R. Dray Manufacturing Inc. (Booth S489) has come full circle in marketing its injection control unit for more accurate injection molding.
Xaloy Inc. featured Dray's ICU at NPE 2003. At the time, the two firms touted its advantages over reciprocating-screw machine designs. They promised lower melt temperature, better control and mixing, shot-size accuracy, and improved machine wear and cycle time.
Problem was, they didn't have a working press with ICU at the show to demonstrate the system.
Robert Dray, inventor and owner of R. Dray Manufacturing of Dallas, maintains that ICU's advantages are real. But after a falling out with Xaloy, he's back to marketing it in his own way.
``I've sold it to several companies so far,'' Dray said in a telephone interview. He is convinced ICU brings a level of control to injection molding that approaches what operators do routinely in extrusion.
R. Dray and Xaloy have agreed to arbitration to settle their contract differences regarding the ICU, screw design and manufacturing. A retired judge in Atlanta will hear and rule on the dispute, probably in the fall, Dray said.
He believes one reason his firm's relationship with Xaloy foundered is because in 2003, Xaloy bought New Castle Industries Inc., thus gaining large-screw manufacturing capability that previously had been met through R. Dray.
Robert Dray said other technologies featured at his booth at this year's show are a new barrier screw with optimal channel width in the melting area, and nonreturn valves.
He also plans to host a round table at the booth at 5 p.m. today to examine the future of injection molding.