Design, high output and reduction of processing costs are key to meet market demands for moulding technical items such as kitchenware appliances. There is a continually growing market demanding even higher accuracy and an appealing design which needs innovative technological solutions.
Click on any of the stories below to read more about how our clients make use of Sandretto products:
Aldridge Plastics
SANDRETTO SUPPLIES EIGHTH MACHINE AND ROBOT CELL TO ALDRIDGE PLASTICS
A Sandretto ‘Nova T’ 500 tonne injection moulding machine, equipped with a Dal Maschio ‘Nepal’ servo drive de-mould robot, material drier and insulated hopper has been supplied as a complete package to Aldridge Plastics in the West Midlands. This is the eighth moulding cell commissioned for the customer by Sandretto in the last twelve months.
A major custom moulder, Aldridge Plastics puts the noteworthy upturn in its business over the last twelve months down to an on-going programme of automating its moulding processes. During this twelve month period the company has installed eight machine/robot cells supplied by Sandretto UK, including the recent commissioning of a Dal Maschio Nepal S1 de-mould robot on an existing Cincinnati 500 tonne injection machine.
The first machine/robot cell produced what Works Director David Breese describes as “a dramatic, overnight improvement in output”.
Time taken for manual removal of the components when run in semi-automatic mode was, he said, restricting output. Furthermore, the operator dependent cycle was inconsistent and this was having an effect on component quality.
An easily adjusted head kit is supplied with every Dal Maschio robot to accommodate the shapes and requirements of different mouldings.
NEW TOUCH SCREEN CONTROL
Machine interface of the 3E 1200K robot supplied with the 500 tonne Sandretto is by means of a key pad, employing a control which is extremely easy-to-use. The programming system comprises pre-set blocks of sequences with free moves in the ‘mould’ and ‘deposit’ areas. Pre-set sub-programmes, such as labeling and gate cutting, will assist Aldridge Plastics in reducing set up times.
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EP Moulding Limited
EP MOULDING INVESTS IN TWO MORE SANDRETTO MACHINES TO “MAINTAIN BUSY MOULDING SCHEDULE”
Two further Sandretto injection machines have been installed by Liverpool custom moulder EP Moulding. The larger machine – a Series Nove T 500 – is to be used primarily for producing a range of mouldings for the white goods market.
The success of the management buy-out in 1997 can be measured by the volume of work on hand. Since January of this year alone, more than £1M-worth of new tooling has been commissioned. Currently, the moulding shop is working seven days per week.
Installation of the two new machines, raises the number of Sandrettos at its Knowsley factory to 16 – from a Micro 60 tonne to the Series Nove T 500 – out of a total of 26 injection machines. Managing Director David Nelson, who headed up the MBO, explains: “We have long found the Sandretto machine ideal for our work and extremely reliable – essential if we are to sustain our plans to continue increasing our trade moulding activities.”
Both of the new machines were supplied as independent production cells, complete with Dal Maschio driers, hopper loaders, de-mould robots and conveyors. “We are making increasing use of robots” states David Nelson “in our efforts to control and even reduce costs. A mechanised cell takes the concept a stage further.”
A QUALITY SERVICE
Eleven years of plastics moulding experience lie behind EP Moulding being able to offer a comprehensive custom moulding service, from product and tool design through to production, printing, sub-assembly and packing, to companies in markets which include teletronics, IT equipment, microfilm equipment and automotive accessories as well as the white goods industry.
"These are all quality mouldings” states David Nelson, “in materials such as polystyrene, polypropylene, ABS, nylon and acetal; and we have ISO 9002 accreditation.”
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RGE Engineering
FIVE 1000 TONNE SANDRETTO MOULDING MACHINES INSTALLED AT RGE ENGINEERING
The first quarter of 2002 has seen the installation of ten ‘MEGA’ Series Sandretto injection moulding machines in the UK.
Latest order was for five of these machines, all 1000 tonne ‘MEGA’ TES machines, now operating in the new Whittlesey, Peterborough, factory of RGE Engineering. Sandretto equipped all five moulding machines with dehumidifying driers and CNC de-mould robots for producing a selection of parts, including freezer drawers; these are supplied to GDA for a new range of Hotpoint freezers.
For RGE Engineering, significant features of the new ‘MEGA’ TES series machines include their energy-saving hydraulic system based on variable delivery pumps, and the latest version of Sandretto’s SEF 2000 control system. From its base in Rugby, Sandretto (UK) worked closely with RGE Engineering to plan the new factory and provide a complete, detailed layout for the moulding shop.
RGE Engineering has also taken out a Service Contract with Sandretto (UK) to cover machine servicing during the next five years.
A privately owned company with its head office in Godmanchester, near Huntingdon, RGE Engineering is a major supplier to GDA; in addition, it markets its own brand of office chair bases, all of the moulded components being produced in-house in the new moulding shop. The company has extensive international interests in the Far East as well as a manufacturing plant in the USA and a tool making company in Portugal.
RGE Engineering continues to grow in the UK; the new factory in Whittlesey has already been extended with the addition of a 5000 square metre warehouse.
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Electrolux / Zanussi
Electrolux/Sandretto: Injection Moulding for Washing
Tested throughout Europe, the moulding module for drums and bases for washing machines set up by Sandretto and Electrolux/Zanussi is now being exported also to Egypt.
At the mid 80's, when Electrolux acquires Zanussi, the major European manufacturer of white appliances, innovation becomes one of the key factors of business development for this important multinational company. For the washing field, the Pordenone-based engineering team was entrusted with the task to innovate both materials and technology of the three main components making up domestic washing machines: the base, the front drum and the rear casing.
The idea to use easy-to-mould plastic materials with high performances came true with the implementation, by Zanussi, of a new material "CarboranTM".
The prompt welcome the market has given to the products made with this new material has contributed to a strong success of the washing machines manufactured by the Electrolux Group in Europe with drums and bases made out of "CarboranTM".
The project start-up dates back to 1989, when a nearly 9,000 m2 site was built up at the Porcia-based (PN) Zanussi plant. The area was purposely equipped for moulding these three components.
Sandretto was selected as a partner for assisting in the injection technology.
Many machines of "Serie SETTE" and "Mega T (ranging from 800 to 1,300 tonne lock) were installed. The machines were equipped with bi-metal barrels and special high wear screws to process the aggressive polymer; also automatic mould change system and robotized system for container palletizing were additional functions. These fully automatic and unmanned production cells allowed to achieve a just-in-time production thereby eliminating material.
The successful outcome of this first experience led Electrolux to export this model to other European moulding shops.
In 1994, 4 moulding modules were installed at the Spanish factory. They consisted of Sandretto "Mega T" machines, 1,100 tonnes, with relevant accessories for a totally automated production; the same moulding modules were installed a year later at the Electrolux plant in France.
In 2000 this technology landed on the Egyptian market where Electrolux International, with a local partner, established a new plant whose moulding shop was equipped with Sandretto's know-how. Besides providing the 2 moulding cells - delivered in April 2001 - Sandretto will also assist in supplying the central conditioning system for moulds and machines as well as the central material stocking/feeding system.
Machines purchased for the Egyptian plant are Sandretto "Mega T 1300" injection moulding machines fitted with a 11-litre single, bi-cilindrical injector and controlled via a SEF 100 control unit designed by Automata. Automata is a sister Company to Sandretto, specialising in the design and production of industrial automation systems.
10 years after the installation of the first moulding modules for "CarboranTM", the performances offered by this technology - jointly developed by Sandretto and Electrolux - have considerably improved.
Also a highly efficient robotized system contributes greatly to these significant performance improvements. In the case of the rear casing, the robotized system provides also to simultaneously insert the metal insert into the mould.
Besides its well proven technology, Sandretto goes on offering over years a valuable contribution to the technical training of machine operators and maintenance personnel.
The solid partnership between an important Group as Sandretto and the global white appliances leader, Electrolux, has allowed to establish an efficient, productive, and innovative method which can be successfully exported all over the world.
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