Smart Molding International 3-2022

33 molding technologies www.smart-molding.com The interaction provides the magic The new system is not only innova- tive in terms of the perfect symbiosis of technology-leading Elmet elements. The magic of this innovation unfolds in the interaction between the high-tech contributions from the four partner companies. The combination of high- precision dosing (Elmet SMARTmix Top 7000 Pro), the all-electric injection- molding machine (Sumitomo IntElect), and the electric valve-gate cold runner (Elmet SMARTshot E) enables a previ- ously unachievable level of accuracy in the reproduction of part weights. The special four-cavity injection mold from Elmet injects four different can lids made of liquid silicone (LSR) from partner company Shin-Etsu. The sili- cone lids produced serve as coverings for customary beverage cans that have been in use for decades, such as those for soft drinks, energy drinks and various alcoholic beverages. A sepa- rate cavity also produces covers for customary food cans made of sheet steel, which protect the contents from insects, for example, and keep the opened cans fresh in the refrigerator. Elmet SMARTmix TOP 7000 Pro The dosing system is a new devel- opment from the Austrian company. Development work focused on reduc- ing the unit‘s footprint to 1,150 x 790 millimeters. This makes the system the smallest liquid-silicone dosing system for 200-liter container units on the market. Compared to its predecessor, the SMARTmix TOP 5000 P, the SMART- mix TOP 7000 Pro features a complete- ly new pump system, which now only contains approximately one third of the liquid silicone in the system, making it much easier to clean. This character- istic is very important, particularly for use in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, where the pump unit is disman- tled and cleaned each time thematerial changes, in order to prevent mixing of different types of liquid silicone. Apart from the new pump unit, an optimized follower plate geometry also helps re- duce the amount of residual material. The new system boasts a material uti- lization level of up to 99.6%. Drums are changed fully automatically to increase ease of use and keep the amount of training to a minimum. Use of special seals made of FDA-compliant materi- als also predestines the SMARTmix TOP 7000 Pro for medical applications. Teamwork at the global player Not only know-how from Elmet can be found in the sophisticated system. "Only when combined with the all- electric injection-molding machine from Sumitomo, the weighing system from Mettler Toledo, and the liquid silicone (LSR) from Shin-Etsu does the unique system become a total work of art that we are all really proud of," says a delighted Harald Wallner, CEO at Elmet. The system can be seen for the first time at the Sumitomo booth at K 2022 in Düsseldorf. Elmet SMARTshot E with SMARTcontrol The all-electric Elmet SMARTshot E valve-gate cold-runner system guaran- tees precise filling of every single cavi- ty in a reliable process. Settings for the cold runner are entered on an 18.5" display of the external SMARTcontrol unit. Thanks to servomotors, it allows needle adjustments in increments of two thousandths of a millimeter. Needle regulation is carried out in real time and monitored continu- ously by the system. The innovative arrangement of the mini servomotors enables nozzle spacings of 44 millime- ters. Pneumatic components, on the other hand, are a thing of the past. This saves energy and facilitates inge- nious cable management with indus- trial plug connections, which allows cleaning work to be performed on the cold runner without any qualified electrical personnel. Corporate data Molds. Dosing technology. Part production. Jobs. Elmet inspires with smart silicone solutions. This is Elmet's guiding principle. The innovative com- pany was founded in 1996. A power- ful, dedicated team with a wealth of experience in moldmaking, dosing technology, and liquid-silicone injec- tion molding has since developed into an internationally successful systems builder. Today Elmet is a global player in designing and manufacturing high- quality equipment for the production of silicone parts. Elmet www.elmet.com