Molds and tooling were a big topic at the Molding 2013 Conference in New Orleans this January.

There were also several interesting developments in injection molding control and monitoring systems at this past April’s NPE2012 exhibition in Orlando, Fla.

Tooling innovations at NPE focused primarily on multi-cavity closure and medical applications, though there was also a substantial emphasis on large automotive and appliance parts.

More speed, more power, more precision, and more automated functions accomplished in and out of the mold. That’s exactly what injection machinery suppliers were offering at NPE2012.

Most of the emphasis is on valve gating and on doing more in less space. Other highlights include standardized mold components, some impressive feats of moldmaking creativity, and advances in mold simulation.

Hot buttons at the show will be multi-component molding, in-mold labeling/decorating (IML/IMD), in-mold assembly, medical molding, liquid silicone rubber (LSR), micro-molding, and high-speed packaging.

Fairly consistent focus of annual conference was how to get better control of the molding process.

Price pressure from consumers and rising energy costs have increased the importance for molders to reduce energy consumption, measured in kWh/kg of resin processed.

Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont., has launched a new generation of its HyCAP hybrid electric/hydraulic molding system for high output of beverage closures.

Boston-based private-equity firm Berkshire Partners and OMERS Private Equity of Toronto reportedly paid $2.1 billion last month to jointly buy Husky International Ltd. and its subsidiaries, which makes injection molding machines, hot runners and molds.

Husky Injection Molding Systems.

At the world’s largest plastics show in Dusseldorf last fall, hot-runner and controller manufacturers introduced a flood of new developments in speed, size, accuracy, and reliability.

There were new presses of all stripes aplenty at K 2010, but the “wow” factor was supplied by automated work cells and integrated manu-facturing systems performing multiple operations before, during, and after molding.

The world’s largest plastics show, coming up next month in Dusseldorf, Germany, provides ample evidence of the growing sway of electric drive technology in injection molding.

Show goers will see an electric injection machine in nearly every press maker’s booth this year, and electric/hydraulic hybrids in several.

 At an open house in Kottingbrunn, Austria, last month, Wittmann Battenfeld GmbH showed what it has been doing to make good on its pledge to reinvigorate the venerable Battenfeld name and its reputation for innovation.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Pelco Tool & Mold, Inc., Glendale Heights, Ill., has acquired a license from Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont., to produce closure molds utilizing Husky’s Rotating Ratchet Ring (RRR) technology. “RRR” molds reportedly have shown 25% shorter cycle times than conventional unscrewing closure molds with rotating cores, and require less maintenance as well.(630) 871-1010 • pelcotool.com(905) 951-5000 • husky.caHusky Injection Molding Systems 500 Queen St.

At the recent Drinktec exhibition in Munich, Germany, Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont., demonstrated new approaches to faster molding and lightweighting of PET beverage preforms and HDPE one-piece closures.

Although we previewed a number of new developments in hot-runners at NPE 2009 in our May and June issues, the big show in Chicago served up still more new offerings for PET preforms, medical parts, caps and closures, and more.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: At last month’s Drinktec exhibition in Munich, Germany, Sidel of France introduced new technologies and services to produce more PET bottles faster with less energy consumption.

A newly enhanced process and production monitoring system was launched at the recent NPE show in Chicago by Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont.

New injection machinery at the show ranged from all-electric units for high-speed packaging or bioplastic processing to hybrid presses ready for the cleanroom. Other units highlighted multi-component molding with LSR and thermoplastics or super-compact presses for small parts. Several new machines targeted specific applications such as caps and closures, PET preforms, LSR, or integrated long-glass compounding.

If a better machine can help your company beat challenging economic conditions, you’ll probably find it at NPE. And finding it will be easier, thanks to our editors’ efforts to sift out of some 2000 exhibits the most significant news in injection and blow molding, extrusion, compounding, and thermoforming.

U.S. injection molders are still pretty green when it comes to processing the new crop of renewably sourced biopolymers. These biologically derived polymers made from PLA, PHA and starch-based resins are attracting growing market interest as materials with no ties to petrochemical-based thermoplastics.

Five years ago, in-mold labeling was just gaining traction among North American injection molders as a one-step approach to decorating without secondary operations.

The accepted ground rule for balancing melt flow in multi-cavity injection molds is to achieve equal flow distance from the injection point to each cavity.

Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont., says it will de-emphasize production of large injection presses in order to concentrate on its core packaging markets, including PET preforms, closures, and thin-wall products.

At the Chinaplas show last month in Shanghai, Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont., demonstrated “the industry’s highest-output system for finished water closures,” according to Mark Fitzpatrick, business manager for closures.

The combination of an injection molding press and a twin-screw compounding extruder represents a new paradigm for processors: They create their own materials as they mold them.

A high-cavitation hot-runner system designed specifically for molding bottle preforms of biodegradable polylactide (PLA) resins is offered by Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont.

WEB EXCLUSIVE The Conair Group, Inc., Cranberry Township, Pa., and Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont., have agreed to jointly supply complete PET preform manufacturing systems worldwide.

Development of all-electric and hybrid-electric blow molding machines may be gaining momentum, as evidenced by several new models introduced in Dusseldorf.

If you were looking for a new machine to mold micro- or mega-sized parts, multiple materials, long fibers, high-speed/high-cavitation packaging, exotic multi-material combinations with compounding on the machine, or just a cost-effective press for general-purpose use—K 2007 had it all.

UltraFlow hot-runner nozzles that have an internal mixing system that speeds color changes are now available in valve-gate designs (as well as earlier hot-tip versions) from Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont.

Improved clarity and cost competitiveness, added to its inherent heat resistance, are reviving OPP’s prospects in hot-fill barrier containers. But hot-fill PET containers are raising the bar with higher productivity and ‘panel-less’ bottle designs.

In early December, shareholders will vote on the proposed sale of Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont., to Onex Corp., a Toronto-based privateequity investment firm.

While a number of exhibitors at the “K” show in Dusseldorf are keeping their new entries under wraps until showtime later this month, some suppliers have released a few details on their new hot-runner components and controls.D-M-E will introduce the Bacchus hot-runner system for crates and packaging.

The HyPET line of PET preform molding machines from Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont., now comes with an option to mold multi-layer or monolayer preforms.

Moldflow Corp., Framingham, Mass., has agreed to sell its Manufacturing Solutions Div. to Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont.

If you were buying an injection molding machine 20 years ago, you had to decide between a toggle or fully hydraulic clamp and that was pretty much it.

Under a joint marketing agreement, quality-management and process-monitoring systems from AGR TopWave LLC, Butler, Pa., will be available from Husky Injection Molding Systems, Bolton, Ont., as part of its turnkey injection systems for PET preforms.

Last month, Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont., announced that it has initiated a review that will include the possibility of selling part or all of the company’s shares or forming a strategic combination with another company.

A new pneumatic valve-gate system designed for ultra-compact, multi-cavity production of small parts using low-viscosity resins comes from Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont.

Electrically driven valve pins, a low-cost alternative to valve-gating, mold-mounted temperature controllers, and new components for fast color changes are some of a host of new components and systems unveiled at the giant NPE 2006 show in Chicago this past June. (Some brand-new introductions since the show are also included in this report.) The news includes runnerless products aimed at everything from micromolding to shot weights up to 17.4 lb.

Thermal and mechanical testers, color and appearance sensors, vision inspection devices and CMMs—the NPE had them all in more compact, economical, and easy-to-use models.

Predictive maintenance software that can monitor machine characteristics such as power consumption, vibration, temperature and oil cleanliness in order to identify potential machine problems before failure occurs is new from Husky Injection Molding Systems, Bolton, Ont.

A new split sprue bar for stack molds reportedly eliminates stringing and drooling and keeps the molding area clear for free drop of parts or easy robot access.

Advances in electric drive technology were evident in nearly every injection machine builder’s booth in Chicago.

A new way to display and adjust recovery, injection speed, hold pressure, and mold stroke is standard on the latest Polaris control from Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Bolton, Ont.

Energy-saving all-electric machines will continue to be a big draw at NPE, where new designs or upgraded models will be found in virtually every press maker’s booth.

This emerging market promises to be big but challenging. Polycarbonate car windows require specialized machinery, high-end processing capability, premium polymers, advanced coating technologies, and innovative mold and runner designs.

A new plasma-enhanced coating/ vapor-deposition (PECVD) process, called PlasmaStar, is claimed to be a low-cost barrier solution for PET and PP bottles.

With single-serve containers raising shelf-life demands, packagers are seeking the barrier with the best cost-performance for PET bottles. Multilayer seems to have the upper hand, but monolayer, coating, and oxygen-scavenger technologies have all won niches.

Multi-shot and coinjection molding techniques are staking out new territory. Mach ines are getting larger and are combining more materials or colors in more sophisticated and imaginative ways.

Car makers' all-out effort to cut costs is giving rise to new paint-free technologies, including an innovative 'simultaneous-shot" injection molding process that was presented at the SPE Automotive Division's latest annual Innovation Awards ceremony.

Molders were treated to a trove of injection machinery introductions geared toward applications from micro-molding to packaging to large parts.

Already a familiar sight on European store shelves, the eye-catching appeal of "IML" is gaining traction among North American injection molders. The latest tooling and automation designs can handle the higher volumes needed here.

A three-stage injection process involving nylon, polypropylene, and water assist was demonstrated at the recent K 2004 show in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Injection molded parts are typically demolded with simple pick-and-place automation—a top-mounted, gantry-style (also called Cartesian, linear, or traversing) three-axis robot.

The diversity of electric machines will be on display at this year’s show, with several new all-electric versions in direct-drive and belt-driven versions.

Although more widely used in Europe, in-mold laminating is gaining a foothold in U.S. automotive interiors. Molders can choose from a handful of different process technologies that promise labor and other cost savings.

The internet is redefining the tool-design process. Some mold designers are finding that using the Web to manage a tool project can shorten lead times, cut costs, and make sure vital data get to all participants in a project.

Closer cavity spacing, in-press serviceability, improved valve gates, smarter controls, quick-ship standard manifolds, and Internet e-commerce were leading themes in hot runners at the big show in Chicago.Hot-runner components were one of the largest categories of injection molding products exhibited at the triennial NPE show in June.

In a first for stretch-blow molding, Chicago-based Pechiney Plastic Packaging, Inc. (PPPI) is launching a family of polypropylene barrier food containers that are claimed to be as clear as multi-layer PET bottles.

These two show-goers found what they needed at NPE.

The abundance of injection molding news at this year’s show is staggering.

Ultimate Control for the Toughest Molding Jobs

From micro to maxi, from simple sprue pickers to sophisticated six-axis models, NPE had it all. A raft of new robots, faster and smarter than ever, will help make automation an irresistible choice for U.S. molders.

From complete hot halves to individual nozzles, a host of new products promise smaller gate vestiges, less maintenance, better temperature control, and lower cost.

Stress-free production of large car windows, in-mold painting, and an injection unit that applies pack and hold while accumulating the next shot were a few of the cutting-edge technologies on display.

Two new tooling concepts adapt the idea of stack molds to producing larger parts that can be of dissimilar shape, size, color, or material.

Energy efficiency and production cost savings were dominant themes of the blow molding exhibits at K 2001. A handful of new all-electric machines aroused intense interest, though they are aimed primarily at niche markets. And in two-stage (reheat) PET stretch-blow molding, the focus was on boosting output per cavity.

One cluster of blow molding innovations on display at K 2001 will address the need for more versatile single-stage injection stretch-blow molding (ISBM) machines. A thirst for energy savings underlies plans to launch all-electric units for PET and HDPE containers. Also in the limelight are advances in large-part technical blow molding.

All-electric machines will be one of the biggest themes in injection molding machinery at this year’s K show, where at least nine firms will bring out their first models.

The newest crop of robot automation for injection molding machines, displayed recently at the Platex show in Osaka, Japan, and the Plast-Ex Show in Mississauga, Ont., continue the trend toward six-axis jointed-arm models and improved servo-driven, beam-mounted units seen at last year's NPE show in Chicago. The latest introductions also include new controls for servo-driven robots, new units designed to work in palletizing cells, and a range of new sprue pickers in servo and pneumatic models.

The abundance of injection molding news at this year’s show is staggering. There are more and bigger all-electric machines than ever, including first-time introductions by several suppliers. Electric technology is also taking new forms, such as beltless drives and “direct-pressure” clamping without a toggle. Energy-saving electro-hydraulic hybrids are also evolving.

When you are buying a molding machine, the author advises, you should balance the initial price against the payback in productivity.

If you need a complete bolt-on hot-runner system on short notice, and off-the-shelf systems come up short in design flexibility, there's a solution available from Husky Injection Molding Systems of Milton, Vt.

The tradition of building molds dedicated to one PET preform design is being challenged by modular tooling with interchangeable parts that can makedifferent preforms from one mold set. Such flexibility offers enormous costsavings--if it is designed into the tool at the start.