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EnviroTech Corp., a manufacturer of some of the heaviest injection molded parts in the world, has installed an Engel duo 16050/1000 WP US machine and Engel viper 40 robot in its Salt Lake City facility. "Of the suppliers that we approached with this project, Engel offered us the largest shot size on a machine with a 1000 ton clamp force," said Craig McKinnon, director of operations. "Their machine could also manage the processes required for the thick-walled parts that make up our core business."

PlasticsToday Staff

December 11, 2014

2 Min Read
EnviroTech installs Engel's 1000 ton duo machine and viper 40 robot

EnviroTech Corp., a manufacturer of some of the heaviest injection molded parts in the world, has installed an Engel duo 16050/1000 WP US machine and Engel viper 40 robot in its Salt Lake City facility. 

"Of the suppliers that we approached with this project, Engel offered us the largest shot size on a machine with a 1000 ton clamp force," said Craig McKinnon, director of operations. "Their machine could also manage the processes required for the thick-walled parts that make up our core business."

The e key for EnviroTech was to find a partner that would provide the expected level of technical service and support, along with a high quality machine. 

EnvirotTech_duo1000withviper40.jpeg"Going into the process we saw Engel as the technology leader in injection molding, and they proved it to us throughout this project," said McKinnon. "The quality of technical information Engel provided was far superior to anything received by any other suppliers. Their team worked closely with our people to specify the machine and make sure it was exactly what we required, and would be suitable for multiple applications. This really moved them to the top of the list."

Large shot sizes means large molds, making the Engel tie-bar retraction option an important benefit for EnviroTech. The Engel tie-bar retraction device enables quick overhead mold change of even large molds (in as little as 45 seconds) without removing core cylinders and slides. The device automatically retracts one of the upper tie-bars - within the machine footprint - in the direction of the injection unit, saving space by doing so. After setting the mold the tie-bar is quickly returned to position for production.

EnviroTech also installed an Engel viper 40 robot on their new 2-platen machine to perform pick-and-place operations. The laser-welded steel construction of the Engel viper - which allows it to handle significantly higher loads than similar devices - was crucial to EnviroTech, as the robot must handle parts weighing up to 30 lbs. Additionally, Engel's full integration of the robot control through the machine control provides easier programming, monitoring and operation for EnviroTech technicians.

EnviroTech Molded Products provides services including part design, molding, machining, assembly and testing of quality finished products. The company has made developments in injection and bulk injection molding technology that enable them to provide unique capabilities, and has lead them to become experts in the molding of large parts with heavy wall sections and complex configurations. 

The 95,000 sq-ft EnviroTech facility operates 24/7, with production runs from one piece to several thousand, and a staff of approximately 100. They process 4 to 5 million pounds of material each year, utilizing polypropylene, polyethelyne, nylon, PVDF, ABS, as well as many engineering resins. 

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