FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, GERMANY (Oct. 16, 5:15 p.m. ET) — Officials of German injection molding machinery group Arburg GmbH & Co. KG expect 2012 turnover will be similar to the 2011 figure of 471 million euros, ($609 million) although they hesitated to predict sales for next year.
Arburg engineers say the technology allows the feeding of longer fibers, cut to between 30-50 millimeters long—or even up to 100-mm long—with a low incidence of fiber damage. The Fakuma press also had a new servo-hydraulic drive that company officials say gives an energy savings of up to 50 percent.
Arburg used flexible inline printing to custom-make all the nametags for its Fakuma staff, complete the flag of the country he or she is from. At the show, a six-axis Kuka robot removes the curved, polystyrene part from the 60-tonne electric Allrounder 370 E, and pivots to place the parts on conveyor that moves them through a digital printing system. The printer can be programmed to decorate different designs, one after another.
David Eldridge is editor of European Plastics News.
