Dual Injection Units on a Smaller, Electric Press for 2K Medical Molding

Saying the cell displays maximum output from a minimum footprint in an energy efficient and cleanroom suitable manner, Engel is displaying an all-electric e-motion 160 injection molding machine that utilizes its combi M dual injection technology to mold 2K sample vessels for medical diagnostics at K 2022.

In a release, the company noted that where it had previously only offered the combi M design for larger molding machines, it would presenting the multimaterial molding platform on an injection machine with just 160 tons of clamp force and a horizontal indexing table for the first time.

The combi M’s indexing table divides the machine’s mold closing area in the center allowing two molds to operate in parallel. With this design, the combi M technology can perform two-component molding or double the output from identical molds. Equipped with two injection units as standard, combi M’s feature one injection unit on the stationary platen, with the auxiliary unit on the moving platen.

At the show, the primary cylindrical cavitiy parts of the diagnostic product are injected in the first shot using a polycarbonate with black dye. After the indexing table rotates 180°, the cylinders are sealed with lenticular covers molded from transparent PC in the second shot. While this is occurring, the next set of black barrels are molded on the other side. The two molds, with 32 cavities each, come from German moldmaker Hack Formenbau and will deploy its Moldlife intelligent mold software with direct integration into the press’s controller.

In this instance, the total machine footprint is cut by more than 20%, with the combi M horizontal indexing table saving floor space where multiple-cavity molds are used. Engel notes that a comparable 32-cavity mold with a vertical rotary table would have needed an e-motion press with at least 280 tons of clamp force. Beyond saving valuable cleanroom space, the smaller machine consumes less energy. 

Using a standardized design, Engel also built a compact automation cell around the press. At the show, two robots are work in tandem to manufacture the diagnostics products, with an Engel viper 20 linear robot removing and depositing the 2K parts in trays. Next, an Engel e‑pic pick-and-place robot covers filled trays with an intermediate layer so they can be stacked in boxes and discharged via an integrated tray server.

Dynamic Control

The cell will feature a number of Engel’s Inject 4.0 smart assistance programs, including the newly developed Parameter Limits feature as part of its iQ process observer. In medical and pharmaceutical molding, processors are required to validate a process and then show documentation that newly molded parts were produced under those validated process conditions. Engel notes that not only do its smart assistance systems optimize individual molding steps, but they also keep track of the entire process, analyzing several hundred parameters simultaneously, displaying any deviations that impact quality. Engel says that it considers its iQ process observer to be one of the first applications of artificial intelligence in injection molding and notes that even validated processes can be dynamically controlled—making real-time changes to the process without moving beyond critical, validated setpoints. Engel says key to such dynamic yet validated control is the definition of process windows instead of setting concrete values for parameters to be retroactively adjusted.

To that end, Engel says it developed the new Parameter Limits feature in order to keep all preset values constant with a defined process window. With the help of the new software, a process window can be defined for up to 150 individually selectable process parameters using the machine’s CC300 controller. This allows tolerance limits to be directly available on the press when production starts and ensures they are reliably met.