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Different Injection Mold Machines and What They’re Used For

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Manufacturing plastic products requires the use of injection molding machines. These come in a variety of sizes and types, each of which is designed for specific applications.

In this article, we will take a look at some of the more popular types of injection mold machines and what they’re used for.

Injection molding machines are classified by the type of driving system they use. There are four main types of injection molding machines, all of which vary slightly in terms of cost, speed, and size. [Read more…] about Different Injection Mold Machines and What They’re Used For

Quaternium and Löweheiser claim ‘new flight record’ with Hybrix drone

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Quaternium has partnered with Löweheiser to achieve what it claims is “a new flight record” of 10 hours 14 minutes with HYBRiX drone. (See video below.)

The inventor of hybrid drones is making history again with an impressive hovering flight of 10 hours and 14 minutes with their world leading fuel-electric multirotor HYBRiX.

For this quest, Quaternium has partnered with the pioneer EFI manufacturer Löweheiser, a company that has designed the smallest fuel injection in the market, specifically optimized for unmanned aircrafts. [Read more…] about Quaternium and Löweheiser claim ‘new flight record’ with Hybrix drone

How Robotics Work in the Plastic Injection Molding Industry

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Driven by the never-ending increasing demand for more flexible solutions, industrial robots are extensively used in today’s plastics industry in all areas of the production process, including injection molding related operations.

Industrial robots can be used to automate the injection molding process by using a pick-and-place robot to load plastic parts into the machine or to place the finished pieces onto a conveyor belt.

And as human-operated injection molding leaves room for variations, the use of robots in the process ensures the production of the highest quality, accurately cut, formed, and measured finished products every single time. [Read more…] about How Robotics Work in the Plastic Injection Molding Industry

New Universal Robots interface enables ‘fast’ implementation of injection molding applications

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Universal Robots has launched a new interface which it says enables faster implementation of injection molding applications.

With the Injection Molding Machine Interface (IMMI), Universal Robots says it has launched a “user-friendly and quick solution” for plastics manufacturers to integrate Universal Robots with injection molding machines.

Plastics manufacturers are increasingly turning to collaborative robots to tend injection molding machines. [Read more…] about New Universal Robots interface enables ‘fast’ implementation of injection molding applications

Fanuc and SICK develop new safety integration for robot machine tending

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A collaboration between Fanuc and SICK has pioneered new safety integration for robot machine tending that points the way towards simpler, more cost-effective and adaptable solutions in future.

ROBOTS excel in heavy, repetitive and high-speed tasks, far surpassing humans in their repeatable, reliable performance.

For this reason, the manual operation of machine tending – ubiquitous throughout manufacturing industry – has become a prime candidate for robotic automation. [Read more…] about Fanuc and SICK develop new safety integration for robot machine tending

Volume Graphics partners with industry consortium to improve rapid-prototyping of plastic mold inserts

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Volume Graphics, a provider of industrial computed tomography software, is partnering in a second joint project on “rapid tooling” with companies from a wide range of industries.

The company’s partnership is with the Kunststoff-Institut, in Germany.

As a project partner, Volume Graphics brings expertise in quality assurance and process optimization to the team via its advanced industrial computed tomography (CT) data-analysis software.

Christof Reinhart, CEO of Volume Graphics, says: “Working on this project with Kunststoff-Institut and partners is very important to us because we are convinced that industrial computed tomography can advance the future of rapid tooling. [Read more…] about Volume Graphics partners with industry consortium to improve rapid-prototyping of plastic mold inserts

Kuka shows off its robots working in microelectronics

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Electronics is a fast-growing market for industrial robots, and Kuka has been showing off some of its success in the sector. 

In one example the company highlighted recently, a total of 25 Kuka robots are in operation at Possehl Electronics in Niefern, Germany.

There, they manufacture complex timing cases for electric power steering systems for cars.

At the core of the system, three KR Agilus robots precisely place components into the injection molding machine.

Industrial robots work on three lines with an accuracy to a tenth of a millimeter, says Kuka.  [Read more…] about Kuka shows off its robots working in microelectronics

Quantum Plastics invests $2m in new robot and manufacturing system

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HAITIAN Mars II Injection Molding Machine (PRNewsFoto/Quantum Plastics)
HAITIAN Mars II Injection Molding Machine (PRNewsFoto/Quantum Plastics)

New presses and robot systems are replacing ageing machines at the Quantum Plastics, River Bend Industries Division in Victor, Iowa, US.

Quantum Plastics recently added two new Absolute Haitian injection molding machines and two new Yushin automation robots to its manufacturing floor.

The new equipment aligns with Quantum Plastics’ environmental initiative and uses the latest technology to manufacture detailed parts. The new 1100 and 2000 ton presses are Haitian Mars Servo-Hydraulic Energy Saving Toggle Clamp machines.  [Read more…] about Quantum Plastics invests $2m in new robot and manufacturing system

Kuka lightweight robot combines injection molding with additive manufacturing

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kuka, arburg, collaborative robots, additive manufacturing
Use of the LBR iiwa enables maximum flexibility at Arburg

In the age of Industry 4.0, “smart factories” are developing at an unprecedented rate. Nowadays, automated, networked and variable production lines are in high demand as companies aim to respond quickly and flexibly to ever shorter product life cycles.

At the same time, the issue of how to incorporate individual customer requirements into industrial series production is growing in significance.

The German machinery manufacturer Arburg has developed a fully automated production line, completely networked in terms of IT processes, which allows series-manufactured injection moldings to be individualized right at the production line, according to the customer’s requirements. [Read more…] about Kuka lightweight robot combines injection molding with additive manufacturing