valid

Hirate America show LS Mtron All Electric Injection Molding Machine at the Plastec West 2018

Hirate America, Inc. displayed the LS Mtron All Electric 120 ton WIZ-E Injection Molding Machine at the 2018 Plastec West at the Anaheim Convention Center. The machine is manufactured in South Korea by LS Mtron which is the 15th largest company in South Korea and targets injection molders looking for high quality and long term reliability with good performance and economical price.

The machine ran a Dauntless Industries 1 cavity polypropylene frisbee mold.

The machine comes standard with many features like double center press moving platen, T-slots in platens, dual air blow offs, ceramic heater bands, bimetallic screw and barrel, robot SPI or Euromap interface and auxiliary power ports.
<

LS Mtron improved on tie bar distance and extended daylight after listening to the US customers requests. Tie bar distance is extended on the horizontal 7% to 17% and vertical 2% to 15% compared to the previous model. Daylight is extended 3 to 20% compared to the previous model.

The machine features the new “Center Press” type moving platen to provide high stiffness to prevent platen bending which is always debated with toggle machines. This design provides equal clamping force across the platen when molding.

Also compared to the previous model the injection volume was increased 13% to 27% throughout the line.

The machine features simultaneous actions by separate control of all of the servo motors. This can reduce cycle time by opening the mold while charging and recovering and you can fire the ejectors while the mold is still opening and injection during pressurization.

As an option for machines 18 to 400 tons high speed injection is possible at 500mm per second by applying a strong and quick response AC servo motor.

The injection unit utilizes the double shaft nozzle touch structure for a stable nozzle touch and the forward and backward speed was increased 2.8 times compared to previous models. The new design improves platen parallelism, prevents resin leakage and machine lifespan is increased.

 

LS Mtron has service technicians across North America and offers local parts and technical support.

 

If you have a project that you would like to discuss, feel free to contact us below to schedule a free consultation.

valid

Significant Energy Cost Savings With Portable Chillers

Standard fixed speed compressors on chillers use a hot gas bypass valve that bypasses hot discharge refrigerant gas back into the compressor to simulate 100% load. This keeps the compressor running at full speed at all times regardless of the actual load. As an example, this means that if you have a 10 TON chiller and have 10 machines that each require 1 TON of chilling, or 2 machines that require 5 TONs each, you will be running your chiller at 100% capacity, regardless of whether you have 8 of your 10 machines running (80% load) or 1 of your 2 machines running (50%) load. With this example, the chiller will be costing you a fixed amount on your energy bill regardless of how many of your machines are running.

Thermal Care introduced the first portable chillers with a variable speed compressor on their 10 TON and 20 TON portable chillers.  It allows the compressor to reduce the actual output from 100% down to 30% by reducing the speed of the compressor while utilizing hot gas bypass to bring the load from 30% all the way down to 0% without shutting off the compressor.  As shown in the graph below, the energy savings often result in less than a 1 year return on investment.

Key Features:

  • Touch Screen PLC with full diagnostics
  • Totally enclosed, air-over (TEAO) low-noise, energy-efficient fan(s)
  • Removable tools-free access door
  • Power 3-phase error alarm
  • Warranty – lifetime controller replacement ($175 after 5 years)

 

How do you calculator your cooling your process requirement?

Click the link below for a simple calculator to get a good estimate on your cooling tonnage.

https://www.thermalcare.com/plastics-chillers-calculator/

Want to estimate your annual energy savings (above 50 TONs)?

https://www.thermalcare.com/tc-central-calculator/

 

Hirate America partners with Thermal Care, one of the best process cooling equipment and systems for removing heat from industrial applications.

 

If you have a project that you would like to discuss, feel free to contact us below to schedule a free consultation.

valid

5 Reasons Why You Want to Upgrade To A Hybrid Injection Molding Machine

Hybrid injection molding machines have been on the market for a couple of decades now, and have proven themselves to be the standard choice in many facilities.
Hybrid injection molding machines are different compared to standard hydraulic injection molding machines in that they use a servo motor coupled to a hydraulic pump to circulate the oil used to provide the hydraulic pressure which actuates the components of the machine. The use of a servo pump allows for continuous adjustments to the actual power requirements, low emissions, less noise, and energy savings.

1. Energy Savings.

Compared to standard hydraulic machines, hybrid injection molding machines typically provide 40% to 60% in energy savings. This is because the servo pump only runs when hydraulic pressure is needed, where as a standard hydraulic machine runs the pump continuously. Because there is no need for movement during the cooling stage of the process, the longer the cooling time, the more energy savings you will see.

Hybrid machines that utilize toggle clamping mechanisms are more energy efficient than the direct ram style clamping units that many manufacturers use. Toggle mechanisms are more energy efficient in creating the clamping tonnage, and locking the mold halves together to maintain pressure.

2. Longer Hydraulic Oil and Machine Life.

Hybrid machines also run the hydraulic oil at a lower temperature because there is less circulation required. This leads to an extended lifespan of the oil, servo pump, and other mechanical components involved. Less maintenance means less downtime and more production with the hybrid injection molding machines.

3. Less Demand for Process Cooling Equipment.

When hydraulic oil runs at a lower temperature, it requires less cooling from your chiller or cooling tower. Today most injection molding machines come equipped with a water saver valve that adjusts the amount of water that flows through the heat exchanger to provide just the right amount of cooling so that you are not wasting money on excessive cooling. There are machines without a water saver valve so make sure your machine manufacturer adds this feature. Using less water from your tower or chiller reduces the heat load on your water system which will end up saving you money in the long run.

4. Faster Response and Closed Loop Process.

Servo motors have a faster response time than standard hydraulic pumps, which leads to faster cycles and decreased cycle times. They also offer more precise controls and a more consistent process due to the encoders that track each turn to the exact rotation position. This means higher quality parts and less scrap..

5. Faster ROI.

Although hybrid injection molding machines are slightly more expensive than standard hydraulic molding machines, all of the above benefits provide a very fast return on investment. Hybrid machines are also typically faster than standard hydraulic machines, so you will be able to make more parts in the same amount of time.

The case study below showcases an old Mitsubishi hydraulic injection molding machine that was retrofitted with a hybrid servo system.

Conclusion

Many of our customers have switched over to hybrid injection molding machines, or replaced their old standard hydraulic machines based on the benefits we talked about above, and all of our customers have noticed significant energy savings and increased production efficiencies. Hirate America is partnered with Hyundai Injection Molding Machines and LS Mtron Injection Molding Machines who manufactures hybrid injection molding machines in South Korea ranging from 80 to 6,000+ tons.

If you have a project that you would like to discuss, feel free to contact us below to schedule a free consultation.