A new injection moulding machine that uses the MuCell process has allowed Bertrandt to significantly reduce material consumption in the injection moulding process, enabling it to respond flexibly to individual customer needs.
So far, this injection moulding machine has only been used by a few companies in Germany.
KraussMaffei
In conventional injection moulding, a material is liquefied and injected into a mould under pressure. In this so-called injection mould, the previously heated material cools down and becomes solid. The MuCell Gas Assist Injection Moulding process enhances this traditional injection moulding method. The liquid plastic is first mixed with a gas and then injected into the mould, as in conventional injection moulding.
The process is a lot more promising than conventional injection moulding, particularly for lightweight construction. By adding the gas mixture, the material requirements for the injection moulding process are reduced. It is thus possible, for example, to reduce the weight of a headlamp housing by up to eight percent without adversely affecting the strength of the component. The gas mixture also reduces the injection pressure to be used for the material, making the MuCell process more energy-efficient than conventional injection moulding. Bertrandt is one of the few companies in Germany to use an injection moulding machine with the MuCell process in pilot production.
The new injection moulding machine, which costs EUR 800,000, can be used in a wide variety of applications and in every sector of the company, ranging from aviation to automotive development. Moreover, the 50-ton machine can be converted back to the conventional injection moulding process within a few hours. This enables Bertrandt to respond flexibly to individual customer requirements.