New concept touted for 4K partsNew concept touted for 4K parts

German moldmaker Zahoransky says it has developed a new concept—substantially different from rotary table, indexing platen, or stack turning molds—for the processing of multicomponent parts of up to four materials. Not only is it new, but the firm claims it also is considerably less costly than the more established options.

Zahoransky (Freiburg, Germany) has patents already on what it has named SCPS (Servo Cavity Positioning Systems) mold technology. One major advantage of the SCPS system over other 3- or 4K molds is that injection molders can run the SCPS mold in a conventional injection molding machines without any additional equipment, according to Zahoransky.

The moldmaker says the 4-component mold is only slightly larger than a standard mold and requires no platen enlargement or guide-pillar extensions. Molding with a 4K SCPS mold can be done on a press half the platen size and clamp force of one needed for an existing 16-fold, 3-component mold with an indexing platen, reports Zahoransky.
The entire control sequence of the mold, including the drives for all other injection units, the hot runner control equipment, is handled by the mold’s own, newly developed control system. This system also controls any core pullers. All the movements in the mold are servo-driven and independent from the machine hydraulics.

How does it work?
Here is how the moldmaker describes the processing sequence. The mold opens after the pre-injection molded parts are injected in Station 1. They are then taken to the second injection station via a spindle drive, where the parts are finished and carried by spindle drive to the removal station after the mold has opened. A handling unit takes over the finished parts during the next injection phase. The removal requires no extra cycle time. The empty mold halves are handed over to the nozzle side and carried via a second spindle drive during the mold opening phase from the removal station to the primary injection station (Station 1). The mold closes, the cycle is completed and a new process begins. At each cycle, the pre-injection molded and the finished parts are injected simultaneously, and the finished parts are taken off the removal station. About 3 seconds are needed for opening, carrying the mold inserts to the next station, and mold closure.

The new SCPS mold technology (in a dry-run demonstration) will be shown for the first time at the Fakuma exhibition in Friedrichshafen, Germany next month. —[email protected]