WITTMANN BATTENFELD with smart injection molding technology at the FIP

The FIP Solution Plastique is the most important event of the plastics processing industry in France. WITTMANN BATTENFELD will be present at this trade fair with three machines from its PowerSeries. All three of these are equipped with the new UNILOG B8 control system running under the Windows^® 10 IoT operating system. This control system preserves the advantageous features of UNILOG B6, but offers numerous additional features and even greater user-friendliness and convenience as well.

 

The first of the three machines on display is an EcoPower Xpress 400/2100+. This is a high-speed model from the all-electric EcoPower series, a machine primarily geared to meeting the requirements of the packaging industry. The highly dynamic drive axes for injection as well as closing and opening of the EcoPower Xpress are designed for fast movements and ultimate control accuracy. Moreover, extremely high energy efficiency is achieved by using servo drives. On this machine, HDPE closing caps will be produced with a 48-cavity mold supplied by PlastiSud, France. The EcoPower Xpress 400 will be available on the market from the autumn of this year.

 

Furthermore, WITTMANN BATTENFELD will demonstrate an interesting process on a servo-hydraulic SmartPower 240/1330. On this machine, PP preform parts for a 150 ml flacon are injected and inflated inside the mold with a 2-cavity mold supplied by Grosfilley, France. The mold comes with an index plate and consists of 3 stations. In the first station, the preform parts are injected, in the second, they are inflated and then ejected free-falling in the third. The SmartPower series’ generously dimensioned platen areas make it an excellent choice for multi-component applications.

 

The third machine exhibited will also come from the servo-hydraulic SmartPower series. On a SmartPower 120/525, Bioblo building blocks will be produced from 100% biodegradable Fasal wood-plastic composite with an 8-cavity mold supplied by Demel, Austria. The parts will be removed and deposited on a conveyor belt by a W818 linear robot from WITTMANN.

 

Apart from the machines on display, WITTMANN BATTENFELD will also show the integration of robots and peripheral appliances in the new UNILOG B8 machine control system at the FIP by an interesting, easy-to-understand demonstration on an interactive display board. This will give visitors an opportunity to test the advantages of the WITTMANN solution for Industry 4.0, also known as WITTMANN 4.0.

 

 

WITTMANN automation and peripheral equipment

 

In addition to the peripherals shown on the injection molding machines on display, WITTMANN BATTENFELD will present numerous stand-alone solutions from its extensive range to trade visitors at the FIP in Lyon.

 

From the automation sector, a PRIMUS 16 servo robot and a W833 pro will be showcased. The W833 pro is a robot model with the patented WITTMANN telescopic stroke of the new pro series, which features compactness, user-friendliness, a high degree of energy efficiency and conservation of resources, as well as a low noise level. The PRIMUS 16 is a pick-&-place robot with 5 kg load capacity, suitable for injection molding machines with clamping forces ranging from 200 to 2,000 kN.

 

One highlight of the exhibition program are the granulators. On show will be the new G-Max series including the G-Max 12, the G-Max 12 AL (version with auger), the G-Max 33 and the G-Max 23. The G-Max 23, whose marketing is planned for the second half of 2017, is presented for the first time at the FIP. It is equipped with a hybrid rotor (open and staggered blades) allowing airflow in the cutting chamber for an optimal cooling of the material during grinding. The staggered blades offer a progressive cutting, which leads to a low noise level and a high degree of energy efficiency. The G-Max series has been design for beside-the-press applications for inline recycling of sprue from injection molding machines with clamping forces of up to 4,000 kN.

 

In addition, screenless granulators will be showcased, including the models JUNIOR 2 Compact, suitable for granulating large pieces of sprue and parts made of hard plastics, JUNIOR 3 Compact with second shaft, designed for granulating hard, fiberglass-reinforced materials and JUNIOR DOUBLE 4, which serves to granulate very large pieces of sprue and molded parts, and comes equipped for this purpose with two rotors in the cutting chamber.

 

Moreover, temperature controllers from the TEMPRO basic C90 series and the TEMPRO basic C140 series with indirect cooling as well as a TEMPRO plus D90 single-circuit and a TEMPRO plus D180 dual-circuit appliance will be on show at the FIP, together with a display board showing the extensive range of WITTMANN flow controllers. One outstanding feature of the TEMPRO plus D temperature controllers is their convenient touch display. The numerous options available make it possible to adapt the appliances to the requirements of virtually all common applications in the plastics processing industry.

 

In the area of materials handling technology, WITTMANN BATTENFELD will exhibit at the FIP the central material loader FEEDMAX basic G together with a FEEDMAX plus G, as well as a stand-alone appliance, the FEEDMAX S 3-net with the TEACHBOX basic. The FEEDMAX S 3-net is the optimal material loader for flexible feeding of small material quantities up to 120 kg/h in continuous operation. In the new FEEDMAX S 3-net, a second filter has been installed for the first time, which prevents dust from getting into the motor in case the main filter has not been correctly re-inserted following cleaning. A further exhibit will be a coupling station equipped with the M7.3 control system for central materials handling and drying systems.

 

And last, but not least, a power-assisted filtering station, a GRAVIMAX G14 M gravimetric blender, a DRYMAX primus E60 dryer and the ATON plus G segmented wheel dryer will also be on show at the FIP in Lyon. The ATON plus G segmented wheel dryer consists of many chambers filled loosely with desiccant balls. In combination with the innovative 3-Save process, the design of this dryer not only provides low energy consumption, but also a continuous drying process with a constant dew point.