After last year's postponement, things are finally back on track: From 5 to 8 April 2022, France Innovation Plasturgie (FIP), the only trade fair of its kind in France, will take place again in Lyon as a face-to-face event on the Eurexpo site. Of course, Arburg will be among the approximately 800 exhibitors from 33 nations, presenting an electric Allrounder 470 A as well as a demo version of the digital arburgXworld customer portal in hall 5.1, stand M03 N06.
This time, the French hosts are offering a completely new format: three trade fairs in one: The “FIP” covers the industrial technology and services sector. The “FIP Valorize” focuses on the environmental challenges for the plastics industry, and the “FIP Transform” is the meeting place for processors and decision-makers from all sectors.
Pascal Laborde is the Managing Director of Arburg France and really looking forward to the trade fair, which is almost ten months late: “Finally, we'll meet our customers in person again. It's been a long time and it's definitely overdue. The FIP is the key trade for the plastics industry in France and also for Arburg as the most important and largest player on the national injection moulding market.”
One machine, two cavities
Arburg will present an electric Allrounder 470 A with 1000 kN clamping force and a 290 injection unit at the FIP. A Multilift Select robotic system will be used to handle the parts. The configuration has been optimised for this process in an application-oriented way.
In a 1+1-cavity family mould, toothed wheel and pole wheel are produced alternately in two cavities through turning from a PA6 with magnetic filler. Production is free of changeover and non-standard sequences. When changing products, only the second stored injection and mould program needs to be selected and the runner in the mould changed. The plastic filled with the magnetisable material is poled in the mould via permanent magnets. An electric Allrounder 470 A with the latest Gestica control system will alternately produce a magnetised toothed wheel and a pole wheel in a cycle time of only 73 seconds.
Plastic-bonded magnetic material: At the FIP 2022, an electric Allrounder 470 A will alternately produce a magnetised toothed wheel and a pole wheel. Photo: Arburg
The focus is always on the customer
Laborde wants to demonstrate the power of such an automation solution to the market with the presentation of the Allrounder 470 A: “We want to show our customers new, innovative ways to integrate functions in one machine. The keyword: magnetisation. We are proud of how reliably the Arburg machines perform even when faced with complex manufacturing processes.” Nevertheless, in case of any issues, in addition to the excellent and highly trained service team, there is also the option of using the self-help function of the arburgXworld to remedy malfunctions and machine failures.
After such a long pause, for Pascal Laborde it is all about the direct contact: “It's important to meet both existing and potential new customers, but also representatives of trade organisations and plastics associations," says the head of Arburg France. And the “FIP-Transform” offers the ideal opportunity to do just that. Laborde wants to give customers the chance to get to know Arburg even better and establish even closer ties with the global player from Lossburg. He will therefore bring along a special digital highlight: “We will also present our arburgXworld customer portal in detail in Lyon. This is where all digital services of Arburg can be found in one place.” Customers have almost unlimited possibilities to access up-to-date information on the machine fleet, and to start and monitor machines, for example. Equally, 24/7 service requests can be made or online spare parts ordered - on all digital devices.
Facing environmental challenges head-on
Another focus of this trade fair will be the matter of the environment with all its aspects, including the topic of the circular economy. Exhibitors will present the latest technologies and solutions at the “FIP Valorize”. Indeed, for Arburg, this topic has been an important part of the company's philosophy for years. The company has introduced the arburgGREENworld programme to combine its efficiency, environmental protection and circular economy measures, which have already been underway for decades.
A trip to the FIP 2022 in Lyon should definitely be worth it. Of course, visitors will have to follow the corresponding Covid-19 rules.
