Water Temperature Control Upgraded and Integrated into Machine Control

At Fakuma 2023, Engel (Hall A5, stand 5204) will showcase its new eco-flomo temperature control system for continuous monitoring of all injection mold cooling and temperature control circuits. Integrated into the Engel injection molding machine’s CC300 control unit, eco-flomo uses Engel’s iQ flow control software platform to detect irregularities and boost process stability and reliability. Pressure, temperature and flow rate values are presented on the machine display. In addition, these numbers are also saved, aiding process documentation required in some medical and automotive molding.

The eco-flomo is available in either a basic version for straightforward flow rate and temperature difference monitoring or the eco-flomo plus version, which also comes with manually operated valves. Engel says these valves make it possible for the machine operators to manually set the flow rate in the individual temperature control circuits per their specific needs.

Engel says that compared to its predecessor — the flomo — the eco-flomo’s performance levels have been enhanced, with the maximum temperature increasing to 120°C (248°F), with a maximum pressure of 10 bar (145 psi).

Going back to when it introduced the first flomo electronic temperature control water manifold system, Engel has since introduced the e-flomo, which used flow-rate monitoring to automatically control either the flow rates or the temperature difference in water circuit. Next was the  iQ flow control, which was able to connect the e-temp-series temperature control units and the molding machine via OPC UA. Engel says the new eco-flomo and eco-flomo plus allow for upgrades at any time, with only the hardware needing to be replaced, since it already uses the iQ flow control platform.

At Fakuma, an e-victory injection molding machine running LSR umbrella valves will be fully fitted with the new temperature control water manifold system. The umbrella valves measure 7-mm in diameter and are molded from a 64-cavity mold, which requires consistent temperature control.

In a medical exhibit, Engel will mold pen needle shields for hypodermic syringes from polypropylene in a 96-cavity mold on an all-electric e-mac machine. As part of this application, the temperature control circuits will be split between the eco-flomo and the e-flomo. Both systems’ measured values are displayed on a shared screen page on the e-mac machine’s CC300 control unit.