03.06.2009 - At the French FIP trade fair in Lyon, to be held from 16 to 19 June 2009 (exhibition stand no. D36/C35 in Hall 4) , ARBURG will present its performance spectrum and the latest injection moulding trends in the fields of high-speed applications and automation with two exhibits. “Despite negative developments in the French plastics market during the first half year, we are cautiously optimistic for the second half of 2009,” says Marc Schuh, the new ARBURG subsidiary manager in France since 1 Mai 2009, assessing the situation prior to the start of the FIP. “We believe that the field of automation with the integration of downstream production steps is particularly promising. We will therefore be presenting a production cell built around a hydraulic ALLROUNDER 370 S with an ARBURG MULTILIFT V robotic system. The second exhibit will be an electric ALLROUNDER 570 A with a high-speed packaging application. However, products such as the ARBURG host computer system (ALS) as a production management system will also be presented at the fair,” says Marc Schuh with regard to the exhibits.

The complex production cell will feature a hydraulic ALLROUNDER 370 S with a clamping force of 600 kN and a size 170 injection unit. The system will demonstrate not only the encapsulation of inserts, but also the integration of downstream assembly steps. The ALLROUNDER operates with an ARBURG MULTILIFT V robotic system, which enters vertically into the mould and is fully integrated in the SELOGICA machine control system. A toy buggy made from PP will be produced. In a single injection moulding cycle, the plastic wheels are encapsulated onto two metal axles and the roof and chassis are produced. In this application, the complex gripper of the robotic system inserts the metal axles, removes the sprue and the individual components and subsequently assembles them to produce the finished toy car.

On an electric ALLROUNDER 570 A, a high-speed thin-walled application will be demonstrated. The machine has a clamping force of 2,000 kN and a size 800 injection unit, with a maximum shot weight of 434 grams of PS. The moulded part is an egg box for four eggs, weighing 15.6 grams and is produced in a cycle time of 2.3 seconds. With this application, ARBURG will demonstrate the high performance of its electric ALLROUNDER A machines in terms of speed and precision.

Marc Schuh emphasises the importance of the exhibited ALLROUNDERs for ARBURG’s continued strategic focus on the French plastics market: “Complex production cells with integrated production steps for the cost-efficient production of complex moulded parts in particular will determine the future. In the run-up to the trade fair, we have noted an increase in enquiries regarding special automation solutions, especially in the medical technology sector. We are also seeing significant interest in energy-optimised, fast and precise machines. Above all, the electric ALLDRIVE machine series meets the requirement of cycle time reduction, ensuring the cost-effective production of packaging items. With our exhibits, we will demonstrate that ARBURG is in a position to master the machine technology for the entire process. A self-imposed goal at the trade fair is therefore to extend and consolidate our market leadership position in the field of electric machines.”