Polisol shows off​ ​ massive machine​ with table production

Mexico City — This was not your average plastics trade show display of machine might.

And José Antonio de León would have it no other way.

The director of Grupo Industrial Polisol S.A. de C.V. wanted attendees at Plastimagen to know his company is showing its strength at the show this year. So the company operated an injection molding machine weighing in at 90 metric tons from Asian Plastic Machinery Co. Ltd., a unit of Chen Hsong Group.

With 2,200 metric tons of clamping force, de León said it was the largest injection molding machine on display at the Mexico City trade show; so heavy that it wasn't even allowed on the main show floor.

Polisol, which represents Chen Hsong in Mexico, put all that muscle to good use as the Supermaster 2200DPV produced a one-piece patio table that weighed almost nine pounds and had a cycle time of two minutes.

Machinery makers at trade shows like to attract attention from the masses to create a buzz about their products and show off a bit to would-be buyers.

"Some people, it's the first time they see a machine so big," de León said. "But the customers we really want to attract, you are showing your muscle, you are big, you have the skills to put the machine here.

"For us, it's very important to show," he said.

While the machine created products every two minutes, de León said the actual cycle time could be cut in half in a production scenario with better utility ​ connections.

Because of its weight, the machine was in Hall F, which was situated in the infield area of the adjacent Hipodromo de las Americas horse track.

Each table took 4 kilograms of polypropylene to produce. And because of the size of the tables, few folks decided to ask for one. Hall F also is a bit of a walk away from the main exhibition area, so that dampened people's interest.

While just a few people walked away with a table, that doesn't mean people weren't interested. People gathered around the machine, snapping cellphone photos and waiting out the cycle time to see tables coming out of the huge mold.

Exactly what Polisol planned to do with all the tables it produced at show remains to be seen, de León said. Maybe the company will have them back to its facility in Toluca and sell them, he said.

The idea, de León said, is to show the market "we are a player."

While it was the largest injection molding machine at the show this year, it's also the largest Polisol has ever brought to the show. Last year, the machinery representative showcased a unit with 1,250 metric tons of clamping force. So this year's display almost doubles that size.

"This is the largest machine you will find in the exhibition. We want to show people we are big," he said.