DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY — Wittmann Battenfeld GmbH has two booths at Messe Düsseldorf: Injection molding machines are at Hall 16/D22, and robots and auxiliary equipment can be seen at Wittmann Robot Systeme GmbH in Hall 10/A4.
There's plenty to see, company officials said at an Oct. 16 news conference. Wittmann Battenfeld has expanded its headquarters plant in Kottingbrunn, Austria, and the factory can now turn out injection presses with 1,600 tons of clamping force. The company opened a new 3,000-square-meter automation plant in Nuremberg, Germany. And the machinery has expanded its U.S. location on Connecticut.
"Power for the Future" is Wittmann Battenfeld's K show motto.
Befitting its expansions, the company is making news in big-tonnage machines, from its Power Series.
The compact but powerful new MacroPower 1500 comes with ServoPower technology, for energy efficiency.
Wittmann Battenfeld now has extended its portfolio of MacroPower large-tonnage machines to six sizes, ranging in clamping force from 400-1,600 metric tons.
The MacroPower 1500 is molding four-outlet apertures for pipes branching off-molded with a complex core pull setup. Parts are removed and stacked by a Wittmann W853 robot.
Here are some other booth highlights:
*A hybrid MacroPower E 450/2250 has a servo-hydraulic two-platen clamping unit with an all-electric injection unit. This combination has injection speeds of up to 450 millimeters per second. The press is molding a bucket, made with in-mold labeling.
It features a new concept for top-entry IML. A top-entry robot removes the buckets from the mold and stacks them. An IML robot takes the labels and inserts then in the fixed cavity. Removal of the buckets and insertion of the labels are done simultaneously, minimizing cycle time.
*All-electric EcoPower spotlights KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System), which transforms the kinetic energy generated by the braking process into electrical energy. Every single axis of motion is included in KERS.
*A clean-room with two-cell MicroPower machines connected by a "clean room tunnel."
Go over to Hall 10 and see the robots and auxiliary machines like granulators, dryers and conveying and blending equipment.
The new W833 pro robot is designed for injection molding machines with medium clamping force, up to 650 tonnes.
Also, a new robot control system, the R8.3, makes it easy to set up a robot without the need for formal programming.
You also can see an operating high-speed IML system, with a Wittmann Battenfeld world premier: Camera inspection of the two-wraparound labels that cover a round container, paying special attention on the line where the two labels meet.
Other auxiliary highlights include:
*New drying technology, of the Drymax Aton2 F30, an extension of Wittmann's segmented-wheel desiccant dryer. It saves 40 percent of the energy vs. a standard wheel dryer and is comparable in energy consumption to a tower dryer, company officials said.
The reason is the 3-0Save Process, taking only the regeneration energy needed to dry the molecular sieve in the wheel.
In addition, the drying temperature is determined by a preset dewpoint that is set by the climate conditions.
*Drymax E central dryer combined with Silmax drying hoppers, with an overflow volume capacity of 900 liters. The hoppers have SmartFlow, air- control flaps.
*In conveying news, Wittmann introduced its Feedmax single loaders, and the Feedmax B central loaders. All the latches of the Feeedmax X can be opened easily without the need for a tool.
*Wittmann also presents its Gravimax line of gravimetric dosing models.
*Wittmann's new models of the Tempro C120 series of basic temperature controllers, with a smaller footprint. The Tempro plus DL, with higher heating and cooling capaity.
*Flowcon Plus intelligent water flow regulators.
*Wittmann's flexible new MC 33 granulator makes its debut at K 2013.
The unit works equally well beside the press or in a central role, for injection molding and blow molding.