KM_AHEAD_1_12_E.pdf - Netstal
KM_AHEAD_1_12_E.pdf - Netstal
KM_AHEAD_1_12_E.pdf - Netstal
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8 Success story<br />
<strong>AHEAD</strong> Issue 01.20<strong>12</strong><br />
success sTory<br />
nEw gX mAcHInE mAkEs A comPEllIng<br />
cAsE DURIng UsE In PRoDUctIon<br />
waFa Kunststofftechnik field-tests the gX series successfully for several months<br />
Manufacturing components with premium-quality chrome and coated<br />
surfaces is the core area of expertise for WAFA Kunststofftechnik<br />
GmbH in Augsburg. In particular, small process windows during<br />
chrome-plating place very high requirements on consistent, uniform<br />
process and article quality without defects as early as the injection<br />
molding stage. A field test over several months confirmed that the<br />
new GX machine from KraussMaffei fulfilled the stringent requirements<br />
perfectly.<br />
Since 1962, WAFA Kunststofftechnik in Augsburg has been manufacturing<br />
technical parts made from plastic, in addition to surface finishing<br />
and manufacturing glass and metal jewelry. Their core industry<br />
is manufacturing and surface finishing high-quality plastic<br />
parts. At the main plant in Augsburg, the company produces coated<br />
and chrome-plated parts and assemblies at 44 injection molding machines,<br />
predominantly for the automotive industry. “Due to stringent<br />
requirements for the production process and for the component, the<br />
company was deliberately selected for field testing in ongoing production<br />
operation,” said Dr. Daniel Ammer of KraussMaffei. A new<br />
GX 550-4300 was delivered to WAFA in October of 2011. “The high precision,<br />
speed, modularity and high usability completely convinced us,”<br />
enthused Wolfgang K. Müller, Owner and Managing Director of WAFA.<br />
“KraussMaffei once again raised the bar for the high quality of their<br />
injection molding machines with their new GX series.”<br />
gAbRIjEl josIfoskI<br />
manager of the injection molding Technology center at waFa<br />
Chrome-plating requires the highest possible component quality<br />
Even just after delivery, the machine made a compelling case for itself<br />
to the people responsible for production at WAFA. It persuaded them<br />
with its robustness, reliability and easy accessibility. As a result, the<br />
machine was integrated right into daily three-shift production. “The<br />
GX series surpassed our expectations, even during demanding continuous<br />
operation,” said Robert Wengenmayr, Quality Manager at WAFA.<br />
“High product quality with uniform process consistency was evident in<br />
the excellent production numbers and low rejection rates. Dry cycle<br />
time was very low.” For example, trim strips for the automotive industry<br />
made out of ABS and PC/ABS were produced on the machine.<br />
These parts were then chrome-plated right at WAFA. Due to the direct<br />
connection of these in-house processes, the employees at WAFA<br />
very quickly recognized the links between product quality during injection<br />
molding and the possible defects that can result after chromeplating.The<br />
GX machine scored points with above-average product<br />
quality, particularly with very few article defects such as entrapped<br />
air, streaks or other imperfections. Such defects are often not visible<br />
on the injection molding part until they become apparent during the<br />
chrome plating process and the part needs to be discarded. This is all<br />
the more frustrating at that point, since all of the value creation has<br />
already taken place.<br />
Modular design for customized production cells Many of the parts<br />
produced and chrome-plated by WAFA are strips or frames. They are<br />
used as design elements in automobiles and, due to their thin geometry,<br />
are lightweight but have enormous dimensions that require large<br />
molds. Thus WAFA's ideal injection molding machine requires large<br />
mold mounting dimensions and, subsequently, a large clamping unit<br />
combined with a small injection unit for low shot weights. Today, usual<br />
adaptations with smaller barrels only lead to limited success since<br />
the overall system of hydraulics and mechanical parts has been optimized<br />
for other sizes. With additional degrees of freedom for combining<br />
an injection unit, a clamping unit and a module, the expanded<br />
modular design of the GX series allows optimal adaptation to the production<br />
requirements – as the results prove. Furthermore, the machine<br />
is equipped with a type LRX 250 linear robot, the basic component<br />
for economical manufacturing cells. This removes the sensitive<br />
articles, places them on a cooling/conveyor section and separates the<br />
sprues as needed. Furthermore, the robot ensures that conditions regarding<br />
demolding time and cycle time remain consistent and thus<br />
has a positive influence on process conditions. The uniform paneling<br />
system for the machine and robot from one casting is also new. It is<br />
certainly a great visual - as well as functional - addition.<br />
“KraussMaffei has created a top-quality machine in the GX, which literally<br />
opens new dimensions. Modular design, high performance and<br />
outstanding precision combine to form one user-friendly machine –<br />
a great performance!” stated Wolfgang K. Müller in praise of the development<br />
team. MB
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