A weekly look at new products, innovations

Editor's Note: Each week, Rubber & Plastics News will take a look at some of the rubber industry's new products and innovations on www.rubbernews.com. Does your company have a new product or new innovation? To be considered for inclusion in this recurring feature, email [email protected].

Engel Austria GmbH unveiled its Engel e-pic at Fakuma 2014 in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Engel e-pic is the company's response to the demand for maximum efficiency in pick-and-place applications with small molded parts and sprues.

Engel said in addition to tailored automation solutions, the need for flexible and—at the same time—standardized robots for simple handling tasks is growing. This development means that Engel covers the complete spectrum of handling requirements in injection molding, Engel said, from simple part removal, depositing and sprue separation, through sophisticated insert-placing and take-out, to combining various process steps in a highly-integrated production cell.

Equipped with its own control unit, Engel said the e-pic robot can be deployed not only on Engel injection molding machines, but also third-party machines without needing any machine-specific customization. A separate base is not required, nor is an external switch cabinet. The electronics are completely integrated with the mechanical superstructure.

Engel added that in combination with an Engel injection molding machine, the robot can be integrated with the CC300 machine control unit. The robot and machine then access a shared database, thus enhancing process assurance and operator convenience, while achieving efficiency optimizations in production sequences.

The Engel e-pic is designed for horizontal and vertical part removal, Engel said, and handling of small parts and sprues with a load-bearing capacity of up to 2 kilograms. It is deployed on injection molding machines with clamping forces up to 2,200 kN.

For more information, contact [email protected] or visit Engel's website.

Mettler Toledo published a new guideline that explains the accurate and reliable weighing method for inventory control inside process vessels, which ensures quality and reduces waste.

Mettler said the new guideline includes advice for machine builders to help them achieve their required results, as well as information for end users on defining specifications for request-for-quote documents.

For end users, the guideline includes advice for those who may purchase process tanks and vessels, the company said, along with an overview of common terminology and technologies and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Mettler said machine builders will gain useful information to optimize the performance process equipment they design. It explains the relationship between speed and accuracy and other factors, such as piping connections, understructure design and the environment, which can influence overall performance of process vessel scales.

Additionally, the guideline outlines the relevant points for selecting the right measuring method for inventory control inside process vessels to ensure quality and avoid waste in batching and continuous manufacturing processes.

Click here for more information.

APS Elastomers L.L.C. has added to its line of Maxelast thermoplastic elastomers, which are engineered to be easily fabricated by injection molding, extrusion, coating and blow molding.

APS said Maxelast TPEs provide OEMs, designers and end-users numerous alternatives to PVC, natural rubber and thermosetting rubbers by offering design flexibility and cost-reduction opportunities.

The newest TPE available in Maxelast D extrusion series from Polymax is ideally suited for end caps for tubing, piping and poles. Supplied in natural pellets, the new formulations have 55 and 60 Shore A hardness and are specifically applicable for complex profile extrusion designs.

Benefits of the expanded line of Maxelast D Series TPEs include:

• Closely resembles vulcanized rubber with good, energy-absorbing performance

• Good weatherability

• High coefficient of friction and elasticity for tight seal

• Can be co-extruded for soft/hard combinations

• Good chemical and oil resistance

• Good surface finish

For more information, contact [email protected].