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First-of-its-kind production process at Plastec West 2017
York/PA –January 2017
At the upcoming Plastec West show, ENGEL will be processing a three-component compound to produce an interdental brush with up to 500 fine bristles. Typically produced in three separate processes, new technology from system partners ENGEL, Hack and Hekuma allows – for the first time – the high precision molding of these delicate parts in a single automated process.
ENGEL North America, member of the ENGEL group, a world leader in the design and manufacture of injection molding machines and parts-handling automation, will exhibit the cleanroom version of an all-electric ENGEL e-motion 170/110 T US injection molding machine in booth #3715 at the upcoming Plastec West show, February 7-9, 2017 in Anaheim, CA. The machine will be exhibiting a first-of-its-kind production process for the manufacture of interdental brushes with up to 500 bristles.
Single component design with high process integration
"scrub!" – is the name of a new interdental brush developed by pheneo (Bremen, Germany) that will soon be introduced to the market. Its manufacturing process was exclusively previewed in the ENGEL booth at the recent K 2016 show in Duesseldorf, as a world first. Until now, interdental brushes have consisted of three components which are usually produced in separate processes: the grip, a wire mesh and the filaments. Utilizing new technology from system partners ENGEL, Hack and Hekuma, up to 500 bristles can now be molded directly in single-component injection molding, together with the core and the grip.
The system begins with the cleanroom version of an all-electric ENGEL e-motion 170/100 T injection molding machine. Added to create the integrated production cell is a high-performance eight-cavity precision mold, which is extremely delicate in the bristle area, supplied by Hack Formenbau (Kirchheim unter Teck, Germany). The compound utilized also makes an important contribution as it provides stability for the grip and core, while at the same time allowing for a soft bristle.
Hekuma (Eching, Germany) is responsible for the automation -- a highly integrated and automated cell in Hekuma’s modularized HEKUflex design. Immediately following injection molding, the parts are automatically packed, 16 pieces each into retail sales bags, with a bag leaving the production cell every four seconds. Every 50th shot is delivered to a camera module which performs a 360-degree inspection. The robot holds the product in front of the camera and rotates it. A total of five pictures are taken and analyzed.
The single-component design and the exceptional level of process integration achieve an increase in production efficiency when compared with well established products and methods currently on the market.
ENGEL inject 4.0 products provide greater repeatability
Completely filling eight cavities with up to 500 bristles each, at a total shot weight of only 1.93 grams, not only places significant demands on the mold, but also on the injection molding machine. While all-electric drive technology ensures top precision for the machine movements, ENGEL’s iQ products come into play in order to compensate for fluctuations in the ambient conditions or raw material.
Shot by shot, iQ weight control analyzes the pressure profile at screw positions and adjusts both the switchover point and the injection profile to the current conditions. At the same time, iQ clamp control monitors the mold breathing for each shot separately and adjusts the clamping force automatically, and the new iQ flow control adapts the pump speed in the temperature control unit to current requirements. Together with the electronic ENGEL e-flomo water manifold system, iQ flow control keeps temperature control conditions in the mold constant, and increases energy efficiency. The decentralized intelligence, directly on the machine, guarantees maximum process consistency, preventing rejects and ensuring competitive unit costs.
Applying new technology from system partners ENGEL, Hack and Hekuma, up to 500 bristles can be molded with the single-component process. (photo: ENGEL)
A cleanroom version all-electric ENGEL e-motion 170/110 T US injection molding machine is equipped with several ENGEL iQ products from the inject 4.0 program to guarantee maximum process consistency, prevent rejects and ensure competitive unit costs. (photo: ENGEL)
Utilizing the single-component design and very high process integration, the automated system outputs a packaged retail sales bag containing 16 parts every 4 seconds.
ENGEL North America
From facilities in the United States, Canada and Mexico, ENGEL North America offers its customers a single source for design and manufacture of injection molding machines for thermoplastics and elastomers, a full range of technology modules for plastics processing and a full scope of automation solutions. With nine production plants in Europe, North America and Asia (China and Korea), and subsidiaries and representatives in more than 85 countries, ENGEL with headquarters in Schwertberg, Austria, provides its customers the global support they need to compete and succeed with new technologies and leading-edge production systems.
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Press Contacts:
Kleta Childs, Manager of Marketing and Sales Administration, ENGEL North America
3740 Board Rd., York, Pa., 17406,
tel.: 717.764.6818 ext. 3390, fax: 717.764.0314, e-mail:
Birgit Degwerth, Strategic Marketing Manager, ENGEL North America,
3740 Board Rd., York, Pa., 17406,
tel.: 717.764.6818 ext. 3391, fax: 717.764.0314, e-mail:
Susanne Zinckgraf, Public Relations Manager, ENGEL AUSTRIA GmbH,
Ludwig-Engel-Straße 1, A-4311 Schwertberg, Austria,
PR-Office: Theodor-Heuss-Str. 85, D-67435 Neustadt, Germany,
tel.: +49 (0) 6327 9769902, fax: +49 (0) 6327 9769903, e-mail:
Contact for readers:
ENGEL Machinery Inc., 3740 Board Road, York, PA, 17406
tel.: 717 764 6818, fax: 717 764 0314, e-mail:
ENGEL Machinery Inc. | York PA 17406 | tel: 717 764 6818 | fax: 717 764 0314
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