LSR shows great versatility at K 2019 show

Düsseldorf, Germany — K 2019 was a showplace for liquid silicone rubber, with companies highlighting new machinery, materials, tooling, molding and simulation technologies.

As a world premiere, Schwertberg, Austria-based injection molding machinery producer Engel Austria GmbH ran an entirely license-free process applying an LSR gasket to both sides of a 65 percent zirconium/16 percent copper content metallic glass alloy frame.

First, a 120-metric-ton Engel Victory AMM amorphous metal molding machine molded 100 grams shot weight of Amloy Vitreloy 105 Zr/Cu/Ni/Ti/Al alloy from Hanau, Germany-based Heraeus Holding GmbH. The demonstration used a mold from Singapore-based Flex Ltd. with a cycle time of 70 seconds. Such net shape metal parts do not need manual or CNC machining, unlike metal injection molding, according to Heraeus.

The second machine, a 45-tonne vertical Engel Insert 60V/45 Rotary XS containing an RD 900-millimeter-diameter two-station rotary table, overmolded 1.425 grams of LSR 3070/50 from Burghausen, Germany-based Wacker Chemie AG as a gasket onto the metal frame with 35 seconds cycle time. The demonstration used a tool from Marchtrenk, Austria-based LSR molder Starlim Sterner Spritzguss GmbH. The highly fluid uncured LSR reached the underside through small apertures in the frame.

An Engel Viper 12 linear robot worked with the automatic metal ingot feeding system and an Engel Easix KR10 R1420 articulated arm robot inserted the metal frame in the Starlim mold and removed the finished LSR/metal part.

Engel said the AMM/LSR process opens new opportunities for "almost indestructible housings with better dust, water and radio wave protection." Potential applications include portable electronic devices, minimally invasive surgical instruments, suspension systems and wear-resistant drive-train components.

As part of Engel's Inject 4.0 interpretation of Industry 4.0 principles, iQ Flow Control and iQ Vibration Control Smart Machine solutions monitored the LSR process, supplemented by e-connect and e-connect 24 Smart Service support.

Rankweil, Austria-based subsidiary Technische Informationssysteme GmbH (TIG) provided Smart Production manufacturing execution system and enterprise resource planning support with TIG authentig intelligent networking, TIG 2go smart dashboard and TIG big machine data bank software solutions. TIG became an Engel subsidiary in 2016 and has networked more than 10,000 injection molding machines worldwide.

Lyon-Corbas, France-based rubber machinery producer REP International SAS focused on waste-free flashless molding with a 160-tonne G10 V410 Extended injection molding machine.

The demonstration applied 0.5-mm-thick LSR gaskets with 3.1 cubic centimeters (3.5 grams) in Wacker Chemie Elastosil LR 3003/50 to 0.1-mm-thin steel foils to form fuel cell separators.

A TOP 5000 P unit from Oftering, Austria-based Elmet Elastomere Produktions- und Dienstleistungs GmbH mixed and dosed the LSR.

Lafeuillade-en-Vézie, France-based automated systems designer MécaTheil Robotique SARL supplied automation, which included a Stäubli articulated arm robot transferring metal foils from one station to others and finished foils. Equipment from Ebhausen, Germany-based Diener electronic GmbH + Co. KG applied plasma treatment to improve steel/LSR adhesion.

Verneuil-sur-Vienne, France-based mold maker Euclide Industrie Coremo sarl made the mold, with a cold runner block valve gate system from Stockelsdorf, Germany-based WEAsystec GmbH.

Nassau, Germany-based EMDE MouldTec GmbH molded LSR cookie forms on a horizontal Engel injection molding machine. Activity in bulk handling equipment for international bulk containers was also on display, including flexible transparent LSR joints produced for material handling pipes.

Neuwied, Germany-based injection press maker Dr. Boy GmbH & Co. KG molded transparent teats at K 2019 in an EMDE MouldTec mold. The cooled conveyor belt came from Bergneustadt, Germany-based MTF Technik Hardy Schürfeld GmbH & Co. KG.

EMDE MouldTec supplied a hot runner mold for yellow LSR potholders molded by Aachen, Germany-based Sigma Engineering GmbH in Silopren LSR 2630 from Leverkusen-based Momentive Performance Materials. The demonstration used a SmartPower 90/350 injection press from Kottingbrunn, Austria-based Wittmann Battenfeld GmbH.

Sigma made simulation studies, applying virtual design of experiments, for the 83-gram potholders, the mold tool and the molding process with Sigmasoft Interact software, overcoming challenges of mainly 1-mm wall thickness over most of the part and flow length up to 135 mm.

Sigma simulated rheology and flow for a "Butterfly" cell phone and navigation device holder for horizontal or vertical mounting on automotive interior ventilation grilles. NDU New Design University in Sankt Pölten, Austria, designed the part, as molded by Momentive Performance Polymers in transparent Apec 1745 polycarbonate from Leverkusen, Germany-based Covestro AG and Silopren LSR 2759 black adhesion optimized primerless LSR.

A Wittmann Battenfeld SmartPower 120/130H/130S Combimold multicomponent injection molding machine molded the part with 40 seconds cycle time.

Elmet also showed Butterflies at its booth, as it supplied the 1+1-cavity cold-runner mold tool and TOP 5000 P mixing and dosing equipment for them. Hot runners for the Apec 1745 component came from Lüdenscheid, Germany-based HASCO Hasenclever GmbH + Co KG.

Elmet's work is progressing on development of an electric drive TOP 5000 P dosing system, starting with a redesigned pump group, to be followed by a full electric drive "E" version. TOP 5000 P includes Industry 4.0 capability with VNC (Virtual Network Computing) and OPC-UA (Open Platform Communications — Unified Architecture) interfaces for data exchange with injection molding machines. A new email and remote access interface comes within a Premium Connectivity Package as from December 2019, enabling automatic messaging in the event of breakdowns or drum-change needs.

Thalheim, Austria-based LSR equipment producer and mold maker Rico Elastomere Projecting GmbH announced building of a 96+96-cavity mold, its largest ever, supplied to Miramar, Fla.-based molding subsidiary Simtec Silicone Parts LLC.

Simtec uses it to produce nylon/LSR automotive sensor covers for a Tier 1 automotive supplier, mounted on a 350 ton injection press. Previously the largest size molds produced by Rico and used by Simtec have been 48+48-cavity ones, according to Simtec Managing Director Franz Dilly.

A standard three-axis linear robot removes parts for post-curing the LSR component. Rico designed the lightweight end-of-art-tooling with some carbon fiber-reinforced plastic parts, thus handling high cavitation without exceeding the maximum permissible load-bearing level.

Rico's Wolfhalden, Switzerland-based, Silocoplast AG subsidiary developed its own 3D printing equipment and used it to produce an Ethernet connector prototype by first printing a PET part, then 3D printing a single-cavity mold used to overmold the PET part with LSR.

Fischlham, Austria-based ACH Solution GmbH Hefner Molds provided the two-cavity mold tool used by Burghausen, Germany-based silicone materials producer Wacker Chemie AG in mounted on a Silcoset PX 121-180 injection molding machine from Munich, Germany-based KraussMaffei Technologies GmbH.

The machine cell molded two types of blue coffee-to-go beverage mug lids: One lid fits a Kahla bring-your-own ceramic mug; the other a Recup returnable polypropylene one with a refundable 1 euro deposit payment.

ACH Solution provided most of the production cell equipment. This included part handling, Maximix 2G mixing and dosing equipment, and an ACH Vision Control camera-based optical on-screen displayed inspection system for control and regulation of dimensions and weight. It also included a printing station, applying a data matrix code to the under surface of the Kahla mug lid.

Wacker R&D manager Thomas Frese said the new Elastosil LR 5040 used for the lids has very low volatile content, as required for such sensitive applications, and that it doesn't need post-curing. Also as part of a low volatiles initiative, he stressed recent upgrading of its entire European LSR product range to low volatile levels "that brings additional features, not only related to sensitive applications," Frese said.

The latest Imagine Series K2 printer for 3D printing LSR, from Wacker's ACEO 3D printing business unit, was on display together with examples of the machine's new ability to simultaneously print four LSR materials in different colors or hardnesses. ACEO Global Marketing Director Egbert Klaassen revealed the new printer has "optical control functionality enabling us to print even more parts than before."

Aside from showing the renowned Quant-U ECCO shoe mid-soles, Dow Silicones had the latest L320 3D printer from its partner, Feldkirchen, Germany-based German RepRap GmbH on show. It printed a demonstration part in IMAGIN3D technology Silastic 3D 3335, colored in Dow corporate red with pigment color masterbatch from Garlasco, Italy-based Mesgo Iride Colors srl.

The color was added to a Servomix X20 dosing system from Eberstalzell, Austria-based Nexus Elastomer Systems GmbH. A core element in the printer is the ViscoDuo-FDD 4/4 printhead, controlled by step-motor signals and produced by Langenfeld, Germany-based ViscoTec Pumpen- u. Dosiertechnik GmbH.

Wittmann Battenfeld molded blue medical fittings on an all-electric EcoPower 160/350 machine equipped with a 16-cavity cold runner mold tool from Nexus with Timeshot valve gate control so that amounts molded are monitored and then regulated by adjusting injection time. The Nexus Highline mixing and dosing unit had a new Servomix dosing system with integrated OPC-UA capability. A Wittmann WX142 robot handled part removal.

On the booth of its distributor Molteno, Italy-based Rambaldi & Co. I.T. srl International Trading, the Kierspe, Germany-based Christmann Kunststofftechnik GmbH micromolding machinery producer molded foam-cored earplugs that it has developed with Kassel University on a Babyplast 6/12PT LSR micromolding machine.

The Alpa-LSR 450201 material from CHT Germany contained a Unicell MS140 DS microspherical foaming agent.

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