Two of the industry’s biggest names changed hands last month as mergers and acquisitions continue to grab headlines in plastics.

New SB Series pelletizers from Milacron, Batavia, Ohio, let molders pelletize scrap themselves, eliminating many problems associated with third-party handling and processing of regrind.

Vision Technical Molding in Manchester, Conn., doesn’t believe in standing still.

Roboshot Video

This is a POWERPAK® Video

The number-one difference we find is that the operator on the hydraulic machine has the tendency to set the ejector positions beyond the mold eject mechanism travel capability.

Newer electric machine designs and technology today have motors and drives with more power capability than ever before.

Machines put into service over 20 years ago are still in operation.

With good maintenance and proper operation, the annual cost has been under $500 per year.

Normal items such as grease, screw tip assembly, heater bands and thermocouples.

Belt technology has advanced over the 30 years of all-electric technology, and today’s belts can be expected to last +10 years.

Regular cleaning of the machine and observing for any lubrication issues (lack of).Cleaning or replacing the air filter for the electrical/drive cabinet.Replacement of the grease supply.Listening to the machine for any unusual noise, which might indicate the beginning of a mechanical problem.

Many factors need to be considered, and every customer will have different circumstances in making a decision to either maintain or replace their existing hydraulic machines.

The elimination of oil, valves, hoses, etc. requires less housekeeping since leaks are avoided. Hydraulic systems must have the ability to “breath” when the oil is flowing in and out of their oil reservoirs.

Hydraulic oil tends to behave differently as temperatures change and also as the oil becomes dirty.

Overlapping of operations (ie: clamp and extruder; clamp and injection - pre-injection; eject on fly) is a built-in design capability.

There are several answers to this, depending on the age and type of technology used in the machine being replaced and the molding cycle conditions.

All electric injection molding machines turn injection molding into a predictable, robotic operation.

How much energy can I save?

Material Handling Equipment (silos/loading/blending/granulating): Milacron offers total Material Management support from products, system design, installation, technical support and customer service.

Available POWERPAK® Models 

All-ElectricHigh performance eject rollerscrewEject retract override during clamp closeHigh performance hydraulic accumulator assist eject (Optional)HybridPulsating ejection & SPI knockout pattern with drilled knockout barEject retract override during clamp closeIntermediate eject retract setpointHigh performance hydraulic accumulator assist eject (Standard) 

All-ElectricHigh performance inject rollerscrewLow inertia direct drive traversing injection platens on and package units (electric units only)Laser aligned assembly procedureInjection unit swivel (reciprocating units only)Purge GuardScrew recovery time monitorTransfer to pack on position, volume, melt pressure, or timeDigital set-up and read out of inject position to 0.001” resolutionLow inertia pulleys on two stage unitsTwin pull-in cylindersHopper slide shutoff with discharge chutePrecision ground linear bearing sled carriagePoppet check on electric two stage units; Ball check or slider ring on reciprocating unitsInjection before tonnage (Pre-Inject)Global barrier screw design and nitride barrels on 2290 frame electric reciprocating unitsHybridHigh performance injection plunger with accumulator assistNozzle shut off valve included with hybrid accumulator injection unitLaser aligned assembly procedurePurge GuardScrew recovery time monitorTransfer to pack on position, volume, melt pressure, or timeDigital set-up and read out of inject position to 0.001” resolutionTwin pull-in cylindersHopper slide shutoff with discharge chutePrecision ground linear bearing sled carriageInjection before tonnage (Pre-Inject) 

Low Friction ClampingRack and pinion clamp driveReplaceable die locating ringBull gear for die height adjustmentHighly sensitive Mold Guard protectionLow friction adjustable clamp shoes with outboard supportGreaseless tie bar design with low friction linear bearing clamp guidesChrome-Plated hardened steel toggle pins and reduced lubrication bushingsClamp lubrication alarmsAutomatic electrically activated die height adjustmentAuto lube of toggle linkagesDigital set-up and read-out of clamp position to 0.001” resolutionManual mold purgePneumatic mold gate (software/signals only)Tri-directional part removalWalk-up base design for easy access to high cavitation molds 

Electric Based machines for high speed/thin wall applicationsOptimum reliability from high performance actuators, eliminating expensive servo valves & oil contaminationOptimum energy efficiency (up to 60% in some applications)Reciprocating and Two-Stage Injection units availableWide range of shot sizes, extruder sizes, pressures & injection rates for optimum performance with maximum efficiencyStack mold capableGreaseless tie bar design utilizing linear bearing guidance systemOptional Greaseless Smartline stack mold center carrier systemNew “Walk-UP” base design allows easy access to high cavitation tooling

US STANDARD ROBOSHOTModel/Tonnage Injection Size Range Clamp Stroke Max.

MOLD 24i Networking and Resin Evaluation The MOLD 24i Option includes a Quality Radar for 40 items or more, Molding Parameter Change Log, Run Hour Analysis, Process Monitor and Alarm Log.By using the ROBOSHOT as a measuring instrument and the MOLD 24i Option as a data collection and analysis unit, it’s possible to measure the viscosity of the resin with the Resin Characteristic Evaluation Option.

Precise 310iS Control ROBOSHOT’s 310iS Control incorporates high-speed parallel processors with 64-bit technology.

Rigid, Low Friction Injection The S2000i-B Series injection units have been engineered for greater rigidity.

Rigid and Uniform Clamp Force controlUnique clamp mechanism is designed to minimize any platen deflection during tonnage build phase.

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US Standard Powerline Model/Tonnage Injection Size Range Clamp Stroke Max Daylight Min.

MOSAIC Control 15-inch diagonal screen TFT flat panel Touch Screen (analog, resistive) Dual Intel processors Swing arm mount IP65 protection (against dirt and contaminants) MOSAIC Operator Screens Screen layouts are clear, concise and easy to understand.

Two Stage Injection Unit for High Throughput Applications Shot size from 30 oz (35,000 psi) to 195 oz (17,800 psi) Shot size versatility: 2% to 95% shot capacity Improved residence times by varying extruder diameter without affecting shot size, rate, or pressure.

Efficient Processing Features Efficient, precise and rugged injection rollerscrew operation is designed specifically for injection molding applications.

Precise, High Speed Rack and Pinion Clamp Sizes from 440 to 1125 tons Rack-and-pinion clamp for high-speed, quiet operations Ultra precision, reliable and repeatable to 0.001” Advanced digital motor-drive control interface Lower inertia & increased response from air-cooled AC servos.

POWERLINE all-electric injection molding machines give energy savings from 50-80% and optimize your process for the highest part productivity, quality and operational profitability.

As a leader in all-electric injection molding machines since their invention, Milacron Plastics Machinery today continues to build on its proven expertise in this powerful technology.

Seeking the energy-saving benefits of electrics and the power of hydraulics, molders are increasingly turning to hydraulic-electric hybrid injection molding machines.

The precision and repeatability of all-electric injection molding machines make them ideally suited to high speed, thin-wall parts common in the following markets and applications: Medical: Syringes, petri dishes and more Food & Beverage: Caps, closures, containers, cutlery Industrial: Buckets and Pails Consumer goods: High volume packaging Automotive Communications: Smart phones Electronics: Connectors

Exacting computer controls have always been at the heart of the speed and precision of all-electric injection molding machines.

When you’re a successful injection molder with more than 40 years under your belt and more than 50 presses producing 1.8 billion containers and lids for food-packaging containers annually, what do you do when you feel the time is right to expand?

In late August, Milacron LLC, Batavia, Ohio, completed its purchase of the former Milacron Inc.

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.