JSW spotlights midsize presses, Imflux

Orlando, Fla. — All-electric injection molding machine builder Japan Steel Works America Inc. (JSW America) is helping processors achieve greater sustainability in their operations.

The company showcased its JADS series, which increases energy efficiency, reduces material waste and maximizes productivity, at NPE2024 in Orlando, said Dale Bartholomew, national technical manager of JSW America, which is based in New York.

Founded in 1978, the subsidiary of Japan Steel Works Ltd. gave the NPE2024 limelight to the latest generation of the midsize presses, which Bartholomew described as faster and more accurate.

JADS series machines were featured in four work cells to demonstrate large-part molding, shuttle mold systems, high-speed packaging and a medical application with Imflux processing software. The demonstration with Imflux featured a low to high material viscosity shift for post-consumer polypropylene that formed a dose cup.

"This is atypical for most medical applications. However, JSW wanted to showcase the advantages Imflux provides for both running [post-consumer resin] and improved quality for medical molding," said Gene Altonen, Imflux's chief technology officer.

The dose cups were produced with a 100-ton J100ADS medical-grade machine integrated with Imflux processing software for clean room applications.

"With Imflux, nobody is making adjustments and you're getting 100 percent uptime," according to David Yons, sales engineer for JSW America.

"The melt flow moves back and forth between a 20 melt blue material and a 40 melt green material," Yons said. "We're trying to simulate PCR coming out of a grinder where you go from one end of the spectrum being a powder and the other end of the spectrum being a solid, skinny runner."

As the material goes down the barrel, Yon said, Imflux provides "a huge improvement" to keeping the shot weight perfect and the parts good without having to adjust and suffer downtime.

For some processors, the Imflux package is on the expensive side. Yon said he urges prospective customers to look beyond the initial purchase price.

"You have to look three to five years out and not paying someone to hang out at the machine all day so you can run 50 percent PCR. That's huge," Yon said. "Then, the legacy costs kick in, and the purchase price evaporates."

Advanced System Integration & Control (ASIC), which builds the control panels, has taken over the day-to-day operational duties, including sales, from Procter & Gamble Co., which developed the technology.

An ASIC representative said not only is Imflux still actively in production and available but also the company is honoring existing claims that are under warranty and supporting customers with spare parts for existing machines.

Also, operator training is offered at ASIC's facility in West Chester, Ohio.

The large-part molding cell used the J650ADS, a 650-ton, all-electric injection molding machine, to mold desk partitions. Bartholomew said the energy-efficient machine also is ideal for molding large parts for the automotive and appliance industries.

In another demonstration, a Canon shuttle mold system, ran two molds in one cycle on a single 350-ton J350ADS machine to make two different parts — a pair of etched shot glasses — while maximizing productivity in a minimal floor space.

For the high-speed packaging cell, a 350-ton J350ADS ultraspec machine integrates with a Campetella high-speed robot to accelerate production of packaging containers. The Imflux software makes automatic adjustments to maintain part quality, weight and dimensions.

JSW's demonstrations also featured technologies from industry partners such as Campetella Robotic Center, Frigel North America, Hot Runner Technology, Kosmek USA, Maguire Products, Matsui America, Sterling Plastics, Ultra-Poly Corp. and Yushin America.