KraussMaffei production cell with all-electric IMM to tour Europe

24-Jun-09

German injection molding machines manufacturer KraussMaffei is taking one of its AX production cells on tour in Germany and six other European countries, including the UK, Spain and Turkey. Between late June and mid-November 2009 live demonstrations will showcase a complete injection moulding solution and its capacity to sharply reduce unit manufacturing cost. The compact production cell integrates an all-electric AX injection moulding machine and an LRX linear robot. According to the company, the unit manufacturing cost will be trimmed by factors like better energy efficiency, higher repeatability, shorter cycle times and a smaller machine footprint. In addition, all-electric AX machines are said to cut power use by more than 50%, consume 70% less water compared to hydraulic counterparts and improve cycle time by dynamic drive technology and servomotors. They boost repeatability, thanks to precision movement control. Total cost of ownership is also improved by the 25% smaller footprint of the production cell (including robot and safety housing). The AX series will eventually cover the range from 50 to 3500 tonnes. It's targeted at standard applications, for example, in the automotive, electronics and life sciences industries. During the demonstrations, the KraussMaffei AX 100-380 will be producing covers for mobile phones at a cycle speed of 8.5 seconds. Completing the demonstrations will be a programme of talks on the advantages of electric injection moulding machines, their potential applications and the prospects for optimizing energy efficiency. The roadshows will have scheduled stops in France, England, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Turkey.