At last month's K show, StackTeck Systems Ltd., Brampton, Ontario, announced that its Thin Recess Injection Molding (TRIM) technology for creating thin-walled, ultra-lightweight packaging has its first-ever application.
TRIM uses a mold core design featuring raised surfaces that create thin-walled sections of a container. TRIM can be used to create parts with thin or thick sections in the sidewalls and bottom.
At the K show, a four-cavity mold with TRIM technology produced 200-milliliter drinking cups with in-mold labeling (IML) on an Arburg injection press at the booth of Ilsemann Automation. "We are able to mold a cup that has ultra-thin panels of 0.008 mm thickness, offering the lowest possible cost with printable capabilities, while keeping IML as an option for any type of application," said Jordan Robertson, StackTeck's GM, business development and marketing.
StackTeck said its proprietary TRIM technology allows for downstream printing on up to 75 percent of a part's sidewall area, while reducing the overall weight by 20 percent versus conventional molding. This translates into a very low-cost option for injection molding.
During in-house product testing and at trade shows, StackTeck has demonstrated the TRIM technology's ability to make thin-walled parts. With a length-to-average thickness ratio up to 300-to-1, they are 30-40 percent lighter than those made by conventional systems.
Mikell Knights, senior correspondent
Contact:
StackTeck Systems Ltd.,
416-749-1698,
www.stackteck.com
