The Evolution of Efficiency: Producing More in Less Space

With the new Elion MED, Netstal will bring a highlight in the field of injection moulding machines to Düsseldorf. The significantly shortened and compact design of the new machine is particularly striking. Thanks to an optimized geometry of the toggle lever for the fastest drying cycles, a new injection gearbox with a compact metering drive, a two-part control cabinet and a modified protective cover, Netstal has been able to significantly reduce the length of the machine compared to its predecessor models with identical clamping force. The clamping unit area also offers better accessibility for maintenance work. The conversion of the entire Elion portfolio is taking place in stages. To start with, four variants with 1,200 and 1,750 kN clamping force are available. The target portfolio consists of further variants and will cover the clamping force range from 800 to 4,200 kN.

With the Elion MED, customers receive the leading injection precision and shot-to-shot consistency. This is achieved by high-precision sensors and the extremely high sampling rate of 2 kHz. Injection control is based on the principle of direct injection force measurement RFC (Responsive Filling Control). The newly revised quality monitoring system also ensures seamless monitoring and assurance of production quality.

Netstal has designed the machine to be extremely robust. The stable mould plates and the generously dimensioned guides ensure maximum precision with minimal deformation in the clamping unit. The newly designed toggle lever with a so-called double connecting rod distributes the closing force over two bearing points and has also been separated from the axis for the electric ejector. With these improvements, the new Elion MED offers users even greater reliability and availability. Netstal has trimmed all drive components such as motors and gearboxes for maximum performance and a broad performance profile. To significantly increase energy efficiency compared to the predecessor model, Netstal has designed a new type of direct drive for the unit movement and the application of the nozzle contact pressure.

Thanks to fully encapsulated and water-cooled drive motors and the hermetically sealed control cabinet, the new Elion MED is virtually emission-free. In addition, the protective cladding has been redesigned for optimum cleanability with smooth surfaces and screws that are not visible from the outside. Despite the very compact design, the new protective housing offers full flexibility for the integration of system and peripheral components. The new Elion MED can be used in clean rooms up to class ISO 7 without any additional precautions. 

For the market launch, Netstal will produce housing for autoinjectors with the new Elion MED. The machine, which is equipped for use in clean rooms and has a clamping force of 1200 kN, uses a 4-cavity mould with innovative index technology and a cycle time of 12 seconds. The modern mould features individual, servo-electrically controlled valve gate nozzles and has a rotary unit with a fully integrated servo motor. Thanks to innovative index technology, the cycle time can be significantly reduced compared to conventional mould concepts.