Even though Corvaglia is not exhibiting directly at K‘2010 in Düsseldorf, the expert in moulded closures will nevertheless be present at this most important plastics exhibition.
On the Netstal exhibition stand (Halle 15 Stand D24), the Swiss cap specialist is presenting the smallest and most energy-efficient 64-cavity cap production system ever, running on a new ELION 2200 injection moulding machine. The combination of the new injection mould and the 2200 kN machine also outperforms by the shortest cycle times and the smallest amount of required floor space.
| In the past, the clamping force of an injection moulding machine exceeded the requirements of the mould and it was therefore too big (3000 kN for a 64-cavity cap tool). Corvaglia has now succeeded in significantly reducing the dimensions of the mould and to ideally adapt it to a smaller machine. With the parallel launch of the ELION 2200, Netstal now offers an electric machine with a 2200 kN clamping force which is applicable for the production of these caps. An optimum combination that will be demonstrated at K'2010: moulding the one-piece Corvaglia CSN-26 HDPE cap using a 64-cavity tool cycling at 2 seconds. |
Energy savingsThe optimised tool size yields of course other advantages. Being about 20 percent thinner, the tool yields a weight saving of about 300 kg and, thanks to the significantly reduced moving mass, leads to lower energy consumption by the injection moulding machine. Another progress in reducing the energy consumption is the optimised hot runner developed by Corvaglia itself. We coped with the task of re-designing this hot runner because we couldn’t find anything equivalent on the market right now, said Romeo Corvaglia, CEO of Corvaglia Holding AG. On the hot runner system there is, for example, a special ceramic insulator with a heat conductivity value of less than 2 W/mK (compared with 15-40 W/mK on a conventional hot runner). And to further improve the heat balance there are special foils that reduce by half the radiant heat loss.Optimised output and energy consumptionThe use of the Corvaglia energy-optimised 64-cavity tool on an electric ELION 2200 now enables new records with respect to energy consumption, output and floor space. The reduction in cycle time only, from about 2.5 to 2 seconds, is itself a quantum leap! In comparing the energy consumption, required floor space and output values for an Alaska cap from 2006, a CSN-26 cap from 2009 and the CSN-26 tool on the ELION 2200, the progress is clearly evident. A compression moulding machine is also shown in the following graphics.
Figure 2: Output per installation surface and year
Figure 2 depicts the output per square meter (installation surface). The new system outperforms the Alaska cap from 2006 (A) by almost 2.5 times. Even compared to the CSN-26 production from 2009 (C) – in fact a too big injection moulding machine –, and compared to the compression moulding (B), the output per installation surface is more than 50% higher.
Figure 3: Energy consumption per closure
The progress made is even more evident in Figure 3. Compared with the Alaska from 2006 (A) the energy consumption per cap is reduced by about 60%. Compared with the CSN-26 system from 2009 (C) the energy consumption is around 50% less.SummaryA very small and light cap yields savings in material and energy consumption, consequently cost savings, due to its reduced mass. The development of an energy optimised tool by the cap specialist and pioneer Corvaglia, in combination with a Netstal energy efficient electric injection moulding machine of an optimum size, accomplishes additional significant savings in energy and installation surface. On top, the output is markedly increased.
| Natalia Garcia Tel: +41 71 973 77 03 n.garcia@corvaglia.ch |
