Smart Molding International 1-2024

molding technologies CC300 control unit. This allows the entire process to be operated centrally using the machine display. Another advantage is that the injection moulding machine, robot and IR oven access the same database and precisely coordinate their motion sequences with one another. This reduces the cycle time in many applications. ENGEL was showcasing the production of the inspection flaps at JEC World 2024 in cooperation with its customer FACC (Ried im Innkreis, Austria). The other project partners are Ensinger (Nufringen, Germany), Neue Materialien Fürth in Germany and Voidsy, based in Wels, Austria. The latter was showcasing an ultra-compact system for contactless and non-destructive material and component testing using active thermography. Great potential in all areas of mobility In addition to the live exhibit on display, ENGEL and its Austrian partner KTM Technologies, based in Anif, Salzburg, were also focusing on another aspect. On display was a motorbike seat base produced using the newly developed tape sandwich process. This makes it possible to achieve a more compact part design with higher rigidity, lower weight and high cost efficiency. "In the tape sandwich process, we work with very thin, single- layer reinforcement materials such as tapes and fabrics with a polypropylene matrix, which are inserted into both cavity halves of the injection mould without preheating before the cavity is filled with polypropylene," as Franz Füreder, Vice President Automotive & Mobility at ENGEL's headquarters in Schwertberg, Austria, explained. "Due to the specific mechanical properties of the sandwich structure, we can already meet the stiffness required for motorcycle seat bases with a single-layer UD-tape. This means that the tape sandwich process requires significantly less energy and simpler production cell technology than conventional fibre-reinforced plastic composite processing methods. At the same time, the production costs drop." In the case of this technology demonstrator, the seat bottom, with identical stiffness, the necessary installation space could be reduced by 66 percent and the weight by about 26 per-cent. "The new sandwich structure, in which the reinforcing fibres are as far away as possible from the neutral fibre, offers maximum stiffness while minimising the number of fibres required," said Hans Lochner, Team Leader Material and Applications at KTM Technologies. Another advantage of the sandwich structure is that standard thermoplastics can be used in components exposed to high mechanical stresses, since the part performance is driven exclusively by the tape structure. And that boosts cost efficiency, too. Reducing global warming potential by up to 85 percent The development partners had tested a variety of injection moulding materials, including bio-based and recycled PP grades in addition to conventional PP from fossil sources. The global warming potential (GWP) was determined for the various material combinations. Compared to the series production version - a seat made entirely of fossil PP - the tape sandwich technology reduces the GWP by 27 percent when also using fossil PP. This value is achieved solely by reducing the material. Using polypropylene from renewable sources reduces the GWP value by 85 percent. The component weight was reduced by 26 percent in each case. This is possible because even very thin components achieve high stiffness. The consistent single grade plastic approach also contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases. In combination with tapes from a PP matrix, parts can be created which can be recycled at the end of their service life. "This new development sees us open up an affordable and sustainable solution for future mobility," Füreder emphasised. The first step will be to set up tape sandwich technology for use in the KTM family of motorcycles. Besides this, ENGEL and KTM Technologies have their sights set on many other lightweight applications in a wide range of mobility disciplines. The two development partners are offering the tape sandwich process jointly, and developing solutions tailored precisely to the specific use case. ENGEL www.engelglobal.com 33 www.smart-molding.com KTM motorcycles are the first adopter. Beyond this, the new tape sandwich technology is also available to other companies in the mobility industry (all pictures: KTM Technologies)