Sumitomo-Demag to launch new all-electric variant type

Germany-based Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery GmbH, the Japanese/German manufacturer of injection moulding machines is about to launch its IntElect all-electric injection moulding machine of the new 'Smart' configuration level. The 'Smart' configuration package includes the drive technology with energy-efficient direct drives developed by Sumitomo that has been especially tailored to the requirements of injection moulding machines, and is built in-house. With this all-electric design, Sumitomo-Demag meets the requirements made on the injection moulding of precision mass-produced items. The IntElect 'Smart' configuration level is available in three clamping force sizes, viz. 500, 1,000 or 1,600 kN. For its IntElect Smart machines, Sumitomo-Demag uses direct drives on all major rotational axes. High-torque synchronous hollow shaft motors provide fast, powerful and precise translation of all the movements of the clamping unit, the dosing unit and the injection unit. As opposed to indirect electric drives such as through synchronous motors plus belt drive, direct drives have a higher energetic efficiency, and offer enhanced precision, repeatability, and better cycle time owing to their increased capacity of reaction. The nozzle system is based on a servo-hydraulic system. This energy-efficient and encapsulated design combines the benefits of a servo-hydraulic system (high force density) with those of an electric system (improved controllability). The high-precision Japanese drive technology turns out to be specifically tool protective in combination with the German machine platform, which offers a rigid machine bed, smooth operation owing to linear slides and free-standing columns as well as active tool protection. Demag had developed the ActiveQ sensitive active tool protection for its high-speed machines. This system detects deviations across the full opening or closing stroke of the clamping unit. As opposed to hydraulic clamping systems, ActiveQ facilitates unabated traversing speed within the mould protection range, and can thus stop the movement as and if required actively and faster as compared to any passive system. This safety package comes as a standard feature of the machine. The IntElect machines come with the NC5 control system, which is characterized by its intuitive approach for operation connected with a touch screen. The core principle of the design of the NC5 control system is the visualization of the injection moulding process, which considerably facilitates machine operation and control. The 'Smart' configuration level may be combined with the "Performance" configuration level of the IntElect, which uses water-cooled motors and thus also direct drives, and which is specifically tailored to producing precision items under cleanroom conditions.