Tabletop micromolder

Cronoplast introduced a new version of its uncomplicated ?babyplast? tabletop molding machine that was one of the most popular exhibits at the show. The new direct hydraulic clamp 71.2-kN (7-ton) babyplast 7/9 Proportional features a fully proportional hydraulic system and machine-mounted digital electronic controls. Like its predecessor, the babyplast 6/6, the new machine has a two-stage, angled-piggyback, all-piston injection unit. One piston forces resin through steel ball-bearings and into a shooting chamber. The other injects. No external heater bands are used to melt the resin. It?s all done through shear.

Also, like its predecessor, the machine?s small unit-frame molds are built into the platens, which are integral components of the machine structure. Only the core and cavity inserts need to be made, so tooling costs are low. Ewikon has even designed a hot runner system for the tabletop machine. What?s more, the hydraulic motor and pump are also built right into the machine, which makes for a cleaner appearance and also reduces operating noise. It runs at under 70 dB.

In five sizes, piston diameters range from 10 to 18 mm; injection volume from 4 to 15 cu cm; and injection pressures from 3 to 930 bar. Its oil tank capacity is 16 liters, and it operates on 3 kW of power. Two babyplast 6/6 machines ran at K?98: One molded POM electronic components in two-cavity tooling in 10-second cycles; the other micromolded .13g PP parts in eight-cavity hot runner tooling in 6-second cycles. The babyplast 6/6 sells for $16,000; prices aren?t yet determined for the babyplast 7/9 Proportional.

Cronoplast SL
Barcelona, Spain
Phone: 34 (93) 3 38 01 25
Fax: 34 (93) 3 38 90 12
http://www.babyplast.com