• Meta-themes: focus on energy, efficiency, skills shortages and digitalisation
• Strong interest: new, efficient hybrid technology opens up exciting opportunities
• “arburgSOLUTIONworld”: comprehensive advice, digital products and problem-solving expertise
At Fakuma 2023 in Friedrichshafen, ARBURG showcased its exceptional ability to deliver comprehensive solutions in plastics processing. The trade public made active use of the opportunity to experience live how greater sustainability, digitalisation and automation can be implemented in the world of plastics with the aid of a total of 20 exhibits on the company's own stand and at partners' stands. They received comprehensive advice at the interactive “arburgSOLUTIONworld” exhibition area and from the more than 200 Arburg employees from around 25 countries who were present each day on the 1600 square metre trade fair stand.
“Fakuma was once again an important platform for us to engage in in-depth discussions with customers and interested parties, and to convincingly demonstrate that we are far more than 'just' a premium machine manufacturer”, says Juliane Hehl, Managing Partner, Global Marketing & Business Development. "In fact, our customers get from us what they need for their economic success and competitive advantage - namely customised complete solutions for efficient production and energy-efficient plastic parts manufacturing. At this point, I can promise you: our customers can rely on our resilient family business, with its 100-year history of success, especially in difficult economic times, both now and in the future!”
Comprehensive problem-solving expertise
Dr. Christoph Schumacher, Director of Global Marketing, adds: “With nine exhibits on the Arburg stand and eleven more at partners' stands, we showcased the most comprehensive range of technologies and processes in the fields of injection moulding, additive manufacturing, automation and digitalisation at the entire Fakuma trade fair, and demonstrated our extensive problem-solving expertise. With 'arburgSOLUTIONworld' dealing with the meta-topics of energy, efficiency, shortage of skilled workers and future orientation, we truly have our finger on the pulse. Many trade visitors received advice here on the benefits and added values of our digital products and services, and were impressed with how easily they can create added value and tap into the potential for cost and energy savings with our support. This idea was a big hit!”
World premiere: a new hybrid machine
A product highlight was the world premiere of the Allrounder 520 H with 1,500 kN clamping force, equipped with the new Multilift Select 8 linear robotic system. It is the second size in the Hidrive series with new hybrid machine technology. The new hybrid Allrounders combine the best of both drive worlds: they are particularly energy-efficient, resource-efficient, production-efficient, user-friendly and reliable, and are characterised by significantly reduced acquisition and operating costs as well as a smaller carbon footprint.
Digitalisation ensures 100 percent traceability
A turnkey system based around a vertical Allrounder 375 V, which produced "ready to use" tyre levers from separated post-industrial recyclate (PIR), demonstrated how digitalisation and automation enable 100 per cent traceability. The Arburg Turnkey Control Module (ATCM) SCADA system and “Invisible Tracing” from partner Detagto made it possible to clearly identify each product.
Another option for 100 per cent traceability was demonstrated by multifunctional boxes made of thermoplastic (PBT) and liquid silicone rubber (LSR), which were produced by a two-component Allrounder More 2000. The thermoplastic component contained a marker from partner Polysecure, which produces a part-specific fluorescence.
Innovative injection moulding applications and processes
Using the example of labelled centrifuge tubes, an innovative IML application premiered for the first time at Fakuma 2023. The IML product, manufactured on an electric Allrounder 520 A in clean room design, offers an advantage in functionality, efficiency and recyclability, opening up entirely new possibilities in medical technology.
As an energy-efficient, resource-efficient application and an alternative to thermoforming, an Allrounder 720 A “Ultimate” all-electric packaging machine produced IML round cups with a wall thickness of just 0.37 millimetres using the injection compression moulding process.
A turnkey system based around a 470 E Golden Electric Allrounder produced dolphins fully automatically from post-consumer recyclate (PCR) from old fishing nets in a technically sophisticated process. To achieve this, two component halves were first injection moulded, then ultrasonically welded, plasma treated and printed. Operation was by a Yaskawa six-axis robot.
Probably the most sought-after give-away at the trade fair - an Arburg design tool case - was created on a turnkey system based on a hybrid Allrounder 920 H.
Historic machine exhibit
In a special exhibition area, visitors to the trade fair were given exciting insights into the history and development of the innovative family business over the past 100 years. A very special exhibit will show just how viable the company's historic machine technology has remained to this day: a manually operated C1 single-lever machine, reconstructed by today's Arburg trainees themselves, produced shopping trolley tokens from PP recyclate “live” at Fakuma 2023, to the delight of many trade visitors. This was “back to the roots” injection moulding!
Industrial additive manufacturing
The highlight from Arburg subsidiary ARBURGadditive was the new high-temperature Freeformer 750-3X, which additively manufactured aerospace components from Ultem 9085. A TiQ printer from innovatiQ processed fibre-reinforced PA and PP filaments into resilient robotic grippers.
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