The ENGEL Group presents high-performance solutions for automotive applications at Chinaplas 2026

At Chinaplas 2026, taking place from 21 to 24 April in Shanghai, the ENGEL Group places the reduction of part costs, material usage and investment in series production at the centre of its trade fair presentation. The internationally operating manufacturer of injection moulding solutions presents production cells that combine process steps, reduce scrap and enable stable production even with demanding materials and geometries. A total of six applications are presented in live operation, three of which are for the automotive sector. These include the cost-efficient implementation of lightweight concepts, the integration of functional and decorative surfaces directly in the injection moulding process and the production of complex components with reduced space and investment requirements. Further exhibits for the packaging, medical and technical moulding sectors complement the portfolio, which is designed for high volumes, short cycle times and reproducible quality.

ENGEL presents an automotive production cell with an ENGEL duo 700 two-platen injection moulding machine for a B-pillar trim with an integrated transparent camera window. In the fully automated 3K injection moulding cell with 7000 kN clamping force, the B-pillar trim for the interior of passenger cars is manufactured using ENGEL clearmelt technology.

ENGEL clearmelt stands for the coating of components directly in the mould. This shortens the process chain and significantly reduces investment costs. In addition, the coating produces a high-quality and scratch-resistant surface with self-healing effects.

The component made of transparent and black polycarbonate has a part weight of 256 g and is additionally overmoulded with 90 g of polyurethane. The injection moulding cell is equipped with an ENGEL easix articulated robot integrated into the CC300 control, which removes the components. The total cycle time is 90 seconds.

In addition, several digital assistance systems are used in this production cell. iQ hold control automatically sets the sealing point and thus the holding pressure time optimally. This allows cycle time and raw material usage to be reduced. iQ weight control automatically adjusts the injection volume in the event of fluctuating viscosities and within the same shot, which stabilises component quality and reduces scrap. The iQ process observer continuously monitors all phases of the injection moulding process, visualises process stability and detects deviations at an early stage before scrap occurs.

The duo two-platen injection moulding machine used is designed as a wide-platen version. This makes the production solution suitable for components that require wider platens but no greater clamping force.

A second automotive exhibit shows the production of air intake ducts on a tie-bar-less ENGEL victory 120 injection moulding machine with 1200 kN clamping force using fluidmelt technology.

ENGEL fluidmelt produces hollow structures through the injection of water or gas. In this process, the molten core of the component is displaced into an overflow cavity or back into the plasticising unit, thereby deliberately creating a cavity within the component. Such hollow structures reduce component weight and material usage. At Chinaplas, the process is demonstrated using gas injection and overflow cavities. The component, with a shot weight of 70 g, is manufactured from a PA66 compound with 30% glass fibre in a cycle time of 50 seconds.

The production cell is automated with an ENGEL viper linear robot, which is fully integrated into the CC300 machine control. The tie-bar-less victory 120 injection moulding machine used is designed for complex and large moulds as well as for easy access by the automation, due to the freely accessible mould space. Thanks to the large platens and the tie-bar-less technology, a machine with only 1200 kN clamping force can be used instead of a conventional injection moulding machine with 1800 kN. This saves floor space and investment costs.

At Chinaplas 2026, WINTEC presents a production solution for a precise liquid silicone rubber application with 8 cavities on an all-electric e-win 1800 injection moulding machine with 1800 kN clamping force. Sealing mats for waterproof electrical connectors in electromobility are produced with a shot weight of 37.8 g in a cycle time of 59 seconds.

The production cell is fully automated with an integrated ENGEL viper linear robot, which gently removes the components from the mould using a special brush. For processors, this provides a compact and fully automated solution for the production of precise LSR components with gentle demoulding.

Process control is supported by the digital assistance system iQ weight control, which is used in this production cell to stabilise the injection process. It monitors the viscosity of the LSR in real time and automatically adjusts the injection volume within the same shot. Through the use of iQ weight control, variation in this application was reduced by 62%. This contributes to more stable process control, reproducible component quality and reduced scrap.

With the brands ENGEL and WINTEC, the ENGEL Group presents different production concepts for the requirements of the automotive industry at Chinaplas 2026. While ENGEL is focused on highly integrated production cells with coordinated process and automation solutions, WINTEC offers standardised machine concepts for particularly cost-efficient series production.

For automotive suppliers, this combination enables targeted alignment of their production with component requirements, production volumes and investment framework. Applications such as integrated surface finishing with clearmelt, lightweight construction with fluidmelt or automated LSR processing extend component functions, reduce process steps and lower costs in series production.

Hall 5.1 / Stand: 5.1C41