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    Home > Chemicals Industry > China Chemical > ENGEL e-speed injection moulding machines meet higher demands for thin walls

    ENGEL e-speed injection moulding machines meet higher demands for thin walls

    • Last Update: 2022-05-27
    • Source: Internet
    • Author: User
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    [ Star Enterprise of Chemical Machinery and Equipment Network ] Greiner Packaging, headquartered in Kremsmünster, Upper Austria, has been producing plastic packaging for more than 60 years
    .
    Driven by sustainable development, the company is always full of enthusiasm and continuous progress
    .
    As packaging on the market becomes lighter and requires fewer raw materials, this brings new challenges to the manufacturing process
    .
    Chemical Machinery Equipment Net Star Enterprise Chemical Machinery Equipment
    (Image credit: Engel)
     

    With the e-speed injection molding machine from ENGEL , Greiner Packaging has reduced the wall thickness of food containers while increasing efficiency
    .

     
    Injection molding machine
    Andreas Ecker, application engineer at Greiner Packaging, who recently completed a project, said: "Our customers are asking for lower weight and lower CO2 emissions, while maintaining container stability and improving recyclability
    .
    "
     

    The Austrian dairy company Ennstal Milch holds Greek yogurt in polypropylene single-material thin-walled cups made using the IML process
    .
    While this has put them on a highly sustainable path, the dairy manufacturer hopes it can do better
    .
    They turned to Greiner in Kremsmünster, who is now in charge of producing the cups, using 20% ​​less material than before
    .

     

    “We succeeded in reducing the thickness of the container by 0.
    1mm and now have a wall thickness of 0.
    3mm and a cup bottom of
    0.
    35mm.
    In-mold labelling – IML supports the trend towards lightweighting,” says Ecker
    .
    The label provides additional stability, even though it itself is less than 50 microns thick
    .
    The product has not been found to have any shortcomings in exhaustive testing, whether in filling, logistics or for consumers
    .
    The newly designed yogurt cups are also safe to stack when filled and sit comfortably in your hand while scooping with no discernible difference
    .
    Furthermore, they are not only suitable for cold filling, but also for hot filling up to 85 degrees Celsius
    .
    This is important for Greiner because Ennstal Milch and Greek yogurt are not the only ones benefiting from the new thin wall combination, many new IML lightweight cups in different shapes for other products are also in production
    .

     

      "Injection molding technology enables particularly large shape variations and very tight manufacturing tolerances," says Engelbert Pranzl, head of the Kremsmünster plant
    .
    Whether it's an edge or bottom, round or square - every food manufacturer has its own unique packaging design, and Greiner had to flexibly adapt
    .
    The specialist packaging manufacturer supplies the global market from Kremsmünster
    .
    The focus is on Europe, as there are other production sites for local customers in the US and Asia
    .

     

      Optimal use of hydraulic advantages
     
    Optimal use of hydraulic advantages
      Adjustments to the production process made it possible to reduce the wall thickness of the food cups
    .
    Greiner has invested in a new e speed 380 injection molding machine from its long-term machine-building partner ENGEL
    .
    "We take advantage of the hydraulic power of hybrid machines," says Andreas Ecker
    .
    “When injection molding requires extremely high dynamics, the load limit will be reached with an electric injection unit
    .
    For the yogurt cups, we have a wall thickness runner ratio of 1:240
    .

     

      Taking into account the high mechanical stress, ENGEL has designed the e-speed injection molding machine, which combines an electric clamping unit with a hybrid injection unit, specifically for high-speed thin-wall applications
    .
    The curved bar is encapsulated to ensure the cleanliness required by the food industry
    .

     

      With the expansion of the series last year, the performance of all clamping force dimensions has been further improved
    .
    Hydraulic inline injection units with electric dosing drives can now achieve even higher injection performance
    .
    It is designed for injection speeds of up to 1200 mm per second
    .
    Machine beds and mold templates are also customized to thin-wall packaging requirements and the use of multi-cavity molds (with or without IML)
    .
    This is related to stability, but most importantly, the precision of machine movements
    .
    Repeatability is especially important for in-mold labeling
    .

     

      energy efficient operation
     
    energy efficient operation
      Ennstal Milch yogurt cups are produced in a fully automatic manner in a 6-cavity mould
    .
    The 3800 kN injection molding machine is equipped with a high-speed automation system from Dutch IML specialist Brink
    .
    The robot picks up the IML strips from the magazine and places them into the mold
    .
    After injection molding, the decorated and ready-to-fill cups are demolded, sent to quality control, and stacked on an output belt
    .
    From there, the stacked cups are likewise packed in cartons in an automated fashion
    .
    The camera performs a visual quality check
    .
    In addition, the label is checked for correct fit etc.
    so that the product does not leak out after filling and is reliably protected in the cup
    .
    Zero defects - that's what Greiner customers demand
    .

     

      Injection molding machines, automation and quality control are designed for flexibility to change container and label molds with short changeover times
    .
    The pursuit of very high energy efficiency across the entire product and tool range is a constant requirement
    .

     

      In order to work with high energy efficiency in fast operation, the e-speed 380 is equipped with an energy recovery system
    .
    The system absorbs the braking energy of the moving mold platen and transfers the stored energy back to the motor to accelerate the platen again
    .
    "The energy efficiency of the machine is an important decision criterion for us," stresses Engelbert Pranzl
    .
    "So we are constantly improving the performance of our production equipment, and we are also working on reducing energy consumption every year
    .
    " Greiner Packaging employs its own energy efficiency manager who strictly monitors all energy efficiency projects on site, especially the production process
    .
    Older hydraulic injection molding machines in factories are gradually being replaced by hybrid or all-electric injection molding machines
    .

     

      Promote development together
     
    Promote development together
      About 20 years ago, ENGEL delivered an all-electric injection molding machine to Greiner
    .
    The development of ENGEL's electric drive technology is closely related to Greiner
    .
    Both companies are development partners on many projects
    .
    "We provide a lot of knowledge and experience from the user's perspective," Pranzl said
    .
    “What we appreciate about ENGEL is that we as users are listened to and suggestions from users are really incorporated into the further development of the machine
    .
    For example on the holder for the mould template of the e-speed injection moulding machine, we again found our thoughts
    .
    "
     

      Another example is the Speed ​​version of the ENGEL Viper linear manipulator that ENGEL presented at Fakuma 2017
    .
    This was originally a special development for Greiner Packaging
    .
    In many of Greiner's applications that do not involve in-mold labeling, viper robots remove products from injection molds
    .
    "In the Speed ​​version, the viper manipulator guarantees very short intervention times
    .
    We can therefore further reduce the overall cycle time," says Pranzl
    .

     

      "This admirable but very demanding request formed our cooperation," emphasizes Klaus Mittmannsgruber, Head of Sales for ENGEL Central Austria
    .
    The partners see their proximity to each other as an advantage – Kremsmünster is only a 45-minute drive from ENGEL's headquarters in Schwertberg – and both hope to resume more frequent face-to-face meetings when the situation improves
    .
    Although the online trade fair and ENGEL's webinar were exciting experiences for the Greiner team
    .
    "Innovation is presented in an efficient form
    .
    We are able to ask targeted questions and explore specific requirements in a smaller group," Pranzl said
    .
    "The virtual format developed by ENGEL is a very good alternative when face-to-face meetings are not possible
    .
    "
     

      open to new materials
     
     open to new materials
      Packaging manufacturers, machine builders and the food industry are all working together to improve sustainability and the development of a circular economy
    .
    Both Greiner Packaging and ENGEL are founding members of "Packaging for the Future"
    .
    The program brings together the expertise, experience and efforts of companies along the packaging value chain to achieve a resource-efficient use of packaging
    .

     

      Greiner Packaging's top agenda is to save more material in the future, reduce CO2 emissions, make all packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable, and make greater use of recycled materials
    .
    rPET is the first recycled material to receive a positive rating from the European Food Safety Authority and be approved for the production of food packaging
    .
    Engelbert Pranzl is sure rPP will follow
    .
    In addition, work is underway on the heat resistance of PET so that rPET can soon also be used in the packaging of dairy products
    .
    Today, Greiner Packaging has already started processing bioplastics, and its proportion will continue to rise
    .
    "We want to be a climate-neutral company by 2030," Pranzl said
    .
    The machine building partner ENGEL is able to support its customers in this process
    .



    Original title: ENGEL e-speed injection molding machine meets higher demands for thinner walls


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