After last year's scheduled skip, the industry is now looking forward to the 28th Fakuma international trade fair for plastics processing in Friedrichshafen, Germany, timed to take place Oct. 17-21, 2023. This year, sustainability is once again the defining theme. It is given tangible shape in the focus on, among others, energy efficiency, recyclable design and AI-based solutions. These topics, and more, will be addressed in depth at the upcoming show.
The plastics processing machinery manufacturers are, as always, strongly represented at the show again this year. One of the highlights at the stand of Wittmann Battenfeld (Hall B1, Stand 1204) is the premiere of the manufacturer's new energy-efficient EcoPower B8X, featuring a number of important new features.
The new injection unit, available in various sizes, is pivotable and oil-lubricated instead of grease-lubricated, reducing the mechanical resistance and enhancing the dynamism of the machine, which has a positive effect on the energy balance. The design of the toggle lever itself has been optimized; the faster injection units in combination with the highly dynamic toggle lever enable extremely short cycle times. The result is a higher internal clock frequency, shorter response times to sensor signals and a higher reproducibility of parts.
The EcoPower B8X will be demonstrated on an EcoPower 110/350 B8X equipped with the new WX90 Wittmann sprue picker, configured as an Insider cell with integrated parts chute and S-Max screenless granulator, plus a WFC120 flow controller, to produce a bracket for a climbing net. The eight-cavity mold is supplied by Austrian company Lechner. The new EcoPower B8X will be available to the European market in clamping force sizes from 550 to 1800 kN from Fakuma 2023 onward.
Arburg (Hall A3, Stand 3101), is debuting the Allrounder 520 H, the company's latest addition to the hybrid Hidrive series. Designed to save energy and conserve resources, the new Allrounder is production-efficient, user-friendly and reliable, the company claims. The Allrounder 520 H Premium on show will use a 1+1+1-cavity mold to produce three different molded parts — a machine base, a feed hopper and a controller — from ABS in a cycle time of around 50 seconds. The three components are separated from one another in a cutting station and round off a set of 15 parts for a 1:18 scale model of an Arburg Allrounder.
The Moldlife Sense computer system enables sensor-controlled mold monitoring over the complete life cycle. The recorded data is passed via an OPC-UA interface directly to the Gestica control system, which displays corresponding malfunctions as well as performance-dependent maintenance intervals, thereby enabling predictive maintenance.
The new Multilift Select 8 linear robotic system with an 8-kilogram load removes the molded parts and places them in a box. A box changer ensures an autonomy of about two hours.
KraussMaffei (Hall A7, Stand 7303) and partners are presenting a low-carbon children's bicycle at KraussMaffei's booth at Fakuma 2023. The new Lion Bike by Marcel Kittel and Tony Martin, both former professional cyclists, features a frame and fork made of high-performance nylon 6 with 40 percent recycled carbon fibers, produced by specialist Weber Fibertech on an MX 1600 from KraussMaffei, in combination with a water injection molding process using PME fluidtec equipment. WIT is ideal for producing this type of functionally complex, highly integrated plastic component with hollow body construction. Here, for the first time in a bicycle frame, PME uses the mass back-pressure method, in which the melt displaced by the water is pressed back into the plasticizing unit and reused in the next shot for the frame or fork. This means that there is no waste during production, which in turn saves material during production and is beneficial for the carbon footprint. The first finished Lion Bikes will be available on the market from spring 2024, in time for Easter.
PlastiVation Machinery GmbH (Hall B3, Booth 3216) is showcasing two Tederic NEO injection molding machines at the upcoming exhibition. The first, a NEO-E230/e620 electric toggle injection molding machine, will be running in a complete production cell equipped with an industrial robot and molding a business card holder. The second, a NEO-T90/i380 machine described by the company as a cost-efficient hydraulic toggle injection molding machine, will be producing a plastic cup.
Fakuma marks the launch of the second generation of Tederic NEO injection molding machines in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. PlastiVation launched the Tederic NEO machines two years ago. This new generation adds models with significantly higher clamping force sizes. The NEO-E will now be available with clamping force sizes of up to 1,400 tons — previously 1,088; the two-platen NEO-H series now goes up to 5,500 tons; the multicomponent NEO-M series will now be available in sizes up to 3,520 tons; and the hydraulic universal injection molding machine NEO-T up to 1,050 tons.
Engel (Hall A5, Stand 5203) is launching its new part finder at Fakuma 2023: an effective tool for plastics processors for which a smartphone is all that is needed. The solution lets users identify and order virtually any part of an Engel injection molding machine in an uncomplicated way and is available free of charge as a feature of the Engel e-connect customer portal. The tool offers various options for identifying parts, including a convenient, image-based spare parts search function. Users take a picture of the part in question and define the image section to be used for the search; or mail the images to the purchasing department. The purchasing coordinator can then use the image file in part finder to identify the part.
The app can even recognize dirty, worn or defective parts of older machines — from cables to pumps. The part finder's database includes injection molding machines that are up to 20 years old, along with other systems.
Materials
Asahi Kasei (Hall B5, Stand 5319) is presenting a range of material solutions at the show, including a new recycling technology for nylon 6/6. Together with Japanese partner company Microwave Chemical, the company is working on a new technology for the chemical recycling of nylon 6/6. The process utilizes microwaves to depolymerize automotive airbags and other nylon 6/6 parts and directly obtain the monomers hexamethylenediamine (HMD) and adipic acid (ADA), which is expected to be accomplished at high yield with low energy consumption. The monomers obtained can then be used to manufacture new nylon 6/6.
Domo (Hall 4, Booth 4216) is celebrating Technyl's 70th anniversary, marking 70 years of innovative flame and temperature resistance, lightweighting and sustainable solutions. Domo is also showcasing the Domamid and Stabamid virgin polymer product lines offering high-quality solutions for better end product performance.
Plastics distributor and compounder WIS Kunststoffe GmbH (Hall B4, Booth 4307) will be presenting a broad portfolio of application-specific recyclates, including its new certified recyclates containing up to 100 percent post-consumer recycled content, the company said.
WIS offers recyclates from both post-consumer sources (PCR) and post-industrial sources (PIR). At Fakuma, WIS Kunststoffe is showcasing its odor-optimized polypropylene and polyethylene recyclates, suitable for sensitive applications, such as toys or household applications. For applications in the automotive industry, special high-tech recyclates (PCR) have been developed that already fulfill the criteria of the upcoming regulations in this area. Reinforced variants are also offered for exterior components, while odor-optimized grades with low emission values are available for interiors.
Also new are nylons with high heat resistance for technical applications, especially in the engine compartment. For the packaging industry, WIS now offers recycled polystyrenes.
The Lehvoss Group (Hall B1, Stand 1109) is showing a range of products developed by its Customized Polymer Materials division that, the company says, "open up completely new possibilities in the design and processing of plastics." This is demonstrated by such examples as the Synergy on Wheels display: an injection molded, fully recyclable carbon-fiber compound e-bike frame with a carbon footprint that is reduced by up to 64 percent, and 64 percent increased material rigidity; and Lehvoss Group's Large Format Additive Manufacturing (LFAM), also known as Fused Granulate Fabrication (FGF), which enables up to 80 percent cost savings in large-component manufacturing.
Mocom (Hall B4, Booth 4206) is launching recycled compounds for automotive translucent applications demonstrating that compounds made from post-consumer as well as post-industrial recyclates can be used in light diffusing, translucent applications. The Alcom LD (light diffusing) and LG (light guiding) Eco lines are made from up to 100 percent polymer post-consumer and post-industrial recyclates. Suited for light diffusing, translucent applications in the automotive industry, the products reportedly avoid the typical LED "hot spots" and are available in different polymers, including PC, MABS, MBS, copolyester or PMMA.
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