Press Release. Successful Premiere at the NPE: Clever combination of FiberForm and multi-component technology

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1 Successful Premiere at the NPE: Clever combination of FiberForm and multi-component technology Combination of thermoplastic lightweight construction and TPE components offers many advantages in terms of weight reduction and haptics Live demonstration at NPE using a center armrest and GXW 450 SpinForm High degree of automation and short cycle times Great potential for vehicle manufacturing (Munich, May 23, 2018) The FiberForm process demonstrates KraussMaffei's dedication to bringing thermoplastic lightweight construction to the next level and establishing it successfully in series production. At NPE in Orlando, USA (May 7 to 11), KraussMaffei presented for the first time a FiberForm application in connection with SpinForm technology for multi-component injection molding. The combination of soft and hard components together with the high strength of the components, results in completely new potential applications and not just for vehicle construction. New design options and weight reduction The FiberForm process developed by KraussMaffei combines organic sheet thermoforming and injection molding into a single process. The result is fiber-reinforced plastic components that are incredibly lightweight considering their strength, making them ideal for automotive applications. "Our groundbreaking FiberForm system is second to none when it comes to lightweight production using fiber-reinforced plastic components. Our customers appreciate the high quality, reliability and cost-efficiency when manufacturing fiber-reinforced lightweight components in large quantities and fast cycle times," explains Paul Caprio, President of the KraussMaffei Corporation. Publication free of charge - specimen copy requested 1

2 The FiberForm process can also be joined efficiently with multi-component injection molding, as KraussMaffei demonstrated effectively at the NPE trade show booth. At the show, a GXW /1400 SpinForm with swivel plate technology was producing a center armrest for the vehicle interior. A continuous-fiber-reinforced organic sheet with a 1 mm thick, continuousfiber-reinforced composite sheet was first encapsulated with polypropylene (PP) and then overpacked directly with a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). "This combination can be used to create completely new visual and haptic component features for thermoplastic composites in a single process. Thanks to the TPE component, the center armrest produced at NPE has functional parts and visible parts with surfaces that are extremely soft and visually appealing, which increases comfort and visual aesthetics in the vehicle interior," says Caprio. In turn, the use of the composite sheet increases the rigidity and strength of the component. This means that the reinforcing ribs and component itself are made with thinner walls, which reduces their weight. KraussMaffei sees great potential for the combination of FiberForm and multicomponent technology in applications such as vehicle manufacturing for semistructural lightweight components in the interior or between the passenger compartment and the engine bay. SpinForm swivel plate technology excels High quantities are one of the strengths of the FiberForm technology. Therefore, KraussMaffei consciously chose the SpinForm swivel plate technology. It offers numerous advantages compared to other technologies such as the rotary table, index plate and sliding table. Using two mold parting lines provides twice the number of cavities with the same clamping force. This increases cost-efficiency. Because rotation takes place between the vertical bar pair, the SpinForm technology offers a great deal of space, even for large molds. This makes it ideal for producing large-format components or multiple components. Furthermore, APC plus allows for the integration of special processes such as compression molding. Intelligent automation solution supports short cycle times Multicomponent technology normally takes up more cycle time. Therefore, KraussMaffei specifically chooses cost-effective swivel plate technology and Publication free of charge - specimen copy requested 2

3 combines it with intelligent automation solutions and heating technology that is optimally adapted to the injection molding process. "This enables us to attain cycle times of under 60 seconds," says Dr. Mesut Cetin, Product and Project Manager for Lightweight Construction at KraussMaffei Automation. The composite sheet is initially transfered to the production cell via a simple drawer system. Optical inspection of the organic sheet ensures transfer to the mold with position accuracy. This ensures that only semifinished products that are free of defects are forwarded to the IR 600 R3000 K/S industrial robot and picked up by the robot in the same manner each time. Then, the organic sheet is heated up on both sides in the infrared heating station and transfered vertically to the mold system. "The infrared heating station is located directly above the mold parting line. This allows the transfer time to be reduced even further and minimizes the overall cycle time," Cetin explains. Now, in the first cycle step, on the one side of the swivel plate, the basic components of the center armrest are manufactured with the injection molding unit (top and bottom shell). The top shell is created by encapsulating the organic sheet with PP, while the bottom shell is primarycast out of pure PP. For the second cycle step, the swivel plate rotates and the components are flow-coated with TPE with the second injection molding unit. While the top shell (visible and functional surface) is flow-coated with TPE, the bottom shell is flow-coated in spots. The component demolding (top and bottom shell) then takes place using the second industrial robot, an IR 600 R2030 F/K. "The heating of the composite sheets and the demolding of the components take place in parallel, and the individual process steps are thus decoupled from one another. This, in turns, saves valuable cycle time," says Cetin. Seamless traceability of process data Another highlight of the GXW 450 FiberForm at the NPE was the DataXplorer, an open system from KraussMaffei integrated into the MC6 control system that continuously detects up to 500 signals at the machine. Like an airplane's black box, DataXplorer thus provides information about all important system and process data. Unlike Euromap 63 and the actual value report of a machine, this happens continuously that is, in the curve Publication free of charge - specimen copy requested 3

4 progression, and not as a discrete value in a discrete moment. "The curves provide customized key figures that enable in-depth process analyses and documentation to be carried out. This is particularly advantageous for safetyrelated components," says Cetin. At the NPE, KraussMaffei was providing a demonstration of the thoroughness with which production data can be collected and traced using the FiberForm technology. An individualized QR code on the center armrest manufactured on site guided the owners of smartphones to the specific report for their article. Here, it was possible to find out the melt pressure and screw position in addition to, for example, the heat-up time of the composite sheet and its transfer time from the heating station to the injection mold. In addition, the curves of the various heating zones of the infrared heating station were recorded. Part of the KraussMaffei Plastics 4.0 family The DataXplorer is part of the Plastics 4.0 solutions that KraussMaffei uses to support its customers in implementing the potential and benefiting from the opportunities arising in the course of Industry 4.0. Plastics 4.0 focuses on the digitalization and networking of the global production processes with the goal of higher production efficiency, flexibility, automation, availability and quality. The range of Plastics 4.0 products by KraussMaffei includes everything from self-optimizing intelligent machines and functions to uninterrupted analysis and networking of various components of the production process and a variety of global services. PM_IMM_2018_05_NPE FiberForm Team.jpg Were very pleased with the excellent performance of the GXW 450 SpinForm and the FiberForm technology at the NPE (from left): Tom Curtiss, Markus Klötzl, Felix Weitmeier, Vinod Ponnambalam and Dr. Mesut Cetin (all KraussMaffei or Krauss-Maffei Corporation) PM_IMM_2018_05_NPE FiberForm_Bauteil.jpg Softer and more appealing surfaces thanks to a TPE component: The armrest produced at the NPE Photos: KraussMaffei Publication free of charge - specimen copy requested 4

5 Enclosure: Pictures and more information can be found at Press contact: Petra Rehmet Press officer KraussMaffei brand Phone: +49 (0) (Number Words: 1,111 / Number Characters: 7,522) About KraussMaffei The KraussMaffei product brand is internationally recognized for its groundbreaking, multitechnology system and process solutions for injection and reaction molding technology and factory automation. With its standalone, modular or standardized machinery and systems, and a wide, customizable service offering, KraussMaffei is a full-system partner for customers in many industry sectors. KraussMaffei bundles many decades of engineering expertise in plastics machinery and is headquartered in Munich, Germany. For more information: About KraussMaffei Group The KraussMaffei Group is among the world s leading suppliers of machinery and systems for producing and processing plastics and rubber. Its products and services cover the whole spectrum of injection and reaction molding and extrusion technology, giving the company a unique position in the industry. The KraussMaffei Group is innovation-powered, supplying its products, processes and services as standard or custom solutions which deliver sustained added value along the customer s value-adding chain. The company markets its offering under the KraussMaffei, KraussMaffei Berstorff and Netstal brands to customers in the automotive, packaging, medical, construction, electrical, electronics and home appliance industries. Continuing a long tradition of engineering excellence, the international KraussMaffei Group currently employs around 5,000 people. With a global network of more than 30 subsidiaries and more than 10 production plants, supported by around 570 sales and service partners, the company is close to customers around the world. KraussMaffei has been headquartered in Munich since For more information: Publication free of charge - specimen copy requested 5