Husky’s HyperSync for specialty closures has global debut at K 2016

The fully integrated HyperSync system for speciality closure manufacturing from Husky (Bolton, ON, Canada) is having its world premiere at K 2016 in Düsseldorf, Germany. Running on stand A61 in hall 13, the machine is Husky’s “first demo of a fully integrated specialty closure system,” said Steve Lawrynuik, President, Medical and Specialty Packaging Systems, during a morning press conference at the K show. At the stand, the machine is shown molding a 6.1-gram flip-top closure for a shampoo bottle at a cycle time of 8.5 seconds. A key feature of the equipment is the synchronization of machine and mold processes that enables accelerated cycle times at lower total per-part costs with no impact on product quality, said Lawrynuik.

The mold, machine, hot runner and auxiliaries are all designed to work together. “The mold is integrated into the machine,” explained Lawrynuik. Husky’s eIMCTM in-mold closing technology allows for the safe overlapping of mold functions, providing precise, controlled closing of flip-top closures while still in the warm position, according to company information. The speed of closing is carefully controlled, allowing for quick closing movements with precision; this ensures a fast closing speed while maintaining the ideal force required and ensuring optimal part quality. “Customers can achieve a 20% improvement in productivity,” said Lawrynuik, without experiencing any loss in product quality. “We have had a tremendous response for this system just on the first day of the show,” he added.

At the press conference, Lawrynuik also expressed enthusiasm about Husky’s expansion into medical applications, largely stemming from the acquisition of Swiss moldmaker Schöttli in 2013, which he led. “One of the top moldmakers in the medical space, Schöttli brought unique wisdom and an understanding of medical applications to Husky,” said Lawrynuik.

Also of interest to medical molders, Husky announced the availability of the Ultra Helix 350 valve gate at the K show. Based on Ultra Helix valve-gate technology, which received the 2015 Ringier Technology Innovation Award for production efficiency and cost effectiveness, the nozzles come as close as possible to zero gate vestige performance and dramatically improve part quality, according to Husky. Mechanical wear on valve stems and cavity steel is virtually eliminated, it adds.

The technology has won over Casey Miller, Senior Tooling Engineer at C&J Industries, an FDA-registered manufacturer of medical devices. “Although other manufacturers have gates incorporated in the nozzle tips similar to the Ultra Helix, we have not seen one that has the valve stem with continuous guidance throughout the cycle,” said Miller. “Because of this, we have gained a lot of confidence in the gate quality and elimination of wear that these valve gates provide. We are planning to implement Ultra Helix in future production tools with long run times,” he added.