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KraussMaffei Reaction Process Machinery has expanded its TechCenter for lightweight components and fiber composite technology at the Munich location with the addition of a new MX SFT mold carrier.
The new mold carrier, which boasts a clamping force of 8,000 kN, features very high locking forces and fast run times. Customers and processors benefit from high precision and flexibility when using a wide variety of materials and processes, especially fiber-reinforced plastics.
High demand
"Demand for new fiber-reinforced composites is unhindered. The addition of the new mold carrier to our TechCenter provides our customers with optimum prerequisites for developing and testing processes and solutions tailored to series production," says Stefan Ehrlicher, Head of the RPM (Reaction Process Machinery) TechCenter at KraussMaffei. For example, the new MX SFT mold carrier is ideal for the entire range of RTM processes (resin transfer molding), such as High-pressure RTM (HP-RTM), Compression RTM (C-RTM), Surface RTM (S-RTM), Thermoplastic RTM (T-RTM) and even Wetmolding. "Even OEMs and tier 1 suppliers outside of the automotive industry utilize the unique options for prototype development and proving in our TechCenter," adds Ehrlicher.
Thanks to easy-to-use metering machines, the new mold carrier can be combined with almost all of the available metering machines in the KraussMaffei TechCenter. An epoxy RTM machine is permanently installed in combination with a release agent unit and an industrial robot for open injection (Wetmolding).
Four-column concept for extremely heavy molds
The high positioning accuracy and bending stiffness provided by the four-column concept makes it possible to use molds suitable for series production to manufacture structural or surface parts in single cavities or multiple cavities. This considerable holding force in the mold carrier system is made possible thanks to hydraulic locking cylinders over the entire press stroke. The use of differential cylinders ensures extremely short cycle times and very high speeds. At the same time, the SFT design concept from KraussMaffei guarantees a perfect power flow and a high level of stiffness (FEM-optimized).
The most versatile TechCenter in the world
The KraussMaffei TechCenter in Munich boasts a combination of systems and processes for reaction and injection molding machinery that is unlike anything else in the world. More than 25 systems and machines are available in a 4,000 m² area for in-house testing purposes and for customers who want to test, optimize or further develop their processes on experimental machinery or initial prototype components in a real-world environment. KraussMaffei continues to be a leader in development, particularly in the area of fiber-reinforced lightweight construction. In terms of reaction process machinery, this includes the wide array of RTM processes, pultrusion and the LFI process (long fiber injection) and for injection molding machinery, the FiberForm process (thermoforming organic sheets). The KraussMaffei TechCenter also offers demonstrations of a wide array of surface technologies, including the ColorForm process or CCM (clear coat molding). Even traditional RIM (reaction injection molding) or R-RIM (reinforced reaction injection molding) foaming technologies can be run in the TechCenter.
