2011. Using a 96x mould by Schöttli it produced more than 123,000 caps an hour with a cycle time of just 2.8 seconds. More than 100 plastics processors took part in the event. The huge interest that the Mexican packaging industry shows for ENGEL's Open House reflects the great significance of this market sector in the region. "There is no other country in the world that consumes more bottled soft drinks and water per capita than Mexico," emphasises Peter Auinger, Managing Director of ENGEL DE MEXICO. All told, the packaging sector accounts for 60 percent of the Mexican injection moulding market. Besides caps for bottled drinks, packaging

for fruit and vegetables, buckets for paint, and cosmetics packaging are all produced on ENGEL injection moulding machines in Mexico. The visitors to the ENGEL Packaging Days weren't just treated to machine demonstrations but to an exiting programme of keynotes on innovative processing technologies and future challenges on the market.

"The packaging industry is an important target group.

All told, it accounts for 60 percent of the regional injection moulding market."

Efficient system solutions Saudi Plastics & Petrochem in Riyadh Saudi Plastics & Petrochem in Riyadh/Saudi Arabia end of November 2011 was a great success for ENGEL. Concluding business deals at the fair and gaining various new customer contacts confirm the high potential of the plastics industry in Saudi Arabia as well as the outstanding ENGEL market position in Middle East. ENGEL had an own stand for the first time at the Saudi-Arabian Plastics Trade Fair, which was focused on injection moulding machines and system solutions for the construction and packaging industry. „According to the latest prognoses the construction industry’s market volume will double within the next two years“, says Andreas Leitner, Sales Manager Middle East at ENGEL. „This boom was clearly perceptible in Riyadh.“ Apart from the construction industry, packaging has profited as well by the very high population growth rate and the continuously increasing prosperity in Saudi Arabia.

Peter Auinger, Managing Director ENGEL DE MEXICO

ENGEL right from the outset Vocational college takes delivery of a new machine In November 2011, the Berufsschule Steyr 1 (a vocational college) in Steyr/Austria commissioned a new ENGEL e-victory 40 injection moulding machine with an integrated takeoff robot. The production plant was supplied by ENGEL to support the training of plastics technicians and plastics designers. The partnership between ENGEL AUSTRIA and the college goes back more than 25 years. "It is very important for us that trainees also have the opportunity to work with state of the art machines, and experience the thrill of innovative technologies," emphasises Dr. Peter Neumann, CEO ENGEL Holding. "If we want to combat the lack of skilled labour, it isn't enough to just promote training internally." At the machine hand-over ceremony, Hans Prihoda, the Master of Federal Guild of Plastics Processors, emphasised the great importance of modern equipment at educational facilities for Austria as an economic location.

„Saudi Arabia has the highest growth rate amongst all countries in Middle East.“

Andreas Leitner, Sales Manager Middle East, ENGEL AUSTRIA

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Dr. Peter Neumann, CEO ENGEL Holding, (left) and Franz Kronsteiner, Director of BS Steyr (vocational college), at the machine hand-over ceremony.

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ENGEL injection-2012

Johannes Brandstötter, Head of Sales, Automation with ENGEL AUSTRIA | Jörg Fuhrmann, Head of Automation Systems with ENGEL AUSTRIA and Managing Director ENGEL Automation Technology, Germany

Easy with easix Additional functionality of the ENGEL CC/RC 200 control unit: complete integration of multiple-axis robots Whether multiple-component injection moulding, inmould labelling or insert technology, the trend towards the integration of different process steps into a highlyautomated production cell continues at a fast pace. Al­ though this has benefits in terms of cost management and cycle times, it frequently leads to a plethora of control units and interfaces. Using easix, complete robot integration with the control unit on the injection moulding machine, as an example, ENGEL has set out to prove that this need not be.

"Fully integrated" what exactly does that mean?

Jörg Fuhrmann: Because ENGEL supplies injection moulding machines and robots from a single source, full integration of the two control landscapes is guaranteed without needing a Euromap 67 interface. And precisely this is the difference to solutions offered by many suppliers, which simply reproduce the user interface of the robot on the monitor of the injection moulding machine, so users are required to familiarise themselves with two different operating scenarios. Anyone who can use the injection moulding machine can also operate the robot; this was ENGEL's objective.

8_ENGEL injection-2012

The RC 200 robot control unit is integrated as a subsystem of the CC 200 control unit on the machine.

Doesn't this make it too complicated in application?

Johannes Brandstötter: "Keep it simple" was one of the major requirements that our customers stipulated, and we've taken this to heart. To allow for simple and fast programming and control of the robot, despite the complexity of the overall system, the control unit offers the users different user levels, from a simple view, to a fully object-oriented visualisation of the sequence. In other words, the control unit speaks same language as the machine operator, the fitter, and the programmer -- and the motto is: don't program, configure! Machine operators can now handle many tasks themselves that previously required programmers to be called in.

Jörg Fuhrmann: The decisive thing is that we ensure simple controls and programming while keeping the full feature scope. Of course, you could simplify the application by reducing functionality to an absolute minimum, but this is exactly what we didn't want to do because it would contradict another trend in the injection moulding industry -- the trend towards increasing flexibility of machines and equipment.

ENGEL easix is the name for the integration of multiple-axis robots. But what about linear devices?

Johannes Brandstötter: Integration of ENGEL linear robot controls has always been a standard feature. And it doesn't matter to the control unit whether it actuates the X, Y, and Z axes of a linear device, or the six rotary axes of an industrial robot. The additional movement instructions for the multiple-axis robot integrate seamlessly with the graphical user interface on the control unit. As we are selling more and more viper robots as replacements for legacy devices or for deployment on third-party machines, the robots are also optionally available with an independent control unit and can cooperate with machines by any vendor via a Euromap 67 interface.

What other advantages does full integration of linear and multiple-axis robots offer?

Jörg Fuhrmann: Integrating the control units gives the user even more options for optimising the interplay between the injection moulding machine and the robot. The integrated robot can access all of the machine parameters and start to take off parts before the mould is fully open, thus reducing cycle time. We refer to this kind of communication as zero time communication because no time is lost for transmitting information via interfaces; instead the information is processed by a single CPU. Johannes Brandstötter: If a high level of precision is required, the ENGEL viper's takeoff correction feature offers benefits. In the case of hydraulic machines, the mould opening strokes can vary by a couple of millimetres. But if the robot is integrated into the machine's control unit, it is aware of the current mould position, or it autonomously updates the takeoff or insert-placing position online.

This function ensures maximum reproducibility and maximum part quality.

Jörg Fuhrmann: We talked about the user being able to operate the robot by the control unit on the injection moulding machine. Incidentally, this also works the other way round; that means that you can set all of the relevant machine parameters via the robot's manual control unit. For the user this improves flexibility and time efficiency because there is no need to run to the machine control unit while you're working on the robot.

Johannes Brandstötter: Purchasing the injection moulding machine and automation technology from a single source doesn't just offer control technology benefits. Once the robot is mounted on a machine,

the CE plate on the injection moulding machine loses its validity. The whole plant needs to be reassessed and recertified – this is a legal requirement that many people underestimate. When ENGEL delivers the machine and the robot from a single source, we also take care of testing and the declaration of conformity, and we bear responsibility for the overall system. We deliver our systems all over the world with a claim of being CEcompliant. For example, CE-compliant ENGEL systems are operational in Asia.

_9

ENGEL injection-2012

Fakuma 2011: a great success for ENGEL

Customers' attention grabbed by clearmelt application With a constantly busy trade fair booth, exciting project enquiries and numerous sales deals concluded, Fakuma 2011 was a great success for ENGEL AUSTRIA. The system supplier's clear focus in Friedrichshafen was on automation. With five highly integrated production cells at its trade fair booth in Hall A5, ENGEL demonstrated the efficient and economic production of premium quality moulded parts based on solutions tailored to a variety of applications.

Sensitive Surface was the technology that drew in the crowds, a technology that shows automotive developers the path into the future of the smart cockpit. The cockpit simulation at the ENGEL trade fair booth gave trade visitors the opportunity to experience how cars will be even more user-friendly than smartphones in future, thanks to simple touch, feel and interact controls. Capacitive electronics will be replacing buttons and switches in the cockpit of the future. "This trend not only gives interior designers a new level of freedom; it also reduces the costs of producing functional elements," says Franz FĂźreder, Head of ENGEL Automotive. "We are already talking to various OEMs and automotive companies. In four to five years, the first vehicles will be equipped with this technology."

Visitors to the fair were given a sneak preview of the automobile cockpit of the future.

10_ENGEL injection-2012

ENGEL duo series extended at low end Centre consoles with a sensitive surface were manufactured at the ENGEL trade fair booth on an ENGEL duo 350 injection moulding machine with a reversing plate and combination mould in stack mould technology. This was the first showing of this new machine size, which brings the power of the duo large-scale machines to the lower clamping force class.

This multiple component application first inserted a capacitive touch-skin foil into the mould and then back injected PC/ABS. The thermoplastic carrier created by this process was then flow-coated with polyurethane.

An ENGEL viper 20 and ENGEL viper 40 type linear robot took care of component and part handling. This enabled the ready-for-installation functional components to be manufactured in one work step.

In the ENGEL clearmelt process, the layer of PUR fulfils multiple functions at the same time. Its primary task is that of protecting the premium quality surface of the part. The coating's excellent degree of glossiness and the 3-D effect that it creates are important side effects.

ENGEL implemented this exhibit in cooperation with system partners. The mould maker is SchĂśfer from Schwertberg/Austria, and the exclusive project partner for the polyurethane technology is Hennecke in Sankt Augustin/Germany. The function foils are supplied by plastic electronic from Linz/Austria, with Magna Exterior & Interior Systems from Munich/Germany supporting the application technology side of the project.

Optimised leveraging of efficiency potentials A separate exhibition space was dedicated to the ENGEL viper robots. At Fakuma the starting shot was fired for the new ENGEL viper 90. With immediate effect, viper robots, featuring maximum stability and the highest degree of dynamism, are available with nominal load-bearing capacities of 6 to 90 kilogrammes. The new size will mainly be deployed by the automotive industry in combination with large-scale machines from the ENGEL duo series. "The percentage of system solutions delivered by ENGEL including automation is thus steadily increasing," says Jรถrg Fuhrmann, CEO ENGEL Automatisierungstechnik, Germany, and Head of Automation Systems with ENGEL AUSTRIA. "Energy potentials can only be leveraged in an optimum way if all of the plant's components mesh perfectly." Today nearly one in two automated production cells sold by European injection moulding machine

manufacturers is supplied by ENGEL, as is one in four robots delivered to the injection moulding industry in Europe. This makes ENGEL the clear global leader in injection moulding machine automation, a fact that was clearly reflected in the exhibits at Fakuma 2011.

Capacitive electronics replace buttons and switches.

Fakuma highlights from 5 business units: Automotive: Welcome to the cockpit of the future Highly-integrated and automated production of centre consoles with sensitive surface technology reduces manufacturing costs. The stars of the ring at the fair: an ENGEL duo 350 ecodrive machine with clearmelt equipment and two ENGEL viper robots.

Teletronics: Vertically electrified The ENGEL e-insert 310V/100, the electrified variant of the vertical ENGEL insert machine, demonstrates its accuracy in high-precision manufacturing of sensor housings for control electronics. Team player: a fully-integrated ENGEL easix multiple-axis industrial robot.

Medical: Process integration saves production costs Needle holders for insulin pens in a single process step: this is made possible by an all-electric

ENGEL e-motion 200/100 T in cooperation with a fully-integrated ENGEL easix multiple-axis robot.

And the application saves adhesive by directly overmoulding the needles.

Technical Moulding: Space-saving automation An ENGEL victory 330H/200V/120 combi machine and an ENGEL viper 12 linear robot cooperating on a minimal footprint to produce bottle openers with in-mould labelling and insert technology. Thanks to tie-bar-less technology, the robot can reach into the mould from the side.

Packaging: Ultra-short cycle times All-electric injection moulding machines are making inroads into high-performance applications: an allelectric ENGEL e-motion 740H/310W/180 T combi producing lids for a newly developed ice cream container in thin-wall, two-component technology with in-mould labelling.

_11

ENGEL injection-2012

Fakuma 2011

Volkswagen is the 1000th ENGEL ecodrive customer The demand for energy saving options is unabated: after all, saving energy means reducing unit costs. ENGEL identified this trend at an early stage and paved the way for hydraulic machines to a sustainable future with the servohydraulic ENGEL ecodrive.

At Fakuma, the injection moulding machine manufacturer celebrated the delivery of its 1000th machine with ecodrive. Volkswagen in Braunschweig, Germany, will be using this machine to produce dashboards for the Golf, Golf Plus and Tiguan models. ecodrive servohydraulics realise "Within the Volkswagen Group, "Reducing the loss energies energy savings of up to 70 perenergy efficiency isn't just an imhelps us to keep unit costs stacent compared to legacy hydrauportant consideration for our proble, and improve the division's lic machines, thereby achieving ducts, but for the entire process competitiveness although enerconsumption levels on a par with chain", emphasises Marco Heigy costs have risen." nemann, who is responsible for those of all-electric machines. This machine planning at Volkswagen is made possible by reducing the Marco Braunschweig's plastics technoloss energy during the machine's Heinemann logy unit. "Our growth strategy idle phases. On top of this, the Volkswagen means that we need to deploy oil cooling overhead is lower beexisting resources in a more efficicause, normally, only part of the ent way." This made energy efficisupplied electrical energy is converted into kinetic energy, with the ency an important decision making remainder transferred to the hydcriterion for the latest investment in the automobile group's injecraulic oil in the form of heat. ENGEL tion moulding machine farm. "We ecodrive reduces energy losses to didn't expect to be operating such a high extent that – with the the millennium machine here in exception of high performance Braunschweig", says Heinemann, who was delighted applications – only minimal heating of the hydraulic oil to accept the award at the ENGEL trade fair booth at occurs. Cooling water consumption at the oil cooler is Fakuma. reduced to a minimum, in many cases to zero.

Reducing energy consumption by up to 70 percent Depending on the application and type of machine, hydraulic injection moulding machines fitted with ENGEL

Improving competitiveness "By reducing the loss energies compared to our older machines, we can now operate the new machines with their superior equipment in a cost-optimised way. This helps us to keep unit costs stable, and improve the division's competitiveness although energy costs have risen", says Heinemann. "One positive side-effect is the machines' quiet action."

By now, one in two hydraulic injection moulding machines from the Austrian ENGEL works is equipped with ENGEL ecodrive. This makes ENGEL the undisputed market leader in the hydraulic injection moulding machine sector with energy-saving options. Thanks to the successful market launch of ENGEL ecodrive, ENGEL has substantially increased its turnover in the 101 to 400 tonne machine sector.

Marco Heinemann, Volkswagen, Klaus Hof, Key Account Manager, ENGEL Deutschland, Christian Pum, CSO, ENGEL AUSTRIA, und Christopher Vitz, General Manager, ENGEL Hannover, (from left to right) at Fakuma 2011.

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More comfort in the driver’s cabin: blinds and covers of the new Mercedes-Benz Actros are produced with softtouch-surfaces applying the Dolphin-method. (Picture: Daimler)

Dolphin: First series production has started More comfort, that is the trend regarding the design of vehicle interiors, including trucks. Moulded parts with softtouch-surfaces, which can be produced in just a single process step applying the Dolphin-method, make an essential contribution to pro­ mote this trend. The first series application has started in autumn 2011. Daimler supplier SOLE produces cockpit covers for the new Mercedes-Benz Actros by using Dolphin.

The production line, which is operated by SOLE S.p.A., Oderzo/Italy at the Daimler works premises in Wörth/ Germany, is composed of an ENGEL duo injection moulding machine with an horizontal intermediate rotary table system, a multiple-axis industry robot and equipment for physical foaming. First of all the carrier is injected and then foamed in place with thermoplastic elastomer in one total machine cycle. That is why the Dolphin-method represents an economic alternative for the production of hard/soft components in comparison to other conventional multi-component and foaming methods.

The highly integrated manufacturing method has been developed by ENGEL Austria in cooperation with mould manufacturer Georg Kaufmann, Busslingen/Switzerland

as well as with plastic manufacturer BASF, Ludwigshafen/Germany and P-Group, Filderstadt/Germany. It was presented at the K-Fair 2007 together with automobile supplier Johnson Controls, Burscheid/Germany back then. The method has experienced further development in the last few years thanks to SOLE and has been optimized for mass production. Besides ENGEL, Georg Kaufmann and P-Group are participating in the Actros Project.

“The production start proceeded as planned”, says Michael Fischer gladly, Sales Manager for Technologies at ENGEL. “The Dolphin-method’s potential is enormous due to the high level of process integration as well as of the high quality concerning the components’ surfaces.”

“Negotiations with clients to start further series ap- Andrea Bicego (right), Head of Research and Deve- The production line manufactures cockpit covers plications are currently in progress.” Michael Fischer, lopment at SOLE, with his team: Andrea Bellantoni, with softtouch-surface in just a single process Sales Manager for Technologies at ENGEL Stefano Fingolo and Luca Piovesan (from left to right). step. (Pictures: SOLE).

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ENGEL injection-2012

ENGEL receives the Johnson Controls Leadership Award in the innovation category (left to right): Bryan Gray (Group Vice President Customer Group Europe, Johnson Controls), Rolf Saß (Managing Director of ENGEL Germany, Hagen subsidiary), Christian Pum (Sales Director, ENGEL AUSTRIA) and Terry Nadeau (Group Vice President Purchasing, Johnson Controls). (Picture: Johnson Controls)

Johnson Controls honours ENGEL – most innovative supplier Johnson Controls Automotive Experience has conferred on ENGEL AUSTRIA the European Supplier Leadership Award for 2011 in the innovation category. In doing so, the automotive supplier has recognised the consistent innovative flair of the injection moulding machine manufacturer and automation expert. Johnson Controls secures a competitive advantage by installing ENGEL’s highly integrated system solutions around the world.

“ENGEL system solutions and technologies reduce the weight of our products, help us make big savings in production and significantly boost sustainability and efficiency”, says Tobias Kickenweitz, purchasing manager (moulds and systems) at Johnson Con­ trols Automotive Experience. Mr Kickenweitz singles out the high energy efficiency of injection moulding machines fitted with a servohydraulic ENGEL ecodrive, stressing that these machines meet two of the criteria.

“We are very honoured to receive this award”, says a delighted Christian Pum, Sales Director at ENGEL AUSTRIA. “It clearly shows we are on the right track in focusing our research and development on applications and specific sectors.” Mr. Pum accepted the award together with Rolf Saß, Managing Director of ENGEL Germany in Hagen. As Rolf Saß emphasises, “To a large degree, the success of innovative solutions and technologies is a question of working with

14_ENGEL injection-2012

the right partner. With Johnson Controls, we have a partner for the long term – one whose business is also driven by innovation and one that is always prepared to break new ground with us.”

To give one example of this, ENGEL and Johnson Controls collaborated with other companies to develop the Dolphin process (P. 13). “This is a pioneering two-component injection moulding process that enables moulded parts with high quality soft touch surfaces to be manufactured in a single step. High quality sandwich components can be produced very quickly and cost effectively in this way”, says Tobias Kickenweitz.

The victory 500 will be the largest machine in the ENGEL victory series in future.

ENGEL victory 500 – New design for more efficiency and ergonomics With its new design and innovative design features, the new ENGEL victory 500 injection moulding machine brings even more efficiency to manufacturing.

The victory 500 sets new standards in ergonomics in particular, mainly thanks to two innovations. One of them is the two-part safety gate on the clamping unit which can be opened quickly and easily with just one hand for minor intervention. The ENGEL product designers have also created space to the right of the machine control unit for depositing a laptop, clamping data sheets, and for additional control units. In the new design, the flow controllers are located behind a fixed safety cover on the non-operator side.

Additionally, FEM analyses have helped to optimise the mechanical properties of the individual machine components, while at the same time substantially reducing the clamping unit weight.

The first adopter is Atek in Moravská Třebová/Czech Republic. This automotive supplier operates moulds with a size of up to 1100 x 1100 mm on an ENGEL

victory 3550/500 tech with a clamping force of 500 tonnes. Thanks to the tried-and-trusted tie-bar-less technology of the victory model range, the automotive supplier can deploy a far smaller machine than legacy approaches would need for a mould of this size. In some applications, not using tie-bar-less technology would mean investing in twice as much clamping force.

"Tie-bar-less technology offers us many benefits, especially in multi-component injection moulding," says Miroslav Kolísek, the proprietor and managing director of Atek. Moulds for multi-component technology are usually relatively large, but typically a comparatively low clamping force is required on account of the fairly small part surfaces projected. Since the clamping unit in the ENGEL victory machines operates without tiebars, the mould can project beyond the edges of the mould fixing platens.

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ENGEL injection-2012

Getting started without programming skills Controlling multiple-axis robots is complicated and time-consuming. – This was a misconception that had established itself with Key Plastics in Lennestadt/Germany until the automotive supplier decided to take a new course with its partner ENGEL. In November, the company commissioned a new injection moulding machine with fully-integrated multiple-axis robot for producing decorated trims. "Thanks to the ENGEL easix integrated controls, our staff can now program more complex equipment themselves.

This improves plant availability," says Meinolf Patt, CTO in Lennestadt, summing up.

Premium decor parts for automotive interiors are one of Key Plastics' specialties. "Vehicle interiors are playing an increasingly important role in the decision to purchase", reports Meinolf Patt. "What this trend means for us is that we need to keep on improving quality in production despite increasing cost pressure. And this will only work, if our production becomes more and more efficient." This is why Key Plastics started to move the assembly stage closer to injection moulding some time ago, and to automate wherever possible and economically viable. This strategy also led to the investment in the new production cell. ENGEL supplied a complete package with an ENGEL duo 350 injection moulding machine and an ENGEL easix multiple-axis industrial robot. Key Plastics is one of the earliest adopters of ENGEL easix, ENGEL's solution for complete integration of the industrial robot with the injection moulding machine's control unit.

The new plant has manufactured 1500 pairs of trims per day in three shift operations since mid-November.

The upper trims connect the dashboard to the front windscreen in the Opel Insignia. They are an important part of the interior design and use the same decor as

16_ENGEL injection-2012

the trims on the centre console and the interior door panels. Currently five decor variants are in production use: high-gloss black, striped silver or gold metallic, and two wood decors.

Assembly moving closer to the injection moulding process The very narrow and long components are manufactured in a 1+1 cavity mould - for the left and right trim – using PC/ABS and in-mould decoration. Key Plastics uses printed rolls of foil for the decor. The rolls are located above and below the moving mould mounting platen. "There is a trend towards the use of rolls of foil," explains Andre Winkelmann, an application technician with Key Plastics. "In comparison with in-mould labelling, this is a less expensive solution."

After injection moulding, the ENGEL easix robot takes off the two components, feeds them to the cutting station, where a total of eight sprues are removed, and then subsequently deposits them on the conveyor belt.

Currently, the five metal clips which the automobile manufacturer needs later on in order to install the trims in the vehicle's cockpit, are inserted manually. And it is

The robot accesses the mould space from the side to take off the two trims.

The project team is excited about the successful start with ENGEL easix: (from left to right) Meinolf Patt, Chief Technical Officer, Thomas Kremer, maintenance, Andre Win­­­kel­mann, application technician, Peker Osman, commissioning, (all with Key Plastics) and Josef Quinke from ENGEL Germany in Hagen.

into the CC 200 control unit on its injection moulding machine. "Anyone who can use the injection moulding machine can also operate the robot," explains Josef Quinke, sales engineer with ENGEL Germany in Hagen. "At the end of the day, this solution also means improving system availability," says Meinolf Patt. "Thus far, we've always needed a programmer on site to cre­ ate a program or change something on the robot, but the programmer wasn't always immediately available.

Because the machine operators can now handle the required programming steps themselves, we have been able to reduce the machine's non-productive times."

Soon to include assembly: thanks to the new, highly-integrated production cell, Key Plastics has been able to improve efficiency in production.

precisely this step that the new production solution will automate. "In a couple of weeks, the assembly device for this task will reach us," says Winkelmann, "and then the integrated production cell will deliver ready-for-dispatch components in a single step."

In future, Key Plastics will be looking to automate other assembly tasks. What Patt mainly has in mind is more complex assemblies. "The multiple-axis robot can adapt flexibly to a variety of handling tasks, and it's always fast and precise into the bargain," emphasises Kremer.

"The new system opens up a huge potential to us."

Reducing the machine's non-productive times The persons responsible at Key Plastics are fairly relaxed when they think about programming the robot in order to integrate this additional step -- after all, the programming work thus far has been simple. "Previously, we have needed a specialist with the command of the programming language in order to program multipleaxis robots," says Thomas Kremer, who is responsible for maintenance at Key Plastics. "With the new system, you simply need to be familiar with the injection moulding machine's control unit. Pictograms guide the user step-by-step through programming the robot."

And this is all possible because ENGEL has fully integrated the multiple-axis industrial robot's control unit

Sophisticated: using in-mould decoration to apply a high-gloss surface to the trims for the Opel Insignia cockpit. Five decor variants are manufactured.

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ENGEL injection-2012

Three in one At its base in Strakonice in southern Bohemia, Dura Automotive is saving assembly and logistical costs and raising the quality of its components thanks to multi-component injection molding and the integration of processing stages into a single manufacturing cell. The automotive supplier produces more than 10 million door panels every year, and the number is rising.

The market for plastic panels is expanding. At the same time, demands on panels are becoming ever more complex: clients expect high quality to be delivered at the lowest possible prices; the weight of components is expected to go down without impairing quality and safety; and more and more functions are being directly integrated into these plastic parts. “It takes a great deal of innovative flair to offer low-cost, hard-wearing components with a first-class appearance for vehicles in all price categories”, stresses Ralf Gerndorf, head of project management (glass and plastic) at Dura Automotive in the North Rhine-Westphalian town of Plettenberg, Germany, where production systems for all European sites are planned with the cooperation of factories.

To maintain its leading international position on the market for plastic panels over the long term, Dura needs to demonstrate this innovative ability on a daily basis – and the company expects similar creativity from its suppliers. One of Dura's long-standing partners in the field of injection molding technology is ENGEL; project managers from both companies hold regular meetings

to discuss new requirements and ideas. “In this way, we often arrive at solutions that hadn't occurred to us before”, says Gerndorf. One example of this approach concerns the door panels for the Ford Focus: for many years, Dura manufactured Ford A, B and C pillars from PMMA for its biggest client using a single-component injection molding process. Sprue was removed manually and molded parts were temporarily stored before sealing foam was applied in a second step.

Multi-component technology improves component properties Dura now produces door panels of the latest generation in a single step as tri-component parts using highly integrated manufacturing cells. ENGEL supplied the necessary equipment as a complete package, and also integrated a subsystem provided by Dura into the overall concept. Two ENGEL duo 900 large injection molding machines, each equipped with an ENGEL viper 40 linear robot, are positioned in parallel; between these are the units required for the post-production of injection moulded parts: laser system, plasma treaters, sixaxis robots, foam sealing unit and curing oven. Since post-production is faster than the injection molding process, it is possible for the two large-scale machines to share one laser system.

The project team (from left): Jakub Havel, Michal Horský, Ralf Gerndorf and Thomas Kaiser from Dura Automotive with Jürgen Schulze from ENGEL.

18_ENGEL injection-2012

Duet: Two large ENGEL duo 900 machines operate in parallel; between them is the post-production equipment.

production planner at Dura in Plettenberg. Dura is benefiting from new vibration control software. The software allows to track component contours extremely finely for the removal of sprue.

The duo machines work with 1+1-cavity molds. The panels for the left and right sides of the vehicle are simultaneously manufactured in one cycle. The base support consists of ABS, the decorative layer of PMMA. “Multi-component technology is enabling us to improve the properties of our components”, confirms Ralf Gerndorf. “We can now combine a fine-looking finish with high impact resistance and reliable fixing.”

The complexity of the project was instrumental in Dura's decision to choose ENGEL as the systems supplier. “We wanted to deal with a single partner who would coordinate all of the interfaces on our behalf”, says Kaiser. “This was the only way to get such a wide-ranging project off the ground in a relatively short time.” Dura's contact person is Jürgen Schulze of ENGEL Automatisierungstechnik in Hagen, which is not far from Plettenberg – and the proximity between the two firms helped to simplify coordination during the planning phase. “Every turnkey system is unique”, says Jürgen Schulze.

After injection molding, the viper robot removes the two parts from the mold and transfers them to the laser system. The industrial robot picks up the parts and turns them into the right position for plasma treatment of the panel undersides, so that a polyurethane sealing bead – the third component – can finally be applied.

“A very glossy black surface acts like a mirror”, says Michal Horský, Managing Director of Dura Automo­tive CZ, highlighting the demands on the precision of the injection molding process. “Every deformation and sink mark results in rejection.” Alongside the quality of the mold, the tempering and the clamping force of the machine, the surface finish depends above all on the parallelism of the mold platens. “We built systems for measuring parallelism into our first machines”, reveals Jakub Havel, head of production in Strakonice. “Now we know we can rely totally on the stability of the clamping units in ENGEL duo machines.”

Made-to-measure robotics While the older ENGEL injection molding machines in Strakonice are still equipped with linear robots in the ENGEL ERC range, the more recent systems work with robots from the new generation of ENGEL viper linear robots. “We realised that the viper robots offered us a made-to-measure solution”, says Thomas Kaiser,

The glossy black surface of the panels acts like a mirror, which places high demands on the precision of the injection moulding process. The PUR bead is attached to the underside of the panel directly after injection moulding.

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ENGEL injection-2012

Heartbeat of the factory The "Nivea for Men shaver" by Philips is winning over even die-hard devotees of wet shaving; the shaver actually lubricates the skin while shaving at the touch of a button. This blast of freshness supplied by the shaver is one of the latest innovations by the Dutch electronics group – and one that is also refreshing its production operations in Drachten, west of Groningen. The front parts of the shaver handle are manufactured using tri-component injection moulding with integrated in-mould labelling; and to facilitate this process, ENGEL has supplied a new manufacturing cell.

Three functions are incorporated into the shaver's handle: the extend/retract button for the shaver heads, the refreshing gel dispenser button and a display that indicates battery life to the user. The new shaver models can also be used in the shower, so water-tightness is essential: surfaces must be smooth, with as few joint lines as possible. The integration of pushbuttons into a

continuously sealed handle surface is made possible by the partial use of elastomers combined with inmould labelling.

Two different types of ABS and one TPE are processed in the new manufacturing cell. Back injection moulding produces three-dimensional pre-formed films with the

Tri-component injection moulding plus in-mould labelling: ENGEL provided a new manufacturing cell to produce front parts for shaver handles.

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The Philips machine park in Drachten contains a total of 60 injection moulding machines. (Fig.: Philips)

machine and system needs to be attuned to the heartbeat of our factory.” The injection moulding process is followed by assembly, so provided the interim storage facility is well-stocked, the injection moulding machine has to take a break.

Tie-bar-less technology offers advantages in terms of parts handling.

The robots can access the mould room from the side. (Fig.: Philips)

lettering 'Nivea for Men' on a blue and white striped background. Nivea is partnering Philips on this product and also manufactures the shaving conditioner provided with the finished product in a replaceable cartridge inside the handle.

“As far as I am aware, we are the only company in the world that mass produces tri-component parts with in-mould labelling”, says Jappi Halma, maintenance engineer at Philips Consumer Lifestyle in Drachten.

The manufacturing cell comprises an ENGEL victory 220 combi injection moulding machine. Label and parts handling is performed by a Kuka multi-axis robot in combination with special automation components developed by ENGEL. As a systems supplier, ENGEL accepts full responsibility for the manufacturing cell and also incorporated the integration of the multi-axis robot into the overall concept. The mould and handling area is enclosed to ensure dust-free operation and thus reduce the level of rejects.

Tie-bar-less offers advantages The cycle times for the tri-component machine range between 12 and 14 seconds. “But for us, the speed of the injection moulding process is not priority number one”, stresses Halma. “What is more important is the interplay between the various production stages. We want to be producing continuously, so every single

Each injection moulding machine at Philips in Drachten only works with a small number of specific moulds, so moulds need to be changed less often than in many other plastics processing businesses. Despite this, product changes must be carried out very quickly and simply. This is an area in which the tie-bar-less design of the ENGEL victory machine guarantees time savings.

Tie-bar-less technology also offers advantages in terms of parts handling. The fact that robots can access the mould room from the side means that “we can place our multi-axis robots closer to the machine than units with tie-bars would allow”, as Halma confirms.

The tie-bar-less design generally enables smaller machines to be deployed than the mould size would normally dictate, which also cuts back on the space requirement. Moulds are relatively large in multi-component applications in particular, and comparatively low clamping force is required on account of the rather small part surfaces projected. Where a clamping unit operates without tie-bars, the mould can project beyond the edges of the mould fixing platens.

Three decades of partnership The Philips machine park in Drachten contains a total of 60 injection moulding machines, two thirds of which were provided by ENGEL. Philips received its first ENGEL machine precisely 30 years ago. All machines are linked by means of a group-wide IT system. For data interchange, Philips also uses a module from the ENGEL PDA e-factory solution. “A system which is easy to operate is important for the machines and for this area. Thanks to its different user levels, the e-factory fully meets this need”, says Halma.

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ENGEL injection-2012

Lord of the rings Seals – such as O-rings – are central to the reliability and safety of many different applications. This means that product developers are constantly facing new challenges. Moreover, especially standard mass-market products are subject to particularly strong price pressure.

For these products to be built competitively in Europe, highly reliable and precise manufacturing technology is essential.

Parker-Prädifa is a global market leader in the field of O-rings, the world's most popular type of gasket.

Alongside high-quality sealing systems, the Parker Seal Group produces EMI shielding and thermal management materials (to provide shielding against electromagnetic interference, for example). Within Europe, the Seal Group carries out production at ten sites in eight countries. One of its production plants is located in the northern Italian town of Adro. Here in what is known as 'rubber valley' southwest of Lake Iseo, there are surely more seal manufacturers in close proximity to one another than in any other region.

The automobile industry is an important market for the plant in Adro. However, O-rings made by Parker are also installed in construction vehicles, lorries, aeroplanes, crude oil and natural gas conveyor systems, kitchen and bathroom installations, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, components for refrigeration and air conditioning systems, the fuel supply field as well as surgical instruments and drug administration systems – to give just some examples.

22_ENGEL injection-2012

High precision, high availability “It's very important to minimise burrs, especially in Oring production”, says Michael Forstner, general manager of the European O-Ring Division of Parker Hannifin, summing up one key requirement. To achieve this, injection moulding machines with high clamping force and excellent plane parallelism of mould plates are required. The newest machines in the Adro machine park have been supplied by ENGEL. The hall contains four new horizontal ENGEL victory 500/220 rubber units in addition to one vertical ENGEL elast 400 V machine. “Our customers demand stable processes, and we know we can depend on the quality of ENGEL machines”, says Forstner, explaining the brand focus of production. “Only reliable systems engineering can enable us to stay competitive by providing the quality required by our customers.”

However, the high accuracy and availability of the machines is only one side of the coin where the highly efficient and cost-effective production of O-rings is concerned. Other criteria in the choice of manufacturing

The machine park has four horizontal ENGEL victory 500/220 rubber injection moulding machines. (Fig.: Parker Hannifin)

Adro in northern Italy is one of ten European production sites for the Parker O-Ring Division Europe.

technology include low maintenance costs and short set-up times – and ENGEL victory machines score highly on these points thanks to their tie-bar-less construction. Barrier-free access to the mould room also facilitates fast mould changes and simplifies the cleaning process.

It is not only moulds that change frequently; the same applies to materials. The product range comprises 300 standard materials, from nitriles and butyl rubbers to silicones and perfluorelastomers. The development of new materials is one of the core fields of expertise of the gaskets division of the Parker Hannifin Group.

Forstner emphasises that, “To our customers, we are not just a seal supplier – in the case of a new development, we are a partner from the concept stage to deployment on the ground." To tailor sealing systems to the specific needs of clients, materials experts work closely with the company's own mould production shop in Pleidelsheim, Germany.

Both supplier and customer Parker is continually adapting not just its products but also its production processes in response to new requirements and trends – and ENGEL is involved as a development partner. “We are currently working with ENGEL on the issue of cycle time reduction as well as the fine-tuning of injection moulding and post-processing in order to cut down on rejects still more”, reveals Forstner. “This means we are benefiting from the innovative flair of ENGEL.” The remarkable thing about the partnership between Parker and ENGEL is the fact that ENGEL is not just a supplier to the firm, but also a customer; over many years of collaboration, the Parker Hannifin Corpor­ation has become a major systems supplier to ENGEL. Amongst other things, ENGEL installs Parker Hannifin servo motors as well as hydraulic and pneumatic components in its injection moulding machines.

“Only reliable systems engineering can enable us to stay competitive by providing the quality required by our customers.”

Michael Forstner, general manager of the European O-Ring Division of Parker Hannifin.

(Fig.: Parker Hannifin)

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ENGEL injection-2012

Argomm ensures consistently high product quality through state-of-the-art injection moulding technology.

Single source for a global business As a provider of development and production services linked to plastic and rubber products for the international automotive industry, Argomm – a company based in Villongo, close to Bergamo in northern Italy – is called on to demonstrate flexibility every day. “Our competitive advantage is expertise across a number of fields”, says company owner Ercole Galizzi. “Where mechanical engineering is concerned, therefore, we need a partner that can handle a wide range of technologies.” No wonder Argomm chooses ENGEL to expand and modernize its factory equipment.

Wide-ranging expertise is a key competitive advantage of Argomm.

The manufacturing hall houses eleven ENGEL injection moulding machines. Most of these are elast machines for the production of o-rings and other rubber/ LSR sealing products; the hall also contains combimelt machines that process thermoplastics and elastomers in a single step. The majority of machines are equipped with robots. One ENGEL victory combimelt machine with clamping force of 200 tons, for example, is used to produce petrol fillers in an automated two-component procedure. The filler necks, made of fibreglass reinforced polypropylene and EPDM, are

24_ENGEL injection-2012

installed in the Fiat Panda, amongst other vehicles.

“High levels of process consistency and reproducibility are extremely important to us, and that’s what we get from ENGEL injection moulding machines”, emphasises Battista Morina, Managing Director of Argomm. “Our customers in the automotive sector are continually demanding more, so it’s essential that we can rely completely on our machine park. Another advantage is the fact that the control system on the injection moulding machines is easily integrated into our factory data capture system.”

Petrol fillers are manufactured in an automated two-component procedure (middle).

Moreover, ENGEL’s Italian subsidiary in Vimercate is just a short drive from Villongo. “Thanks to our prox­ imity, it’s easy to work together on specific and detailed solutions. We can always get together quickly”, adds Morina.

Specialising in magnetic plastics A speciality of Argomm is the manufacturing of plastic-bonded magnets, whereby magnetic powder is embedded in a polymer matrix and processed by injection moulding. In this field, Argomm has started by producing rubber-based magnetic products before moving into the mass production of polyamide-based wheel speed sensors for its customer SKF within the past year. “Whereas rubber processing requires a lot of manual work, production of thermoplasticbased magnetic plastics is largely automated, which means we can guarantee customers low unit costs”, reveals Morina.

The automotive branch makes up the lion’s share (63 percent) of Argomm’s turnover; the company also has customers in the electronics, building services, household goods, plant construction, medical engineering and packaging sectors.

On course for global expansion Established in 1981 in Villongo, Argomm now forms the main entity and the headquarters of the AR Group, with a generated turnover of some €50 million in 2010 and has sales and production sites in Italy, Spain and Romania. Ercole Galizzi is also looking to Asia as the company seeks to expand. “That’s why it is becoming increasingly important that our suppliers have a global presence – and with ENGEL we have nothing to worry about in that regard.”

Of the 400 employees of the AR Group, 220 work for Argomm in Villongo.

“High levels of process consistency and reproducibility are very important.”

Battista Morina Managing Director Argomm

“Our competitive advantage is the expertise in many business fields.”

Ercole Galizzi Owner and CEO Argomm

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ENGEL injection-2012

110 mm long, 28 mm wide and 35 mm tall: the Wiking Lübeck Fire Brigade fire engine mirrors the original in every single detail. When extended, the ladder has a length of 380 mm. (photo: Sieper)

On par with the automotive industry A sprue isn't just a sprue, and it isn't automatically just waste or material for recycling. Sieper in Lüdenscheid/Germany uses the sprue as an aid for ongoing processing of the moulded parts. Because the sprue needs to have a certain length to allow this to happen, the model and toy car manufacturer relies on injection moulding machines with vertical injection units.

With some vehicles you virtually need a magnifying glass to be able to see all the details, especially in the interior. From the gear lever through to the cup holder, these model vehicles on a scale of 1:87 are identical to the originals, and even the seats move.

"But we mainly focus on the bodywork," emphasises Andrè Lemke, the Head of Plastics Manufacturing with Sieper. "We need perfect surfaces and the paint on the vehicle must be glossy. With our model cars, this means being on par with the automobile industry." After all, collectors are very demanding.

Eight wings are injected in a single cycle using a 4+4 cavity mould. The sets of eight leave the machine with the sprue. And experienced injection moulders might think that it was slightly too large. But the opposite is true because the sprue isn't waste at this stage of the production process. "We use the sprue as a holder in the downstream painting process," reveals Lemke.

"If we needed to use tweezers to grip the small parts for coating, painting, or printing, the surface finishing process would take far more time and the risk of rejects would be much greater."

Sieper combines two brands under a single roof.

Wiking stands for models with accuracy in detail and Siku for robust children's toys. Although the target groups and their requirements differ, the two product ranges have one thing in common. The vehicles and accessories are mainly made of polymer materials.

The company mainly uses ABS, PS and SEBS for the tyres. Following injection moulding, the small parts are coated, printed, or hand-painted and finally assembled.

Custom solution with vertical injection unit To be able to keep the moulds compact despite the large dimensions of the sprue, the company's own mould makers decided to inject the plasticised material from the top rather than using the traditional horizontal method. Sieper was unimpressed by standard injection moulding machines in this application.

"The solution that we have implemented is basically a downgraded multiple-component machine", reports Otto Tewes, project engineer with ENGEL Germany in Hagen, who developed a custom solution with an ENGEL victory 80/40 V in cooperation with his customer. "ENGEL's flexibility in customising the machine to meet our requirements was an important criterion in selecting a supplier," says Lemke. Another important aspect was the tie-bar-less clamping units on the victory model range. Very small moulds, but also large, complex moulds with core-pulls, can be mounted on the same machine. "Some of the small

The machine park in Lüdenscheid houses 30 injection moulding machines with clamping forces be­ tween 15 and 80 tonnes. In 2011, three new ENGEL victory 80/40 type machines were added to increase capacity. One of these new machines produces the wings for the new Lübeck Fire Brigade fire engine from the current Wiking collection. With an overall vehicle length of 11 cm, the wings measure just 10 mm.

26_ENGEL injection-2012

Three new ENGEL victory 80/40 machines were commissioned in LĂźdenscheid in 2011.

The ex tra long sprue is used as a holder for painting the wings.

moulds are so light that we can mount them manually in the machine," says Lemke. "Now, our fitters don't need to bend through the tie-bars to do this. This has made tooling times much shorter."

Small batches define business. In some cases, runs of just 3000 to 5000 units are produced for collectors items. Add to this the huge range of models. The current Wiking catalogue includes no less than 350 vehicles, and more than 400 models are produced under the Siku brand. This means that Sieper goes through 80 to 100 mould changes per week.

"We have improved efficiency in our production," says Andrè Lemke, Sieper.

For the current Touareg model there are no less than eight moulds. As an exclusive partner of Volkswagen, Sieper produces the new models parallel to the introduction of the new vehicles. Original VW colours are used to paint the plastic bodywork, from Campanella White to Night Blue Metallic. To achieve a perfect, glossy finish the uniform surface of the plastic parts without parting lines and sink marks is absolutely essential. Considering the thin wall thicknesses of the vehicle roofs, which are just 0.2 mm in some cases, this is a major challenge. "We are already in the thinwalled injection moulding field here," says Lemke.

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ENGEL injection-2012

ENGEL Injection_en/02-2012

ENGEL AUSTRIA GmbH | A-4311 Schwertberg | tel: +43 (0)50 620 0 | fax: +43 (0)50 620 3009 e-mail: sales@engel.at | www.engelglobal.com

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