German partners address micro and precision moulding inefficiencies

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag has announced a new strategic partnership with Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK.

The aim is to develop an economical inline inspection process that achieves 100 per cent control of micro and precision injection moulded parts in the shortest possible cycle time.

For any fully automated high-precision plastic production line, quality control is critical. Yet, achieving this level of precision can also cause production, machine, automation and tooling bottlenecks. Producing optical plastic injection moulded components in particular typically encounters inefficiencies as a result of performing continuous checks. In turn impacting the entire output through significant loss of cycle time.

Thorsten Thümen, Senior Director Technology at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag in Schwaig, said: "With fast-running processes, every fraction of a second saved in cycle time counts. The innovative approach of Fraunhofer IPK based on established X-ray and CT measurement techniques is extremely promising in our eyes. That is why we are supporting the project both with machine hardware and in the technical co-operation.".

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag is supplying Fraunhofer IPK with a fully electric, high-speed injection moulding machine IntElect S. The company’s Speed series of all-electric machines is designed specifically for high-speed applications with short cycle times of less than five seconds. Deployed widely in the medical technology and electronics industries, as well as in other markets requiring high precision, the high-speed series perfectly complements the institutions’ investigative research and development programme.

Thümen added: "We are very confident that Fraunhofer IPK's research project will enable the process in micro and precision injection moulding to be holistically optimised, especially for optical parts."

Apart from contract research, Fraunhofer IPK also conducts pre-competitive research projects to develop innovative concepts for tomorrow’s production, working closely with likeminded partners to transform innovations into marketable products.