ME
Pascal Poussard, CEO of SIM France
SIM out of France is definitely a packaging specialist. High performance machines from well known German and Swiss manufacturers produce over 400 million plastic parts a year ...
Novel machine design, optimum tolerances, lowest amount of maintenance.
One component has to take on multiple functions. Reduction in the mechanical parts.
Few parts = optimum tolerances = high precision
The basic idea is the manifesto: one component for multiple functions and so fewer parts for the entire configuration of the machine. The platen become the tie bars and therefore provide for 70% more mold area and a machine design that is 30% slimmer. The symmetrical design that results keeps all of the forces in the center and guarantees platen parallelism and the best tolerances. So the clamping unit of the Mercury forms a completely self-contained unit and in principle it is capable of working by itself.
The toggle system was engineered for simplicity with a central servo-direct-drive for dynamic and smoother movements. It was possible to totally leave out a lubricant in the toggle system. The Mercury´s clamp design creates optimum conditions for clean production and clean-room medical applications and it is extremely easy to maintain.
Maximum injection speed, creating a new dimension of the modularity, making it possible to process complex plastics.
Simplest module design for the highest performance.
Separated injection and plastification, high melt quality, high dynamics.
Traditional concepts on the injection side are still compromises: high energy consumption, screw movement, dependence of the screw diameter and the size of the injection unit.
Through the separation of plastification and the injection the modularity of the Mercury was expanded by one more dimension. There are three plunger diameters available for each clamping force and in turn three screw diameters. In this way the Mercury offers its customers a variable machine configuration for specific mold demands,
the materials and of the process technology.
The modular principle of the Mercury can be found on the machine labeling. Our example ME1500-45/50: 1500 kN clamping force was combined with an injection unit, which has a 45 mm piston diameter and a 50 mm screw diameter.
The separation of plastification and injection allows for an extraordinary high melt quality. The plastification will be done by a high torque motor. The injection process happens using a central spindle driven by a servomotor. This promises the shortest response times and reaches speeds up to 500 mm/sec with an acceleration of over 10 g. The plungers insure a constistant injection volume, thereby achieving the lowest shot weight tolerances.
Keep it simple. Energy saving. Clarity and transparency
High system stability, trouble-free and real time signal transmission
Decentralized bus module, reduced cable, recirculation of the energy
Saving energy through the efficient use of energy – a basic principle of the Mercury Series. The ejector uses the energy from the moving platen with parallel movements, when mold open while ejection. A central power supply to the drive and the new generation of inverters from KEB make it possible to return the braking energy “burned” back to the national grid. The power requirement drops and the power saving becomes really efficient as a result. Servomotors with extremely low inertia are also used in the Mercury. These allow for heavy acceleration with low energy use.
The Zhafir Team designed a customized safety system just for the Mercury to guarantee the maximum degree of safety for each drive shaft. This included using the latest generation of magnet closures.
The compact modular design of the new generation of converters from KEB offers high performance in the smallest space and guarantees maximum conservation of energy. The installed arrangement creates room and a clear view in the control box.
The goal was for as many signals as possible to communicate through a standardized field bus system that is compatible with the Ethernet. The signals are read through the decentralized I/Os and emitted – on the spot where they are needed. This guarantees exact timing and no losses and disruptive influences of any kind. Optimized wiring and reduced cable lengths provide system stability and greater ease of maintenance.
Ergonomic and self-explanatory, visualization of more complex processes
Software to support the process, suitable for the broadest user profiles
Mobile operation terminal, modular design programming
The control interface is fitted with a 15 inch touch-screen and can be set up or re-located easily to the non-operator side. It is therefore possible to operate two machines at the same time in a classic production network without having to rotate the machines. The infinitely adjustable height of the control panel allows comfortable operation, while relieving stress on the back.
The operator philosophy is self-explanatory and ergonomic. The “Keep it Simple“ rule of thumb also applies here – but at a higher level, please. The software is built on proven and well known standards and was enhanced by innovative features. Flat menu hierarchies and extremely intuitive browsing make daily operation with the Mercury easy.
A multitude of other functions were integrated using the latest generation of controls from KEBA. For example, the flexible sequences can be changed individually or the access privileges can still be personalized on an individual basis. This software has a modular design. The standards were isolated neatly by the Mercury functions. Therefore, updates and after the fact special functions can be clearly assigned without having to change the basic hardware of the machine.
The Mercury software provides the
energetic optimisation of the machine on one page.
On the main screen there are the most important
data at a glance. It takes just one clic to get to the current sub pages.
The continuous control concept on all pages provides fast training.
Consistent minimization of parts, true modularity and decentralized drives offer the user advantages in a variety of respects:
The toggle system is precise and has a smooth, dynamic movement sequence extends the mold life. Furthermore, the new kind of non-lubricated toggle system saves time and money. All five axes are driven directly through servomotors and as a result provide for the greatest accuracy and efficiency. On the injection side the concept broadens the spectrum of areas of application many times over: More injection volume, new materials, more complex mold geometries.
The free configuration of the injection unit provides an optimal material processing. For short dwell times it’s better to use a smaller screw; for larger dwell times and a higher plasticizing capacity it‘ better to use bigger screws. The plasticizing unit of the Mercury is a fixed extruder with a constant effective screw length. This guarantees a consistent and homogeneous injection volume. A classical non-return valve was not required because the screw doesn’t need to make linear movements.
The piston stroke is an important criterion that is relevant to quality. A longer stroke is an advantage for better control potential during injection – it is relevant among other things for thick-walled molded parts or multi cavity molds. The Mercury offers an extremely long stroke (6D instead of 4D) because the quality of the melt does not depend on the efficiency of the stroke. If you compare it with a “traditional” injection unit the Mercury offers approximately 30% more injection volume at a comparable screw diameter. This saves money in equipment acquisition and considerably expands the scope of application.