Published 5/30/2019

Moulding Expo 2019—Where Friends Meet

Since its inception in 2015 Moulding Expo has developed to become a meeting point for the European tool- and moldmaking community. This year’s event was no different.

Barbara Schulz

European Correspondent, Gardner Business Media

Looking back at a successful Moulding Expo 2019: Markus Heseding, CEO VDMA Precision Tools Association, Ulrich Kromer von Baerle, CEO Messe Stuttgart andJens Lüdtke, Member of the Board of Marktspiegel Werkzeugbau eG.

Held from May 21-24, MEX2019 attracted 705 exhibitors and 12.943 visitors from 59 countries. 17% of these visitors came from outside Germany.

In a joint project, Deckerform, Contura and Reichle Technologiezentrum demonstrate how variotherm mold temperature control can significantly improve the quality of injection molded parts. Variotherm mold temperature control ensures that flow lines are avoided, which cause visible irregularities on surfaces.

Variotherm temperature control during molding ensures that the lasered and polished Class-A-Surface, as often required by the automotive industry, can be efficiently realized. The photo shows one part produced without variotherm temperature control (glossy) and one produced with Contura’s solution.

Many machine tool builders wer showcasing their solutions for tool and moldmakers around the globe.

A small snack box for every visitor to the trade fair? That's the MEX Box, which was produced live during the show on a Toyo injection molding machine in conjunction with Reutlingen University and its Master's degree students. From the initial idea to live production on the spot the project was developed and implemented with committed industry partners including Deckerform.

Canadian Cavalier Tool and Manufacturing brought their exclusive expertise to the world stage at Moulding Expo. “At Moulding Expo we want to present the best toolmakers in the world, so Cavalier Tool for sure is at the exact right place,” said Florian Niethammer, Team Leader at Messe Stuttgart (right), talking to Cavalier’s Brian Bending.

Lang Automation has affordable solutions for low-volume production environments to offer.

Teamwork: The German Association for Tool and Moldmakers (VDWF) brought more than 70 of their members together to exhibit on a joint booth.

Hermle was showcasing its Metal Powder Application process (MPA) at MEX2019. As opposed to many other additive technologies, MPA does not use any lasers. Instead, the metal powder is applied to the substrate via a carrier gas through a de Laval nozzle.

Among friends: CEO of Messe Stuttgart, Ulrich Kromer von Baerle (right) and VDWF President Prof. Thomas Seul celebrate a successful show.

Haidlmair FDU Flat Die Unit: The shape of the injection nozzle is flat, so the material flows into a cavity evenly through a thin long gap, increasing productivity.

FDU Flat Die Unit in action at MEX2019: Material shear stress in the nozzle is cut almost by half, which prevents excessive melt warming. For certain resins such as PP, this can allow as well for an injection pressure reduction. Slot geometry makes increases material output homogeneity, which in turn widens the process window for injection, hold pressure and cooling phases. Overall, cycle duration is considerably reduced, and productivity improved, Haidlmair says.

What’s a trade show without after-work parties; this time, food-trucks and an elevated dance floor made sure every exhibitor enjoyed a good night.

Professor Fritz Klocke (IPT Aachen, RWTH Aachen) received an industry award for his outstanding achievements in industrial toolmaking.

When the idea to create a new trade show for the tool-, pattern- and moldmaking industry was born in 2015, CEO of trade show organizer Messe Stuttgart, Ulrich Kromer von Baerle, said that the intention was to give the industry and its partners a new home; and the third edition of Europe’s leading moldmaking show Moulding Expo (MEX) which took place from May 21-24, 2019 at the Stuttgart show grounds proved him and his team right.

There are not many shows which not only offer a place for manufacturers, technology and service providers to showcase their new products and network with their industry peers and customers, but also provide a meeting point for friends (just like Amerimold in Rosemont, Illinois, which I look forward to visiting on June 12-13). Supported by the German Tool and Moldmaking Association (VDWF), who brought together more than 70 members to exhibit at a joint booth, the German Precision Tools Association VDMA, the International Special Tooling and Machining Association (ISTMA), the media and many more, Messe Stuttgart created an event which attracted 705 exhibitors and 12.943 visitors from 59 countries. This year 17% of these visitors came from outside Germany.

Of course, there were also many international exhibitors, including one of the top moldmakers in North America, Canadian Cavalier Tool and Manufacturing who brought their exclusive expertise to the world stage at Moulding Expo. “At Moulding Expo we want to present the best toolmakers in the world, so Cavalier Tool for sure is at the exact right place,” said Florian Niethammer, Team Leader at Messe Stuttgart.

“We are stronger and more efficient if we cooperate with industry partners instead of competing,” said Brian Bending, owner of Cavalier. “By participating in MEX we want to make this vision come true. The market is big enough for everyone.”