Blowmolding: New model added to all-electric machine rangeBlowmolding: New model added to all-electric machine range
As we reported recently, and judging from the announcements being made in advance of the event, the upcoming K 2010 tradeshow will be the launch pad for more than a dozen new blowmolding machinery developments. Among those will be a new double-station shuttle machine powered by electrical drives, not hydraulics.
August 11, 2010
As we reported recently, and judging from the announcements being made in advance of the event, the upcoming K 2010 tradeshow will be the launch pad for more than a dozen new blowmolding machinery developments. Among those will be a new double-station shuttle machine powered by electrical drives, not hydraulics.
The manufacturer, Uniloy Milacron Germany GmbH/B&W continues the advance it started in 2007 at the last K show when it introduced a hybrid version of its established single-station machine UMS 16H.S, and then followed that with its first all-electric single-station machine, the UMS 4E.S with 4 tons' clamp force, which it ran during NPE 2009 in Chicago. For processors attending the K show, the company plans to introduce the double station UMS 12E.D at its stand there, 14/B68.
Uniloy Milacron Germany / B&W is headquartered in Grossbeeren, Germany, with R&D, sales, service and procurement handled there. Since 2000 its machines are manufactured in its production plant in Policka, Czech Republic. It is part of plastics processing machinery manufacturer Milacron's Uniloy blowmolding machinery business unit.
At the K show the company's new machine will process 225-ml bottles with a triple parison head at 100-mm centers. The machine will be kitted with leak testers designed by Uniloy Milacron Germany that are installed above the deflashing station and are operated via the machine's B&R-brand controller.
The manufacturer says processors can look forward to easy product and tool changeovers owing to quick-change modules integrated in the rear clamp platen, a retractable cutting device, electrical extruder height adjustment as well as electrical movement back and forth of the extruder. With this new machine, B&W now offers all-electric units with 4, 8, and 12 tons clamp force. In the last 10 years, electric drives have become much more common on blowmolding machinery, as the cost of these drives has dropped and their availability increased. Compared to hydraulic machines the average energy consumption savings with anal-electric machine is around 30%, according to B&W. Electrically driven machines also make it easier for processors to bid for projects requiring cleanroom production and the production of sensitive products such as pharmaceutical, medical, or food applications.
B&W officials say their company's all-electric machines are finding favor in the market. A UMS 16H.S has been producing 10L containers since the beginning of 2008; the UMS 4E.S has been making technical parts for surgeries since early 2010, and the first UMS 12E.D was installed at a processor's facility only weeks ago. The K show demo machine is currently being built at B&W's plant. A machine with a 24-ton clamp system is being developed already. —[email protected]
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