State-of-the-Art Machines, Custom Manufacturing to Reduce Injection Molding Waste

Plustech Inc., specializing in injection molding machinery and equipment, is introducing new equipment at NPE 2024, while running five different machines — each providing precision to 1/1000th of an inch with each shot — in collaboration with more than 20 vendor partners in its booth, including dryers, loaders, robots, molds, temperature control units, materials and more.

Sodick Plustech is showcasing its latest advancements in machinery and technology, including a vertical machine with a rotary table under the VR-G Series, and an electric injection molding MS-G2 Series. Both machines feature Sodick’s V-Line technology, with various improvements in display, energy efficiency, response time and overall user experience. The next-generation machines were shared publicly in the U.S. for the first time at an NPE “Sneak Peek” event in April.

Moreover, in celebration of 20 years of doing business in North America, Plustech is offering attendees a chance to win a “Trip for Two” to Chicago including airfare and two night’s stay in a downtown hotel, when they sign up for a free mold trial before Dec. 31, 2024, at Plustech’s new, state-of-the-art, 138,000-square-foot facility in Elk Grove Village. Keeping in the Chicago spirit, three runners-up will have the Windy City brought to them via a special delivery Chicago-style deep dish pizza, delivered anywhere in North America. All winners will be announced on LinkedIn.

Additional Plustech booth experiences include: 

• The VR40G, a fully automated, vertical, two-station, low-profile machine running PPS materials from Polyplastics
• Continuous live demonstrations featuring the multi-cavity, fast-response 20-ton, all-electric MS100 G2 machine with a high-cycle mold by Flocon Inc.
• Expert insights from the team and nearly two dozen vendor partners and their experts

Among the machines and partners displayed will be Sodick’s GL60A-LSR horizontal machine, with multi-cavity flashless liquid silicone rubber molding using Nexus tooling and pumping units. Sodick is also spotlighting its LP20EH3 IMM, using Sumitomo Chemical’s SumikaSuper LCP material, and a high-precision, high-cycle Matrix Tool mold.

MS-G2 Series

On view at NPE is Sodick Co., Ltd.’s newly launched MS G2 Series electric injection molding machines. The MS Series features the eV-Line system, using
servomotor-driven injection and plasticizing devices based on the precise and highly reproducible V-Line method. Through controlling the measurement values and injection position information in a closed loop, the system improves position accuracy and achieves repeatable stability in plasticizing, metering and injection.

Compared to hydraulic models, the electrification of each device is reported to significantly reduce power consumption and improve the quietness of operation. Additionally, the series complies with the international safety standard ISO20430 (JIS B 6711), includes a new controller and adopts a new operation screen, thereby achieving further improvements in control precision.

Other MS G2 Series features include: 

• Improved control precision with new controller and standard logical IO: The development of Sodick’s communication system has improved the response time of injection control and control precision for each operation. Additionally, the company has adopted a temperature control system for more precise regulation of heater temperature, achieving more stable, high-precision molding.
• Larger operation screen for increased information display and smooth UI experience: Advanced control system increases digital processing speed. Upgrading to a 19" operation screen enhances the amount of information displayed, the graphical representation of machine state data and the real-time display of cycle charts, improving screen visibility. While maintaining the screen switch layout of the previous model, operations such as pinch-in/out and swiping are available, resembling smartphone interactions.
• IoT compatibility for advanced production systems with big data: By networking with peripheral devices and other equipment, Sodick is able to manage molding environments and conditions for each product, adapting to production systems using IoT and big data. Standard LAN ports facilitate connections to Sodick’s quality and production management system V Connect, M2M and compliance with EUROMAP77 and EUROMAP82 (OPC UA communication).
• Compliance with international safety standards: The machine complies with the international safety standard ISO20430 (JIS B 6711).
• Standard molding application features: The MS G2 Series in the eV-Line method includes several applications as standard features to facilitate setting conditions for a wide range of users and molding methods, such as pressure filling control (pressure priority control), injection link clamping function and clamping during injection for effective venting measures.
• Reduction in power consumption: The series achieves high energy savings by electrifying all drive systems and supplying energy as needed, reducing energy loss. The series achieves up to a 28% reduction in power consumption compared to other Sodick hybrid models.

VR-G Series

Another new machine that will be running live demos all week is Sodick’s
VR G Series, the successor to its hybrid vertical rotary injection molding
machine VRE Series. Known for its V-Line+ electric hybrid direct pressure clamping feature, the VRE Series achieves stable molding and high quality. It has contributed to customers in various fields, such as electrical/electronics, automotive and medical devices, pursuing further high-added-value products through precision insert molding. Its operator screen, IoT compatibility and compliance with international safety standards mirrors that of the MS-G2 Series mentioned above.

Additional features of the VR G Series include:

• Stable, high-precision molding with hydraulic servo control technology: Combining the V-Line system, which includes separate plasticizing and injection units, with Sodick’s hydraulic servo control technology enables accurate and highly reproducible molding, even under conditions requiring high speed, high pressure and long holding times.
• Improved control precision with new controller: Sodick’s communication system has improved the response time of injection control and control precision for each operation. A temperature control system has been adopted for more precise heater temperature control, achieving more stable, high-precision molding.
• Expanded mold size capacity: The VRG expands on its large mold size capacities (up to 50% increase compared to Plustech’s models), accommodating larger and more complex molds. For reference, mold installation area expansion rates are as follows: VR03G: 1.3 times, VR20G: 1.25 times, VR40G: 1.5 times, VR75G: 1.15 times, VR100G: 1.08 times and VR150G: 1.13 times.

Other partners, like RJG, are providing in-mold sensors and introducing Molding Automation Xperience (MAX), which features an intuitive and easy-to-use interface that provides step-by-step advice to help restore process to optimal performance. This intelligent AI, powered by Master Molder techniques, delivers optimal control, efficiency and quality.