At K 2019, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery GmbH will unveil the future of minimalist modern car dashboards, making driving more comfortable for millions of motorists.
As a result of developments in autonomous driving, connectivity and electro mobility (e-mobility), car interiors are changing fast. According to the latest research, the global automotive interiors market is anticipated to reach USD29.35bn by 2025.
Bulky dashboards are being replaced by more aesthetically-pleasing minimalist surfaces. Customisable controls are boosting comfort. Interior lighting, acoustic systems and sound insulation are being integrated into car surfaces. Moulding these high-tech interior components requires greater precision and process stability.
Future interior vehicle designs will offer drivers a greater sensory experience with fewer buttons and switches
“Featuring fewer switches, these tactile panels create a more sensory experience for motorists. In the future, applications like this will reduce the number of components in a vehicle,” notes Henrik Langwald, Business Development Director Automotive at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag.
At K 2019, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag will demonstrate its largest In Mould Decorating (IMD) display to-date. The trailblazing, as-yet unseen, IMD touchfoil interactive decoration for a vehicle console will be produced on a brand new IntElect 500 being unveiled at the show.
Dynamic, precise and energy saving, the new IntElect series, now ranging up to 500 tonnes, features the company’s latest innovation in servo drives, enabling improved repeatability and shorter cycle times. The big tie bar spacing, increase in mould height and opening stroke means that the new IntElect models can accommodate larger moulds. The result is a less energy intensive machine for automotive applications that would previously have required a larger tonnage.
Langwald adds: “As society moves towards more integrated touchscreen electronic components in vehicle interiors, injection moulding machines need to adapt. All of the technological enhancements in the IntElect 500 are designed to give moulders the tools, machine synchronisation, mould safety and real-time production monitoring required for tomorrow’s automotive smart factories.”
The new IntElect 500 can accommodate larger moulds, providing an energy efficient option for automotive applications previously requiring a larger tonnage
The IntElect 500 is designed to achieve extremely precise shot control, combined with improved platen stiffness for better production safety.
The IntElect’s optimised clamp force is a result of an innovative double centre press platen. Designed in-house by Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, it ensures equal surface pressure distribution. In addition to the high precision of the drive system, features like activeLock (an active closing non return valve) or activeFlowBalance (ensuring even filling of multi cavity moulds) can be used to achieve higher repeatability and precision.
Source: Sumitomo (SHI) Demag
