Objective Objectives and content Plastic injection moulding machines (IMM's) are required for mass production of plastic parts. About 50.000 machines are being produced annually world-wide representing an estimated market volume of at least 3400 MECU per year. Hydraulically operated European IMM's have been technological leader with high productivity since many years, thus justifying their higher sales price compared to competition mainly in the Far East. During the last few years mainly Japanese and American manufacturers have introduced electro-mechanically operated IMM's. The main arguments are: average energy consumption about 50 % less, better environmental acceptance (no mineral oil, less cooling energy). However, five of the six axes of an IMM perform linear movements. Hydraulic drives relate much better than electro-mechanics to this type of machine. But European hydraulic machines need a considerable reduction in energy consumption and improved environmental acceptance without increase of machine cost. This can be achieved by using an innovative electric-hydrostatic drive system (EHS). This drive system controls the movements of the IMM via the speed of the hydraulic pump directly. Present day hydraulic systems have considerable energy losses during partial load, idling and due to pilot flow requirements. There are no developments available to achieve similar improvements compared to the EHS. Furthermore, precise prediction of total machine cycle time and power consumption, for a plastic component, is gaining considerable importance in competition. Software packages available today either simulate the injection process to analyse and optimise special process / material parameters or the performance of the hydraulicmechanic machine movements. These software tools need to be combined and adapted to predict total machine performance for the production of plastic components. Main objectives of the project are: develop, design and test an innovative electrichydrostatic actuation system for IMM's that provides overall productivity improvements of about 30% due to reduced energy consumption and shorter dry cycle time compared with current hydraulic machines; improve capability to predict total cycle time and energy consumption of IMM's for new plastic components, thus enabling better prediction and reduction of plastic component cost; contribute to keep technical leadership in Europe to improve the competitiveness in this market segment worldwide and to secure the European export business. The deliverables of this project will make it possible to design an injection moulding machine with high productivity and excellent energy efficiency, by using an EHS, as well as to predict energy consumption and total machine cycle time (including material process dependent time) for plastic parts. The proposal covers the Brite/Euram III research areas 1.1.1.S 1.1.2.S 1.1.1.M 1.1.7.M and will impact l.l.l.L also. Fields of science natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresocial scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsproduction economicsproductivity Programme(s) FP4-BRITE/EURAM 3 - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of industrial and materials technologies, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 0101 - Incorporation of new technologies into production systems Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Sandretto Industrie SpA Address 44,via e. de amicis 10097 Collegno Italy See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (6) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Adaptec S.A.R.L. France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 4,rue du tour de l'eau 38400 St. martin d'heres See on map Aeroquip - Vickers Ltd. United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address New lane PO9 2NB Havant See on map Aeroquip Vickers S.p.A. Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address 94,via avosso 16015 Casella - genova See on map Fördergemeinschaft für das Kunststoff-Zentrum in Leipzig e.V. Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address 44,erich-zeigner-allee 04229 Leipzig See on map Technische Universitaet Dresden Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address 13,mommsenstrasse 01062 Dresden See on map VALEO VISION S.A. France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 34,rue saint-andre 34 93012 Bobigny See on map
