Page 52 - Plastics News October 2024

INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Viewer application in a stretch blow molding ma-
chine. The data system displays and transmits
information about production, power consump-
tion, air consumption and more to the informa-
tion system, where it is available on a dashboard
accessed by whoever needs it — sales staff
needing to know how much product is available,
maintenance staff who need to service equip-
ment and more.
Victor Taichung demonstrated injection molding
using an electric machine with a PC-based con-
troller that can adjust automatically and reduce
testing times. The operator can select a prob-
lem, “short shot” for example, and the machine
will adjust accordingly.
Multiplas used two machines and a six-axis ro-
bot to demonstrate an integrated system that
automatically fed regrind back into the system.
Because regrind can make production unstable,
the system looks for pressure changes and au-
tomatically adjusts process parameters accord-
ingly.
Chen Hsong is looking to address the shortage
of experienced operators with its own smart
control system, exhibited at the show on its SM-
258VP injection molding system. Part specifica-
tions are entered into the computer, and this in-
formation is augmented with feedback from the
initial shots following startup. According to the
company, the parts get to 98% within just the
first 10 parts.
Molding Simulation and Reality
Moldex3D is expanding its approach beyond the
traditional milieu of simulation. “We are working
with our customers to bridge the gap between
the virtual world and the real world,” says Dr.
Venny Yang, Moldex3D CEO. “So we have put a
lot of investment into studying that gap.”
52 PLASTICS NEWS
Moldex3D is addressing the gap with its iMold-
ing Hub, currently in beta testing, which includes
characterization of production machines. “We
are automatically including the characteristics
of the production machine into the simulation,”
Yang says. The iMolding Hub is part of the com-
pany’s Moldiverse offerings, which also includes
educational tools and the Material Hub Cloud
with its database of 9,000 materials and their
characteristics.
Yang envisions a closed information loop, incor-
porating material properties, process character-
istics, machine characteristics, and results from
past mold designs to ease the path from design
to good production. “If you have enough data,
for example, you can load in a new design and
the system will tell you, based on similar designs,
it can make some fundamental suggestions for
what the proper molding conditions would be,”
Yang says. As time goes on, the system’s pre-
dictions should improve based on information
gleaned from past designs, including designs
that were not selected for any reason.
Right-Sized Solutions
Chuan Lih Fa (CLF) makes the TPII series two
platen injection molding machine, which has a
footprint 15% shorter than competitive machines.
In addition, molds can be loaded from the side,
October 2024