Smart Molding International 1-2024

23 www.smart-molding.com molding outlook technology allowing for 20%-part weight savings. In addition, the part was molded with a hybrid PP resin with 30% recycled content supplied by Total Energies. This ultra-lightweight 500g container has TRIM panels as thin as 0.25mm. According to Christopher Day, Authorized Sales Representative for Mexico and Latin America: "We are proud of our track record of bringing high performance molds to this region allowing us to demonstrate our different technologies with some of our partners at this tradeshow. This newest high productivity fast cycling mold running at Plastimagen, adds more to our portfolio of mold technologies, which are driven by our desire to offer more sustainable options and real advantages to our customers, pushing part weight boundaries, and including recycled content in the resins used.” Manufacturing luer-lock from plastic instead of glass Even a good 150 years after their invention, the standardized luer connection systems for infusions and injections are still frequently made of glass. At Fakuma 2023, ZAHORANSKY was exhibiting the associated Z.SONIC 16 luer-lock syringe injection mold from the PRIMA Z syringe production system, which can be used to manufacture luer-locks from plastic instead of glass. The advantages of the plastic versions are clear: plastic products are significantly more robust and easier to clean, both in handling and storage, compared to their glass counterparts. In addition, syringes made of plastic impress with their pH-neutral surface, a significantly lower heavy metal content, and greater freedom in product design. This results in increased shelf life for highly sensitive medications. The PRIMA Z production line makes it possible to produce plastic syringes with screw threads – the so-called Luer-Lock – extremely cost-efficiently and safely. Disposable needles, for example, can be screwed on easily afterwards and do not have to be injected during production. Syringes with volumes between 0.5 and 10 ml can be produced as standard, but special sizes of up to 50 ml are also possible. The material can also be varied: ZAHORANSKY injection molds easily process various technical polymers such as COC or COP. Based on customer-specific product designs, a cycle time of 15 to 17 seconds can be achieved on the production lines using the no-human-touch process. In the 16-cavity injection mold version, the Z.SONIC mold is thus capable of producing up to 3,840 parts per hour. 1x4 TRIM Mold in Sumitomo Demag El-Exis SP 4200 Machine (picture: StackTeck) 16 luer-lock syringe injection mold from the PRIMA Z syringe production system (picture: ZAHORANSKY)