Wittmann Battenfeld at Fakuma 2021:
Servo-hydraulic injection molding machine and LSR application

Wittmann Battenfeld's Fakuma exhibits this year include the SmartPlus servo-hydraulic injection molding machine, the EcoPower 55 production cell, an LSR application on MicroPower 15/10H/10H Combimould, IMAGOxt software and Airmould gas injection technology. In addition to the exhibits to be viewed physically, the company will also offer the opportunity of live connection with its various facilities via its new media technology Wittmann Interactive to obtain information about additional exhibits.

The highlight of this year’s presentation by is the new SmartPlus, a servo-hydraulic machine. According to the company it has a high level of cost and energy efficiency, as well as repeatability. A special feature of the SmartPlus is the new B8X control system with system components developed in-house. These enable a higher frequency, shorter response times and a higher repeatability rate for parts, with the same operating comfort as before and the familiar visualization concept. Of course, the SmartPlus also offers the KERS energy recovery technology originally developed for the EcoPower. The SmartPlus is currently undergoing practical tests at selected customers. From the 4^th quarter of 2021 onwards, the machine is expected to be available in a first series with clamping forces ranging from 60 t to 180 t.

SmartPlus 60 (Source: Wittmann Battenfeld)

The advantages of the new SmartPlus will be demonstrated on a SmartPlus 180/750. This machine is equipped with the HiQ Flow application software, the new CMS-Light condition monitoring system to monitor an extended range of service-relevant machine parameters and a Gravimax G14 gravimetric blender. The automation system, using a Primus 26T robot, is implemented via an Easy Cell developed and manufactured by Wittmann Battenfeld Deutschland in Nuremberg. The Easy Cell mounted on castors requires no safety gate and thus takes up only a minimal amount of space beside the injection molding machine. In spite of its compact design, customers receive the complete range of CE-compliant safety features.

LSR processing as well as injection molding of micro parts is demonstrated by manufacturing a support ring with a silicone membrane made of PC and LSR on a MicroPower 15/10H/10H Combimould. This multi-component version of the MicroPower comes equipped with two injection units in horizontal configuration and a rotary disc. The machine is laid out for clean-room injection molding. The rotary disc is completely encapsulated. All connections for heating aggregates, temperature sensors, water tempering, core pull pneumatics and sensors, as well as the blow-off valve, are mounted on the rotary disc. The connections to the mold have thus been kept short to enhance the machine’s user friendliness. As in the standard machine, the injection units of the multi-component MicroPower also take the form of two-step screw-and-plunger aggregates with a shot volume of 4 cm³, which enable processing of thermally homogeneous melt with minimal flow paths to achieve excellent parts quality. The materials used to make the support ring presented are polycarbonate (Macrolon) from Covestro and a self-adhesive LSR (Silopren) supplied by Momentive. The mold has been constructed in cooperation with Nexus. The LSR dosing unit comes from Nexus and is equipped with a new Servomix dosing system including an OPC-UA interface (Euromap 82.3).

www.wittmann-group.com

Wittmann Battenfeld Hall B1 – Booth 1204