Electric machine with FMC technology for ping pong bats

The undisputed star of the FIP exhibition (Lyon, 13-16 June) was the recently launched Ele all-electric 180-630 machine which, with a clamping force of 180 tonnes, produced ping pong bats utilising the FMC (Foam Microcellular Moulding) process.

To this end, the main injection unit injected a PBT material to produce the body of the bat, while a vertical electric injection unit fed a soft TPU handle. Both of the bat faces were coated with LSR (Liquid Silicone Rubber): foamed LSR on the ‘spongier’ and lighter side of the bat, and standard LSR on its firmer side.

The LSR was fed directly into the mould from an “EasyBalance LSR” injection system supplied by Guzzini Engineering. The mouldings, produced in a mould manufactured by Esistampi, were handled by a 6-axis robot supplied by Sytrama, belonging to the Negri Bossi Group.

The exhibition presented by the manufacturer based in Cologno Monzese (near Milan) was rounded off by a 250 tonne Canbio ST servo hydraulic machine, moulding a PP lid in a 6.7 second cycle time using an 8-cavity mould.