Sumitomo to feature all electric-machines at Fakuma 2023

Tokyo, Japan – For the first time in its exhibition history, the Sumitomo (SHI) Demag booth at Fakuma 2023 (B1-1105) features entirely all-electric machines. The company is showcasing options from the IntElect platform for processors of all sizes operating in every manufacturing sector, producing every application type. With a special focus on automation and LSR.

Featuring eight exhibits overall, four on the company’s booth (Hall B1, Stand 1105), live demonstrations will also showcase Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s LSR processing expertise in two diverse markets – automotive and dental healthcare. Another partnership highlight includes a first in horticultural products on the unrivalled high-speed El-Exis SP series. Indicative of the labour and productivity challenges faced by processors currently, the company also presents its extensive in-house automation competence.

Reflecting the energy-crisis, material costs, recyclability and productivity challenges that continue to persist for global polymer processors today, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag has accelerated its strategic plans to roll out its IntElect machine portfolio to every market. Having reached its 80,000th IntElect installation milestone a year ago, adding additional application fields at Fakuma, including a high-performance IntElect S for thin-wall packaging in the medium clamp force range, has been a natural transition for the world’s number one supplier of all-electric moulding machines.

Achieving a dry fast cycle time of less than 4 seconds, launching on the main stand is the IntElectS 220 ton clamp force machine for packaging. It directly addresses one of the major fluctuating operating expenses for mass-packaging moulders today – energy consumption. Designed specifically to process narrow tolerance and thin-walled packaging items at injection speeds reaching 350 mm/s, the live exhibit showcases the manufacturing recyclable IML lids with a shot weight of 28 grams for 500ml margarine containers. Using a 4-cavity mould tool supplied by Bazigos, the lids are all made from Borealis polypropylene, a monomer material that is 100 percent recyclable. Integrated into the machine is a side-entry robot from automation specialist Campetella, which efficiently removes the lids from the mould tool, stacking them onto a conveyor belt.

Collaborating with longstanding partner Campetella, in Hall A7, Booth 7208, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag will showcase how manufacturers of horticultural plant pots can increase their competitive edge with a fast-cycling hybrid El-Exis SP 250. Defining production efficiency, this Fakuma cell comprises a 6-cavity mould tool supplied by plant pot specialist Glaroform. With a shot weight of 55 grams, thin-walled applications of this nature require the fastest injection speed and opening and closing dynamics. Producing six flower pots every 3.5 seconds from a mechanically-recycled PP material supplied by Borealis, Campetella’s side entry robot promptly removes and stacks them on a conveyor.

At their main stand, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag will highlight its exemplary multi-cavity LSR processing competence, including OPC-UA interface compatibility, on a fully electric IntElect 180/570-250 injection moulding machine. In a cycle time of just 19 seconds, this IntElect LSR package will produce 256 individual 15-gram single wire seals with absolute precision and stability.

LSR tooling specialist RICO supplies the 256-cavity open tool system. The Elastosil material from Wacker is dispensed via a dosing system supplied by Reinhardt-Technik. After each shot, an integrated Sepro robot removes the parts and inserts them into a nest pipe system. Characterised by its low energy consumption, this full LSR package includes the injection unit, robot, vacuum and venting. To ensure full traceability of components, the OPC interface connects to the IntElect processing data in real-time.

Visitors to the Reinhardt-Technik booth (Hall A3, Stand 3313) will have the opportunity to view another sector where LSR processing is prevalent. Manufacturing surgical dental protection covers demands a combination of the thinnest walls and thicker beaded geometries. To accomplish this level of LSR moulding precision, specialists in healthcare applications EMDE MouldTec supplies the gated 4-cavity mould tool, which fits into the generous tool space of the IntElect 75/420-65. Producing the burr-free dental components in 25 seconds, a Sumitomo (SHI) Demag SAM-C5 robot delicately removes and places the dental covers into containers, ensuring hygiene standards are never compromised.

Continuing to add to the company’s total integration and automation competence, robotics will be prevalent across the main Sumitomo (SHI) Demag stand, as well on the four partner booths.

Focusing on ‘Easy Automation’, the SAM-C range, comprising the SAM-C5 Cartesian handle&box robot, as well as a SAM-C3 handle&place solution, showcase the small footprint possibilities these proprietary robots deliver.

Testament to this is the compact full turnkey automated IntElect 75 exhibit. Manufacturing 25 gram measuring callipers every 22 seconds using a 2+2 tool and a polystyrene from Ineos, the linear robot SAM-C5 “handle&box” offers users efficient handling functions, and fully-integrated robotic controls. Included in this cell is a storage and conveyor system with buffer and integrated boxing unit designed to transport standard-sized industrial containers. Every element was engineered by Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s automation experts in-house. The tool-dependent buffer system is available with or without optional robot removal and a QS switch.

Another IntElect 75 machine on the main stand demonstrates the SAM-C3 handle&place capabilities. Combined with a conveyor belt and sprue mill, every element of the injection moulding process is enclosed within the low height production cell. Uninterrupted, this exhibit will produce two consumer cover caps made of high-density polyethylene, supplied by MOL Group. During the 25 second cycle time, 32 grams of material is injected into each of the two mould cavities, with the Cartesian vertical telescopic axis extracting the parts and placing them onto an enclosed conveyor.

Two high speed IntElect exhibits complete the customised and automated Fakuma line-up. On the Sepro stage (Hall A1, Stand 1203), four cups every 4 seconds will be moulded on an IntElect S 130/520-460, using a polypropylene from MOL Group. Extracting and storing each component from the 4-cavity mould tool supplied by Kebo is an efficient, multi-tasking Sepro high-speed linear robot.

Medical and healthcare manufacturers are advised to visit the compact turnkey cell on the Hekuma stand (Hall A7, Stand 7202). The full medical package presents Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s competence manufacturing extremely narrow tolerance micro-components in high volumes at the fastest speed. Utilising the dynamic direct drive technology on a cleanroom and GMP-compliant IntElect S 100/470-250 machine, visitors can view 32 perfectly straight pipette tips being manufactured, demoulded, and placed into corresponding racks in under 5 seconds. The 32-cavity tool from Schöttli ensures 9 grams of polypropylene material evenly fills every cavity, with a 6-axis HEKUtip gripper system engineered by HEKUMA automating the demoulding and quality inspection process.