Clean Room Applications: A Sandretto Long Term Commitment

Since 1997, Sandretto has been manufacturing machines for customers that have special clean room requirements.

In this industry it is mandatory for the moulded parts, especially in the medical, optical and food packaging sectors, to be be produced with great accuracy and cleanliness. Essential factors in injection moulding is the control of temperature and optimum metering of the melt.The proper design of the injection unit and the adequate scheduling of routine maintenance of the machine certainly adds up to qualitative consistency.

Sandretto UK supplies injection moulding machines, robots and ancillaries to numerous manufacturers who place a high emphasis on clean room manufacturing.

Click on any of the stories below to read more about how our clients make use of Sandretto products:

• Merit Plastic Mouldings

Merit Plastic Mouldings
‘PURPOSE-BUILT’ SANDRETTO GOES INTO CLEAN ROOM AT MERIT PLASTIC MOULDINGS

Modular construction of the Sandretto ‘Serie Nove’ injection moulding machines has proved of considerable benefit to Merit Plastic Mouldings of Diss in Norfolk. The company has recently installed a 65 tonne, a 100 tonne and a 125 tonne.

A ‘285’ injection unit has been fitted to the injection machine with a 125 tonne locking force, thereby allowing use of notably higher injection pressures. Furthermore, with only a 30 mm diameter screw, the machine performance meets precisely MPM’s requirements for producing a series of laboratory test mouldings.

These are to be moulded from Barex 210I, an impact modified acylonitrile-methyl methacrylate copolymer selected for its gas barrier and chemical resistance properties. The material’s high viscosity and shear sensitivity require that it is processed on high torque, low shear machines. The Sandretto 125 injection machine with a ‘285’ injection unit provides the necessary high injection pressure combined with a very low barrel residence time.

CLEAN ROOM CONDITIONS

As a company describing itself as “a precision injection moulder” serving a wide spread of industries, MPM processes a wide range of engineering-grade and high performance polymers, of which Barex 2101 is typical. The company also boasts specialist capabilities, one of these being the facility to produce mouldings under a controlled environment. The new Sandretto ‘Series Nove’ 125 tonne is the latest addition into this area which is strictly monitored and maintained by specialist contractors.
Due to the material’s high moisture absorption rate, Barex 210I needs drying. For moulding in the clean room, MPM has arranged for the polymer to be fed direct to the machine from an external drier.

CONTINUED EXPANSION

The ‘Serie Nove’ 65 tonne and 100 tonne machines are an essential part of a general, on-going programme at MPM to increase both moulding and post-moulding capacities. Moving all of its post-moulding operations – including ultrasonic welding, metal insert fitment and assembly and various decoration processes – into a new factory building has permitted the company to restructure its current mould hall. This will accommodate the new Sandrettos as well as anticipating future expansion plans.

Remarkably, perhaps, MPM continues to expand on a customer base which is largely confined to what Managing Director Tom Palmer describes as Greater East Anglia. “We do have customers elsewhere in the UK and on mainland Europe, but the bulk of our work is produced for manufacturers in, typically, the truck, garden equipment, household appliance, television and medical equipment industries, all relatively close by.

“Amongst other benefits, this enables us to maintain ‘ship-to-line’ status with several customers and to respond rapidly to customer requirements.”

MPM operates 20 injection machines from 25 tonne to 250 tonne clamp. Until recently the company had specified Sandretto for its medium-to-large machines. The move to order their first 65 tonne from Sandretto was, states Tom Palmer, influenced by the performance of the larger ‘Serie Nove’ machines combined with their low energy requirements. This is made possible by the high energy yield of the hydraulic system, translating into a significantly reduced demand for oil cooling.

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