New Production Possibilities for Microparts

Transcription

1 PRESS RELEASE Premiere of männer's micro-män 50 K show October 27, 2010 The press release and images you'll find at: männer micro-män New Production Possibilities for Microparts Bahlingen, October 2010 männer's micro-män 50 is more than an injection molding machine. With its revolutionary concept, the production cell is setting standards for reproducibility and precision. The presentation of micro-män 50 at the K 2010 tradeshow event in Düsseldorf marks a milestone in the history of the männer Group. "We have applied high standards in the development of micro-män," stresses Hans-Peter Männer, President and CEO of the company in Bahlingen, Germany. Indeed: micro-män combines the competencies of highprecision moldmaking, valve gate technology, and electrical injection molding technology. The concept departs from that of traditional injection molding machines beginning right with its basic design. With a cooled, single-piece machine plate made of steel as well as three-point supports, the sturdy design is similar to that of a highprecision measuring device. Page 1 of 5

2 The all-electric injection unit and closing unit are driven by state-of-theart torque motors, eliminating the need for a gear unit. This provides benefits in terms of maintenance, wear, efficiency, and precision. micro-män is different from conventional injection molding machines in that the vario-thermal process and removal of the parts take place outside the closing unit. The core element of this concept is track-män: the two-piece mold half has a mold insert as well as an integrated ejection pack and is conveyed out of the closing unit after injection to the individual function stations. The production cell is standard-equipped with four function modules to which track-män is conducted by a transportation system. The transportation system is composed of longitudinally arranged linear units. At the vertices, the mold halves are moved by pneumatic rotary drives. After injection, the movable mold half is conducted together with the molded part to the cooling station. The contact cooling is water based. Two removal stations follow: one for the gate and one for the injectionmolded part. Next is the heating station, which heats the mold in a twostage inductive process, and from there back to injection. Thus, the system performs multiple processes simultaneously, ensuring a high frequency rate. The system s key feature: using multiple mold halves within a production cycle makes it possible to produce parts with different geometries without retooling the machine. This is especially advantageous in the production of small amounts and a crucial benefit in terms of costeffectiveness. In addition, the mold half can be equipped with a chip that stores the required injection parameters, ensuring optimum production conditions for each injection-molded part. The micro-män 50 concept provides the option of integrating additional modules such as an insertion module or assembly unit into the linear system of the production cell. The injection unit is designed to enable processing of commercially available granules. Two-stage screw preplasticization with piston Page 2 of 5

3 injection operates on a first-in/first-out basis. This minimizes the dwell time of the molding material, enabling higher frequency rates. Depending on the piston diameter, the injection unit can attain an injection pressure of up to 3,000 bar. Users especially will appreciate the excellent accessibility of micro-män. The large screens can be fully lowered to allow complete access to the workspace. The upper area of the housing is designed to permit optional integration of a flow box. "We realized that, in the production of microparts, traditional injection molding and traditional moldmaking are nearing their physical limits," explains Hans-Peter Männer. "That is why, in order to give proper consideration to the special requirements involved, it is not just about an injection molding machine, a mold, a hot runner system, and a type of handling. Its about providing the market with a solution-oriented production cell like micro-män, which may very well clear the way for the development of many things in the area of micro injection molding." Page 3 of 5

4 Image 1: micro-män Image 2: micro-män, inside Page 4 of 5

5 About männer Solutions for Plastics männer specializes in high-precision molds, valve gate hot runner systems, and system solutions for the medical & pharmaceutical, packaging, and personal & health care industries. männer offers an ideal array of products and services for large-volume production of high-grade plastic parts. For more than 45 years, the männer name has stood for quality, reliability, longevity, and high cost-effectiveness. männer is among the industry's leading suppliers, with around 380 employees and production, sales, and service locations in Europe, the USA, and Asia. Contact männer Solutions for Plastics Christian Männer Unter Gereuth Bahlingen a.k. Germany Phone +49 (0) Fax +49 (0) Page 5 of 5