November, 7, 2023 - At Plastimagen in Mexico City from 7 to 10 November 2023, Arburg is showcasing pioneering pacemaker technologies that meet the demands of the market and international industry with regard to quality management as well as energy and production efficiency. Mexico is currently seeing production sites relocating back into the country, coupled with demands for more plastic recyclability and a reduced carbon footprint. Arburg is demonstrating solutions for this at Stand 730 in Hall D, using the example of an efficient turnkey application built around a vertical Allrounder, as well as a sustainable packaging application with a hybrid injection moulding exhibit. In addition, Arburg's partner Plasgrom is presenting the hybrid Allrounder 470 H milestone machine.

"We fully support our customers in achieving their ambitious sustainability goals - including process optimisation, digitalisation and smart manufacturing," explains Mario Rodriguez Navarro, who has been Managing Director of Arburg's Mexican subsidiary in Querétaro since July 2023 and has many years of experience in robotics and automation: "We see ourselves as pioneers and promoters of efficiency in the domestic plastics industry when it comes to digital transformation. To position themselves competitively and as reliable partners for international buyers and investors, our clients in Mexico should take to heart the principles of agility, efficiency and sustainability."

Efficiency and digital transformation

Thanks to its position as a pioneer and its innovative concepts, Arburg expects to gain competitive advantages in the Mexican market, which is increasingly dominated by near-shore tendencies – and as a result, hopes to help to strengthen Mexico internationally as a production location. "To this end, we offer both high-end injection moulding technology as well as additive manufacturing and 3D printing," explains Mario Rodriguez Navarro. Two injection moulding exhibits will be on show at Plastimagen: a flexible turnkey solution on the topic of digitalisation and a compact packaging application. The topic of energy saving will be another focal point of the fair. Arburg's partner Plasgrom (Stand 830) will be showing how this can be achieved using an Allrounder 470 H milestone machine with an optimised energy footprint and reduced cycle times thanks to new hybrid machine technology.

Multi-variant series production

Arburg is demonstrating what digitalisation can do in injection moulding production with a compact turnkey system built around a 375 V vertical Allrounder. As a "smart" exhibit, it flexibly produces elastic tension straps on demand from shot to shot – and without any need for conversion, thanks to a clever product and mould design and Industry 4.0 components. The fully automated turnkey solution is a particularly space-saving application, as the six-axis robot is installed above the machine's oil tank without increasing the installation area. Customer requirements are integrated into the ongoing injection moulding process online. At Plastimagen 2023, visitors will be able to choose between elastic tension straps of three different lengths in three colours and with three different end piece combinations, entering their variant of choice directly at the terminal. A space-saving six-axis robot positioned within the machine's installation area inserts the strap ends into the 4-cavity mould, where the individually selected hook/hook, hook/eye or eye/eye combinations are moulded on in a cycle time of around 40 seconds. In industrial practice, an application of this kind would be ideal for cable assembly in the automotive industry, for example.

IML Packaging

A hybrid Allrounder 570 H in packaging version is equipped with Roboplas automation for fast in-mould labelling (IML). Using a 4-cavity mould, oval, thin-walled IML butter container made of PP with a capacity of 180 millilitres each can be produced in a cycle time of only around three seconds. "The packaging industry can move from a linear 'take, make, dispose' model to a more sustainable and circular approach," says Mario Rodriguez Navarro, describing the key benefits of high-volume, multi-variant production. "Our approach is to optimise the use of energy, resources and materials, while ensuring operational efficiency and integrating innovative technologies and processes to deliver sustainable and efficient solutions."

Arburg Mexico can boast success stories across a wide range of industries, from automotive to electronics, medical technology and packaging. The company considers itself well prepared to deliver comprehensive support, from machine configuration and automation to commissioning and process optimisation. As Mario Rodriguez Navarro affirms: "Mexican companies don't have to face these challenges alone. As a technology partner, we can offer a complex one-stop solution, right through to financing options and knowledge-sharing platforms."

Source: Arburg