Arburg Technology Days 2018

Micro-injection moulding in the PIM process

An electric Allrounder 270 A with a clamping force of 350 kN, equipped with a size 5 micro-injection unit, demonstrates that the Arburg micro-production cell is also suitable for the production of small metal parts. In the powder injection moulding process (PIM), two nine-gram model railway insulators are produced in a cycle time of 18 seconds. In this case, the micro injection unit combines an 18 millimetre screw for melting the material with an 8-millimetre injection screw.

"Industrie 4.0 – powered by Arburg": practical example of a tension strap

A practical example of Industry 4.0 is presented, involving the production of a variety of elastic tension straps. In the Customer Center, a turnkey system built around a vertical Allrounder 375 V with a clamping force of 500 kN demonstrates how customer requirements can be integrated into the running injection moulding process online. Visitors to the Technology Days 2018 can select the variant of their choice on the screen. The production cell then produces the tension straps "on demand" in high volumes in different versions, while maintaining cost-effectiveness. Thanks to a clever product and mould design, this is a flexible process from shot to shot without any need to change the machine set-up. In industrial practice, an application of this kind is ideal for cable assembly in the automotive industry, for example

Industrial additive manufacturing

Visitors to the Technology Days 2018 can experience seven Freeformers "live" in one place - more than at any other trade fair worldwide. The exhibits use Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF) to produce functional components from qualified materials. The processing of the PMMA is presented as a new development.

Seven Freeformers in one swoop

Visitors to the Technology Days 2018 can experience seven Freeformers in a single swoop - more than at any trade fair worldwide. The exhibits use Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF) to produce functional components from qualified materials. As an innovation, the processing of the materials PMMA and SEBS (medically approved) are being presented. Moreover closure caps made from standard PP are on show, as well as parts made from PC, PA10, ABS and from two components.

"At the Technology Days, we are demonstrating the wide variety of functional components that can be produced from qualified original materials in an additive manufacturing process using the Freeformer," says Eberhard Lutz, Director Freeformer Sales. "Because we have been receiving highly positive feedback on the processing capabilities with standard PP since the premiere in autumn 2017, we have now begun using this semi-crystalline material at our Arburg Prototyping Center in order to produce sample parts for potential customers on the Freeformer."

Expansion of the material database

A total of seven Freeformers and numerous functional components are being used at the Technology Days 2018 to demonstrate that Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF) is not only suitable for prototyping but also for the industrial additive manufacturing of functional components in particular.

The APF experts are continuously expanding the existing material database with new materials. In addition to amorphous standard granulates such as ABS, PA and PC, the material spectrum includes, for example, elastic TPU and semi-crystalline PP. The processing of PMMA and a medically approved SEBS with a hardness of 28 Shore A (Cawiton PR13576) is being presented for the first time at the Technology Days.

Other original materials that have been successfully processed on the Freeformer include ABS Terluran GP-35, PA10 XE 4010, PC Lexan 940 (approved for aerospace applications), PC-ABS Bayblend FR3021 (flame-proof), PLA Purasorb PL18 (approved for medical technology), PP Braskem CP 393 and TPU Elastollan C78A.