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The perfect combination of injection molding and thermoforming
"The CX 300-1000 provides concrete proof that complex structural
components can be made in a fully automatic production process with
noticeably short cycle times using FiberForm technology from KraussMaffei,"
explains Frank Peters, Vice President Sales at KraussMaffei. The
combination of thermoforming one or several semifinished products (organic sheets, thermoplastic tapes, etc.) and injection molding thermoplastic materials opens up completely new design possibilities for manufacturers.
For example, the 3000kN machine can be used to over-mold an organic
sheet made from a glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide with a PA 6, which is
also reinforced with glass fibers, at a shot weight of 139 g. The highlight of the production method is the new pressurized in-line joining process, which can be used to make hollow parts. The ability to produce complex yet
lightweight parts with extremely high dimensional stability in a cycle time ofjust 57 seconds – which makes the process ideally suited to high-volume production – was developed through close collaboration with Wirth
Werkzeugbau, Lanxess Deutschland, Bond-Laminates and HKPräzisionstechnik.
The servomotor drive unit in the CX 300 also makes
production energy efficient.
Design freedom and integrated functions
Well-engineered heating technology, which ensures that the composite is
warmed through evenly in a convection oven in the paternoster design,
allows the use of semifinished fiber parts with different thicknesses and fiber orientations. Even at very high fiber contents, all the fibers are completely surrounded by the matrix polymer. Fully integrated infrared radiators activate the joining surface and thereby ensure optimum binding between the organic
sheet and the thermoplastic matrix. After preheating, a multifunction gripper places and transfers the organic sheet into the mold and later demolds the
finished part. The process is so flexible that both partial over-molding anddirect trimming can be carried out fully automatically and without the needfor post-mold processing.
KraussMaffei Technologies GmbH. |
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