The demand for test swabs for nasal and throat swab tests will continue to grow strongly due to Covid-19. Injection moulding machine manufacturer Engel and Hack Formenbau are jointly committed to ensuring the global supply of test swabs. By providing an integrated system solution and process technology consulting, they are helping plastics processors to launch high-volume production of two-component test swabs with a short lead time.

The test swabs have a stable thermoplastic handle and a head made of a thermoplastic elastomer to make the examination less uncomfortable for the patient. Hack Formenbau developed this two-component design, initially with three different head design proposals. "We adapt the handle length and shape, the design of the swab head and the materials individually to suit customer requirements," says Gunnar Hack, CEO and owner of Hack Formenbau. The development objective is to combine high product quality with high-volume output and great cost-effectiveness. With a 32-cavity mould and a cycle time of 6 to 8 seconds, processors can achieve an output of up to 320 test swabs per minute and 460,000 test swabs per day with a single production unit.

High efficiency is ensured by the integrated production process, which Engel specifically adapts to the mould solution developed by Hack. The process is based on a tie-bar-less, hydraulic, two-component victory injection moulding machine with an integrated viper linear robot for fully automated removal and depositing of the swabs. The victory machine is equipped with iQ weight control for high process consistency. This smart assistance system from Engel's inject 4.0 program detects fluctuations in the raw material and ambient conditions, and automatically compensates for them shot by shot by adapting the quality-relevant process parameters.