ENGEL Introduces Smaller, Swifter Twin-Platens

ENGEL extends its latest series of compact, twin-platen, injection molding machines with fast-cycling, floor-space-friendly, feather-weight models.

ENGEL North America, a global leader in the design and manufacture of injection molding machines and parts-handling automation, recently introduced two new competitively priced entries into its “duo pico” series of high-performance, twin-platen injection molding machines—the 400-ton ENGEL duo 400 pico US, and the 440-ton ENGEL duo 440 pico US.

ENGEL officials are absolutely confident that their two new duo pico models will appeal to their North American customer base for a very good reason—feature-for-feature, and pound-for-pound both new models have been engineered and built from the ground up to satisfy specific customer requests.

At their global premier at NPE 2009, ENGEL's duo pico presses ranged from 500 to 770 tons. More recently, customers asked that ENGEL continue to build its duo pico machines for high-speed operation, but requested that new models be supplied to them in smaller tonnages, with smaller floor space footprints and in lighter weights.

ENGEL officials are confident that their duo pico line extension will make ENGEL extremely competitive in the two-platen marketplace for reasons other than their availability in smaller sizes. As with other, larger models, the new duo pico's provide variable platen distances for accommodating a variety of special manufacturing applications, such as in-mold labeling and the use of stack molds.

Their energy-saving plasticizing units allow the machines' hydraulic pumps to idle during plasticizing. And both new models are available with ENGEL's “ecodrive”—a   variable-drive system that incorporates speed-controlled servo pumps as standard equipment, making their duo pico presses even more energy efficient. On average, ecodrive-equipped machines consume 45 to 60% less energy than similarly sized hydraulic machines.

Although ENGEL's ecodrive-equipped machines provide all-electric-like energy savings, they also have the ability to maintain efficiencies in applications normally reserved for hydraulic machines — such as powering hot-runner needles, mold mounting systems, and hydraulic corepulls.

ENGEL's new, smaller duo pico machines can also be equipped with an integrated precision coining package and are adaptable to special manufacturing technologies, such as the company’s ‘combi M’ system for the two-component molding of large surface-area parts. And, like the larger-tonnage models, they are fast—the compact, new duo pico machines dry cycle at just 2.5 seconds at a 22-in. opening stroke.