Wittmann Battenfeld Showcase New High-Speed Machine at Fakuma

Under the motto “be smart”, Wittmann Battenfeld showcased the standard version of its new all-electric high-speed machine at the Fakuma 2017.

With the new EcoPower Xpress 400/3300+, Wittmann Battenfeld presented its all-electric high-speed machine, designed primarily for the requirements of the packaging industry and for thin-walled applications.

This machine will be available on the market from the autumn of this year in the clamping force sizes of 400 and 500T, with injection units in 3 sizes for injection speeds of up to 600 mm/s and injection pressures of up to 2,500 bar. It replaces the TM Xpress, the high-speed hydraulic toggle lever machine model. A special feature is its high injection dynamism with up to 1,500 mm/s² acceleration.

The EcoPower Xpress is a fully electric high-speed machine whose highly dynamic drive axes for injection, closing and opening are laid out for fast movements as well as extreme control accuracy. The injection process is handled by a rack-and-pinion gear unit driven via a dual motor system. Thanks to the minimal rotatory masses involved in this drive solution, extreme acceleration and speed values can be achieved, which exceed those of conventional hydraulic solutions and their electric screw drives. In combination with the high-precision control of its servo-electric drive, the high-speed injection aggregate of the EcoPower Xpress reaches ultimate precision, repeatability, acceleration and speed.

All of this comes with an extremely low energy consumption, which is even further reduced by KERS, the kinetic energy recovery system patented by Wittmann Battenfeld, which transforms deceleration energy into electrical energy and uses it within the machine.

All main movements of the EcoPower Xpress are driven by water-cooled servo motors. For the secondary movements such as the ejector, nozzle stroke or core pulls, a servo-hydraulic aggregate is used in the standard version. A highly dynamic servo-electric ejector is available as an option. The newly developed dual 5-point toggle lever system with a self-locking function in the end position offers an optimal solution in terms of both kinematics and energy efficiency. All linear movements, such as the moving platen and cross-head strokes are also effected via low-friction linear guides. Moreover, the newly designed central grease lubrication system ensures excellent cleanness and virtually zero maintenance requirements for the entire clamping unit.

A typical feature of the EcoPower Xpress is its modular concept. The machine’s clamping and injection units are self-contained modules and can be freely combined with each other as parts of a modular system. The machine stands out by its extremely low central height and optimal access to the mould area and the injection unit. Various technical details have been adjusted to the specific requirements of thin-wall and packaging technology. For example, the distance between tie-bars and the opening stroke of the EcoPower Xpress have been significantly increased compared to the TM Xpress. This provides ideal conditions for the production of relatively flat parts in multi-cavity moulds as well as bulky hollow vessels such as buckets with IML applications. The fixed mould platen is made of steel to ensure lowest possible platen deflection rates.

The machine’s robust design in conjunction with its water-cooled servo motors and encapsulated direct drives also keep the machine’s noise emissions extremely low.

The EcoPower Xpress thus stands for high performance with optimised use of energy, low noise emissions and maximal cleanness, thus making a vital contribution to sustainability in plastics processing.

At the Fakuma, Wittmann Battenfeld demonstrated the functionality of this highly dynamic machine model on an EcoPower Xpress 400/3300+ manufacturing HDPE closing caps within a cycle time of 2.7 seconds in a 96-cavity mould supplied by the French company Plastisud. The caps will be cooled with the cap cooler from Eisbär, Austria and then deposited in boxes. The specific energy consumption of 0.39 KWh/kg reaches an extremely low level.

Find out what else Wittmann Battenfeld brought to Fakuma in their Fakuma 2017 Showguide.

Wittmann Battenfeld
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