Busy May for Japanese press maker Nissei Plastic Industrial

Nissei Plastic Industrial Co. Ltd. will show seven injection molding machines at NPE2018, including the technologies of electric molding, hybrid molding and vertical molding, as the Japanese company prepares to open its U.S. manufacturing plant in San Antonio.

The plant will officially open on May 14, the Monday after the conclusion of NPE, which runs May 7-11 in Orlando, Fla.

Visitors can see Nissei America Inc. equipment at Booth W923.

Nissei has built the 114,232-square-foot factory in Brookes City-Base, a mixed-use area south of downtown San Antonio. The development is on the site of the former Brooks Air Force Base.

Nissei officials announced construction of the U.S. factory in late 2016. The Texas plant will build injection molding machines with clamping forces ranging from 500 to 1,440 tons.

Here are some highlights of machines Nissei America will show at NPE2018:

• A 501-ton hybrid press, called FNX460III-160A, will turn out letter cases on a two-cavity mold. The company's hybrid machines are equipped with the X-Pump pump system, which combines advantages of hydraulics and electrics.

• Nissei is developing another hybrid press, the FNX220IV-50A, as the next generation in the FNX-IV series. In Orlando, Nissei will show a prototype model, featuring wide tie-bar spacing and more extended daylight. The press has the latest controller, the Tact 5.

• Nissei is taking the concept of optimal low clamping force further by developing the N-SAPLI low-pressure molding, which controls clamping force while reducing the injection peak pressure. Advantages include longer mold and machine life, shorter cycle times thanks to the shorter injection holding pressure and mold cooling, fewer defects by better gas venting, and reduced clamping force requirements. The technology — plus wide tie- bar spacing — will enable Nissei to mold containers on a 237-ton press that normally would require a 386-tonner.

• A 397-ton NEX-IV electric injection press, molding mugs on a two-cavity mold.

• A small, 22-ton hybrid vertical machine in the STX Series, will run with a two-arm SCARA robot that puts in inserts, removes the part, cuts the gate and does assembly. The robot is collaborative, so it does not require a safety guard to work alongside a human.

• For micromolding, Nissei will show a 7.8-ton press, the NPX-7, outfitted with a Smart Feeder — a Nissei-designed device that prevents material feeding problems and stabilizes melting and plasticizing of the resin. Nissei claims to hold almost 40 percent of the market in Japan for presses from 1-19 tons to mold very small precision parts, such as automotive, electronics and medical devices.

• For fans of liquid silicone rubber, the company will run a turnkey automated insert molding work cell molding a magnifier with an LSR lens.

• NPE2018 visitors also can check out Nissei 4.0 — the company's Industry 4.0 solution that uses the injection molding machine to pull data from the mold and material, plus all devices such as auxiliary equipment and the overall factory environment.