WITTMANN BATTENFELD with smart machine technologies and processes at the Fakuma 2014

Our trade fair highlight: the new SmartPower!

“be smart” – in line with this motto, WITTMANN BATTENFELD is introducing a novelty in a class of its own to the market: the new SmartPower – on show for the first time at the Fakuma 2014. The SmartPower, equipped with servo hydraulics as standard, is the youngest member of our PowerSeries. In a smart way, it combines the advantages of hydraulic machines with those of all-electric machines: energy efficiency, precision, user-friendliness, compact design, high speed, cleanness – everything you could desire in a machine. Simply smart. The new SmartPower – available for delivery from January 2015 in sizes ranging from 25 to 120 tons in clamping force – will be displayed at the Fakuma with a 60-ton and a 120-ton model.

On a SmartPower 60/210, a polyamide connecting rod for a compressor will be manufactured with an 8-cavity mold supplied by Greiner Assistec, Austria. A WS80 servo sprue picker from WITTMANN, also a novelty, will remove the finished parts and deposit them on a conveyor belt.

Fig. 1: Connecting rods – manufactured on the new SmartPower

On the second machine from the new SmartPower series on display at the Fakuma, a SmartPower 120/350, a penholder will be produced from LSR in a 4-cavity mold supplied by Elasmo Systems, Austria. The mold technology used allows molded parts to be manufactured from liquid silicone without sprue, virtually free of ridges, without waste and fully automatically. Thanks to their special design, the penholders adhere automatically by suction to any smooth surface when a light pressure is applied. The penholders are removed, deposited on a conveyor belt and filled automatically by a W818T robot from WITTMANN.

Smart micro injection molding with LSR

Another demonstration of liquid silicone processing will be staged on a machine from the MicroPower series specially designed for injection molding of small and micro parts. By showing micro parts being produced from liquid silicone, the possibilities of LSR processing are to be visualized in this sector, which is increasingly gaining in significance. On a MicroPower 15/10, lenses will be manufactured on a mold supplied by Awetis, Germany, from 2-component liquid silicone rubber supplied by Momentive, Germany, with the material being conveyed by a dosing pump supplied by EMT Dosiertechnik, Germany, from two 1-liter cartridges to the injection unit. The surface of the parts is embossed with micro structures engraved into the mold by means of laser technology.

Fig. 2: On a MicroPower 15/10, lenses are produced using liquid silicone technology

The machine on display comes as a full-fledged clean-room production cell, equipped with a rotary disk, parts removal handling device, integrated quality inspection by image processing, as well as a clean-room module, which produces class 6 clean air according to the ISO 14644-1 standard. The parts are all injected, quality-inspected and deposited inside the clean room.

Light and beautiful – from resource-saving production

Smart in terms of both surface quality and manufacturing technology is also a fitting description for the automotive interior components produced with structured foam technology in cooperation with Schaumform, Germany, on an EcoPower 240/1330. In this application, the WITTMANN BATTENFELD processes CELLMOULD^® and BFMOLD^® are combined with the HiP (High Precision Opening) opening program to enable the production of light-weight structured foam parts with a high-quality surface. The temperature controller required for the variothermic process is operated directly via the machine’s control system. The application on display is a further development of the cooperation between Schaumform and WITTMANN BATTENFELD, which started at the K 2013.

Fig. 4: Gas flow regulation module for CELLMOULD® applications on an EcoPower 240

CELLMOULD^® is the WITTMANN BATTENFELD process for making structured foam parts, with nitrogen being added directly in the barrel during the plasticizing process. The entire machine technology, including the plasticizing unit, injectors, gas regulator and gas generator, has been developed and manufactured by WITTMANN BATTENFELD. The application of variothermic VARIOMOULD^® technology in combination with the special high-precision opening program enables the production of attractively finished, light-weight, high-quality parts. The energy- and resource-saving, all-electric EcoPower is equipped with a W822 robot from WITTMANN.

MacroPower – the smart large machine from WITTMANN BATTENFELD with sandwich technology

The compact large machine model from WITTMANN BATTENFELD, a MacroPower 450/5100H/2250Y with sandwich technology, rounds off the range of exhibits from the PowerSeries to be presented at the Fakuma. The flexible functionality of the MacroPower is demonstrated by the production of “Lechuza” self-watering flower pots from PP with a single-cavity mold supplied by geobra Brandstätter, Germany. The flower pot is a sandwich-molded composite part with a compact shell, a foamed core with low part weight, and an attractive surface. The parts will be removed and deposited on a conveyor belt by a WITTMANN robot from the new pro series, a W843 pro. The special advantages of WITTMANN BATTENFELD sandwich technology are the flexible option of applying either sandwich injection molding or standard 2-component injection molding, and easy access for nozzle and barrel change, thanks to the machine’s compact, open design.

Smarter service for our customers with Web-Service 24/7

The exhibition program of WITTMANN BATTENFELD is rounded off by a presentation of its Web-Service 24/7 also at the Fakuma 2014. Web-Service 24/7 stands for the online service from WITTMANN BATTENFELD, which is available round the clock on 7 days a week. Visitors to the Fakuma show will have an opportunity to experience the operation of Web-Service 24/7 via a live connection at the service center specially installed for this purpose. This service center provides information to visitors about the other services offered by WITTMANN BATTENFELD as well, such as customer support, application technology, training and the new, smart MES (Manufacturing Excellence System)

Contact:

WITTMANN BATTENFELD GmbH & Co.KG
Werner-Battenfeld-Strasse 1
D-58540 Meinerzhagen
Tel.:     +49 2354 72-0
Fax:    +49 2354 72-485
info@wittmann-group.com
www.wittmann-group.com

WITTMANN BATTENFELD GmbH
Wiener Neustädter Strasse 81
A-2542 Kottingbrunn
Tel.:     +43 2252 404-1400
Fax:    +43 2252 404-991400
gabriele.hopf@wittmann-group.com
www.wittmann-group.com