For smoother ejection of moulded packaging components from all-electric injection moulding machines, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag has developed a new programme that synchronises the ejector and mould speed, shortening the mould open time to optimise productivity, improving the quality of packaging, and reducing avoidable plastic waste.
Designed for the company’s newest IntElect series, which has a mould open time of just 0.9 seconds, this latest advancement ensures that components are clear of the mould before it closes again. As well as preventing falling packaging parts being crushed, it helps to mitigate damage to expensive lid and closure mould tools.
The movement between mould open and ejector forward has a big impact on the ejection of the parts. This synchronised programme, installed on the NC5 Plus control panel, enables machine operators to select the ideal setting for the ejection of moulded components to ensure they have cleared the mould space before the moulding cycle starts again. Nigel Flowers, managing director of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK explains: “All-electric moulding cycle times are getting faster and faster. This is great for productivity, especially for moulders that mass produce packaging parts such as caps and closures. In an ideal world, the parts are ejected with zero inertia and drop in a central line out of the mould space. However, when the toggle clamp operates faster than the ejector mechanism, there’s less control over how and where the moulded components will fall.
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- By synchronising the ejector and mould speed on, parts drop in a central line out of the mould space
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- Components can also ricochet off the fixed mould face, delaying mould closure and affecting cycle time
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- When not in sync, components can drop from the top row and get caught on the lower mould cavities as the tool closes
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- There can be up to 96 cavities in bottle cap moulding tools
