New preform system, all-electric press among the highlights.

Among the many attractions in injection molding exhibits at NPE2012 were more intelligent robots with higher speeds and payload capacities

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.

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.

Italian injection machine builder Negri Bossi (U.S. office in Newark, Del.) will now be offering integrated automation solutions by virtue of its acquisition in late April of Italia robot supplier Sytrama (U.S. operation is in Windsor, Conn.). Sytrama makes three-axis and linear-axis robots, side-entry robots, and linear motors for use on presses from 50 to 6000 metric tons.

Novel press line debuts at Negri Bossi open house.

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.

Models designed specifically for clean rooms have been added to the Canbel all-electric series from Negri Bossi, Inc., New Castle, Del.

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.

Injection MoldingHybrid Press Has Electric ClampNew injection presses that combine servo-electric and hydraulic movements to achieve high performance with energy efficiency will be discussed by Arburg Inc., Newington, Conn.

Two recent moves by plastics equipment firms to larger quarters include the relocation of injection machine supplier Negri Bossi USA from Newark, Del., to New Castle, Del.

A new multi-shot all-electric machine is an expansion of the Canbel direct-drive machine series from Negri Bossi USA, New Castle, Del.

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.

At the big “K” Show next month, top billing goes to new all-electric machines aimed at every segment of the market, from general-purpose to high-end.

Injection machine maker Negri Bossi of Newark, Del., and Mississauga, Ont., now offers the ability to integrate complex automation projects.

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.

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

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.

Injection MoldingSimplified Hot Runners Save Time & CostA new lower-cost hot-runner alternative to valve gating is suited to less critical cosmetic applications where users need predictable and reliable gate opening but not sequential gate operation.

The Elma all-electric machine series from Negri Bossi USA, Newark, Del., has been renamed and upgraded for faster injection, more precise and repeatable movements, and reduced maintenance.

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.

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.

It’s the power to run your plant and machines better and more profitably. Today’s process and production monitoring systems put that information in the palm of your hand.

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.

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.