Worcester, Mass.-based Absolute Haitian (W943) will present the fifth generation of its Haitian servo-hydraulic and Zhafir electric injection molding machines at NPE2024 with updates related to energy efficiency, performance and intelligence.
Absolute Haitian is the sales and service partner in the U.S. and Canada for China-based Ningbo Haitian Machinery Co. Ltd., which is the world's largest supplier of plastics injection molding machinery, shipping some 43,000 machines annually.
The machines are built at about 30 factories in China and globally with 20 million square feet of manufacturing space. The production operations involve eight hours of employee work and 16 hours of automation. It also has a 116,000-square-foot applications center in Moncks Corner, S.C.
"That's how they're able to keep up with this incredible pace of 30,000-50,000 machines a year. They build machines on an assembly line like a car," Glenn Frohring, president of Absolute Haitian, told Plastics News.
For plastics processors that need to quickly buy multiple machines, Haitian is ready, he added.
"Another manufacturer might say, 'We can get you five this month and five next month,'" Frohring said. "Haitian can produce 500 machines in one month. It's amazing what they can do. They provide the edge when you need to get to market quickly. Nobody has these manufacturing capacity or lead time capabilities. That's always our strongest suit."
Haitian's molding machine technology will be on display at a 4,900-square-foot booth at NPE2024 featuring four different machine cells.
The so-called Generation 5 presses offer up to 20 percent energy savings and have a smaller footprint and improved cycle times, according to a company news release.
A new control system applies artificial intelligence algorithms and sensor technology to enhance machine functions for energy management, accuracy, consistency, diagnostics and assistance.
The next-gen presses also have an electric screw drive as standard on the servo-hydraulic series up to 120 millimeters, which the company said reduces overall energy usage by at least 20 percent and improves processing stability. In addition, the new presses feature increased plasticizing rates for reduced cycle times and reduced machine footprints for greater productivity per square foot.
The four production cells to be featured at NPE2024 include:
• A 214-ton ZE1900V/300h from the Zhafir Zeres 5 all-electric press series, which will produce medical IV filters from ABS in an 8-by-8-cavity stack mold in a cycle time of 18 seconds with part removal by a Haitian Hilectro robot.
• A 101-ton Zhafir Venus all-electric press, the VE1200V/210hs "B," which will produce medical syringe barrels from Tritan copolyester, also in 18 seconds.
• A 315-ton Haitian Mars 2 servo-hydraulic press, the MA2800V/1350 "B," which will make polypropylene storage containers in a 50-second cycle time for a Haitian Hilectro robot to remove.
• A 731-ton Haitian Jupiter 5 servo-hydraulic, two-platen press, the JU7500V/3450 "A," which will mold an automotive panel from a polycarbonate/ABS blend in 60 seconds.