Projectstory
Once installed, millions of times demolded
Well integrated, but far from being obsolete, one of the earliest servo-mold tool systems - the 8-fold unscrewing unit for the Swiss company Wild & Küpfer AG - has been reliably serving for 13 years. After successfully unscrewing over 43 million molded parts, it is high time to tell a shared success story that continues to this day.
:quality(85) "Wild und Küpfer")
:quality(85) "Wild und Küpfer")
We are in the year 2012: While Wild & Küpfer AG has been standing for complex high-quality plastic parts and assemblies for over 35 years, the innovative Servomold system solutions are fresh on the market and so far only in a handful of production facilities. In the unscrewing of threaded fasteners, Servomold can quickly build a good reputation through its clean, precise systems.
At the Euromold trade fair in 2011, the experts from Wild & Küpfer AG first became aware of the solutions offered by the company from the Odenwald region and soon after were ready to integrate the screwing unit powered by servomotors into a tool. For this purpose, an eight-fold screwing system with two four-fold screwing units was commissioned, whose design immediately convinced: The units can be fully integrated into the standard tool structure without any laterally protruding parts, and the overall height of the tool half is relatively compact without attachments such as racks, supports, or hydraulic cylinders.
The Servomold designers receive the green light to build the electric unscrewing unit and take on the challenge of replacing the customer's existing solution with a system that not only features a space-saving design but also brings numerous other optimizations: from reducing the unscrewing time, which decreases process cycle times by approximately 20 percent, to precise adjustment and monitoring of all processes made possible by the associated control unit and its software.
:quality(85) "Wild und Küpfer")
And so the new unscrewing unit becomes reality, simultaneously meeting the high expectations of the customer: Thanks to the combination of the unscrewing half and servo control, the movement sequences of the unscrewing can be optimized in unprecedented ways. The Swiss company, which has been striving for improvements in drives in injection molding tools and specifically in unscrewing mechanisms for some time, is extremely satisfied with the new technology. The strengths and advantages of the new unscrewing unit were already summarized by Wild & Küpfer AG in the PLASTVERARBEITER magazine in 2012.
"The mechanical and control engineering properties of the servo-electrically driven screw removal units are convincing and represent a suitable addition to our own technical developments. After thorough preparation, we have planned the use of the screw removal unit as a forward-looking decision, which has proven to be correct."
The tool is easy to set up and put into operation. It has proven to be robust and reliable in operation. The effort for maintenance and preventive maintenance is low. Also, in terms of the cost-effectiveness of our production, our expectations have been more than met - we were able to significantly reduce cycle time. In addition, we have achieved a technological gain: the screwdriving units are suitable for use in cleanrooms. Because the system operates without hydraulic oil or compressed air, and only a very small amount of lubricants is required for the mechanics.
Project Overview
:quality(85) "Wild und Küpfer")
Customer
Wild & Küpfer AG
Application
Medical closure cap with internal thread (polypropylene)
Unscrewing unit
Thread core system
Temperature control system
Torque
18 Nm for thread core (available 80 Nm)
Drilling time
0.8 seconds
Servo control
Servo complete control system(SKS-4.2-20rn)
Service life
April 2012 - present
Total cycle count
over 5.4 million cycles
Thirteen years after installation and commissioning, the tool runs unchanged except for a few replaced wear parts such as timing belts, and demolds the same closure caps with proven efficiency. The opinion at Wild & Küpfer AG remains positive, and the employees in the toolmaking department are pleased with the long maintenance intervals and the. "for years without any problems" ongoing operation.
:quality(85) "Wild und Küpfer")
The responsible persons still have full control over the process via the control system and can freely program movements, rotation speeds, and final positions. Specifically configured ramps ensure a gentle start and stop to protect the tools, while the unscrewing process is monitored in detail, detecting any minor discrepancies directly.
With its smooth interaction of hardware and software, the screwdriving unit also formed an ideal foundation for further joint developments.
Numerous details and entire components have evolved constructively over the years, but the functionality of our unscrewing units remains unchanged to this day. This longevity testifies to a successful collaboration, in which we continue to work towards the ideal solution long after commissioning - jointly and across companies. What connects Servomold with customers like Wild & Küpfer AG is the willingness to allow the necessary time for developments and constructions to create a production of plastic parts that delivers excellent results over decades. Here's to many more years of smooth operation!
:quality(85) "Team Thomas Meister")
"We are particularly pleased with the good relationship with the company and our long-standing contacts at Wild & Küpfer AG, who share our philosophy. Servomold would like to express its gratitude for the initial trust and long-lasting loyalty."