Injection molding: 4400-ton duo largest installed Engel in North America

The first of two 4400-ton Engel duo injection molding machines was installed in Winchester, KY at Infiltrator Systems Inc. (ISI) for the production of drainage chambers used in the wastewater industry. ISI, which runs multiple Engel machines at sites in Kentucky and Ogden, UT, including 720-, 1250- and 1900-ton units, is now the recipient of the largest Engel machine in North America, with a second duo 45050/4400 press to be installed shortly. Engel describes ISI as the market leader in onsite wastewater treatment in North America, with the new capacity giving it the capability to produce chambers for more than one-third of the septic systems installed in the U.S. annually from the two new machines alone. The company’s systems act as a replacement for stone and pipe leach fields previously used in the septic industry.

Built in St. Valentin, Austria, at Engel’s large-machine plant there, the machines required custom pallets, containers, and oversized trucks for delivery. On site, the plant floor required “substantial modifications” including re-pouring the concrete, with additional overhead cranes and rigging equipment needed.

The duo’s, which come in 10 sizes and utilize a two-platen design, were chosen after a review of nearly a dozen competitive large-machine lines, according to Engel, on the basis of competitive price, machine performance, and other benefits, including overall footprint and energy consumption.—[email protected]