The best from two worlds — KraussMaffei and NETSTAL are combining their expertise in injection molding machinery under the new KraussMaffei umbrella brand. With the common portfolio, the company wants to present itself even more effectively, first and foremost in the medical technology and packaging industries.
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"Under the single, strong KraussMaffei brand, we are combining our injection-molding expertise from all application areas. We will pushing ahead the world of injection molding more than ever, in keeping with our new, shared motto, Pioneering Plastics," explains Hans-Ulrich Golz, President of the Injection Molding Machinery segment of KraussMaffei. The medical technology and packaging industries are the first and foremost common target. The familiar machine series (PX, CX, GX, MX from KraussMaffei and ELION, ELIOS, PET-LINE from NETSTAL) and the production locations will remain as they are. The new sales organization is arranged by economic regions so that each customer will have only one contact, who will provide comprehensive support. Regional subsidiaries and trade partners create more proximity to customers and increase the response speed in urgent cases. "The common sales organization, which is global and oriented to cover entire areas, is an important milestone in our effort to get even closer to our customers and markets. This way, we are the partner who can always provide our customers with the right solution to make their businesses more successful," adds Tobias Daniel, Vice President Sales IMM at KraussMaffei.
Clear opportunities for growth for packaging and medical technology
With the perfectly complementary portfolios of KraussMaffei and the NETSTAL product brand, KraussMaffei envisage clear opportunities for growth in the packaging and medical technology industries. "In the packaging area, we offer our customers a range that is unique in the industry — from the NETSTAL high-performance, fast-running ELIOS and ELION machines for thin-walled packaging all the way to solutions for large logistics items such as transport boxes of pallets. Here, the GX and MX series from KraussMaffei are recommended," says Golz. The trade show exhibits at K in Düsseldorf make this direction clear.
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A GX 1100, which expands the clamping force range of the GX series upwards and sees its market launch here, produces buckets with a capacity of 20 liters and decoration by in-mold-labeling (IML). With a shot weight of approximately 1500 g (in two cavities) and a cycle time of 14 seconds, this application underscores the strength of the GX in the heavy-duty range, while the adjacent NETSTAL ELIOS 4500 produces six round dishes with IML decoration (each weighing 250 g) in less than 3.5 seconds. "As befits the circular economy, we process a certified, recyclable polypropylene for this thin-walled packaging," adds Golz.
In medical technology, the focal points of the fast-running NETSTAL ELION 800 machine are likewise output quantity and highest precision. 16 syringes of Cyclic Olefin Copolymer (COC) take shape under cleanroom conditions. Smart Operation for the aXos control system ensures free-of-defects compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice. The digital in-line printing of the syringe body is an innovation. Manufacturers benefit from the lower logistics effort and the reduced risk in the process and logistics chain.
The smallest all-electric PX 25 with a clamping force of 250 kN, on the other hand, demonstrates highly challenging medical micro-injection molding with liquid silicone (LSR). A micro membrane with a shot weight of only 0.3 g (8 cavities) takes shape with 14 seconds of cycle time. For this purpose, even a screw for extremely low shot weights, measuring only 12 mm in diameter, was developed. The APC Plus machine function shows its strengths also in this micro-injection molding automation task with LSR and ensures high shot weight consistencies and, consequently, uniform component quality.
It goes without saying that both machines are equipped with cleanroom features, which include particularly easy-to-clean surfaces, and are suitable for cleanrooms. The product range also includes digital services for process improvement and for collecting and evaluating data.
