ORLANDO, FLA. (April 2, 8:55 p.m. ET) — Gammaflux LP went beyond Orlando and NPE2012 when it created its new hot runner temperature control systems, and right to the shop floor.
While Gammaflux (Booth 3155) still boasts its control systems’ capabilities in producing better parts, its new G24 Temperature Controller requires no more than five minutes worth of training by the operator before it can go into use.
“This is a major, major issue in the industry,” said Mike Brostedt, director of market development. “To remain competitive, people are asking their employees to do more with fewer people.
“We used to be able to get a two-hour training block with employees. Now you’re very, very lucky to get that kind of time.”
By simplifying the controls for machine operators, the company can get new technology on the floor faster, without losing precious production time.
Gammaflux’s “Mold Doctor” within the G24, meanwhile, can help a company automate mold troubleshooting by helping to track the wiring within a control system and find exactly where a problem may be coming from, helping to reduce the staff time needed for repairs.
The wiring is not a simple fix, Brostedt pointed out. Every zone in the controller has four wires, so a 100-zone system has 400 individual wires to track. Finding a problem with just one wire is difficult, so automated diagnostics can make a big difference.
The G24 does not trade off capabilities for ease of use, though. It combines the best attributes of the existing Gammaflux LEC and TC hot runner temperature controls with additional features which includes ease of use.
Using system uses an industrial USB connector for a 0.1 second screen update rate, allowing streaming of real-time control numbers for better production, but at the same time each control module has a 15 amp per zone rating. Compared to the existing TTC product line, a 128-zone G24 controller has a 48 percent smaller footprint, which saves processors floor space.
The system is also “significantly” less expensive, although the company is not listing exact prices publicly.
Gammaflux produces only controllers, and molders traditionally order hot runner systems and controllers as a combined package. The company knows it has to give molders a reason to use Gammaflux instead, Brostedt said, and believes the G24 system can make a real difference.
