By Karen Hanna
Fanuc was among injection molding machinery makers introducing all-electric presses at K 2025.
At the show, it demonstrated its new all-electric Roboshot S180C and Roboshot S350C — so named for their clamping forces in metric tons. In the U.S., where Fanuc offers its presses exclusively through a partnership with Milacron, they will be designated as the S200C and S380C, reflecting their clamping forces in short tons.
With no need for oil, or oil filtration and disposal, the Roboshots are ideal for clean rooms. They are designed to reduce energy consumption by 50 to 80 percent while maintaining repeatable and precise cycles that are 5 percent to 50 percent faster than hydraulic machines.
The presses are replacing Fanuc’s a-S150iB and a-S300ib models.
For more clamping force, greater opening stroke, wider tie-bar spacing and increased installation height, the new Roboshots feature an advanced, redesigned clamping unit and increased clamping stroke, and they can accommodate larger molds than conventional presses.
Offering a reduction in open/close time of almost 1 second compared with the previous model, the Roboshot S350C — known in the U.S. as the S380C — is ideal for packaging.
According to Fanuc, the Roboshots’ pre-injection function can reduce cycle times by 0.3 second to 0.7 second.
Smarter process controls and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered, real-time energy monitoring result in reduced energy consumption, supporting sustainability efforts.
A new plasticizing energy monitor contributes to savings through better energy balance, and an eco-temperature adjustment function further supports reduced energy use.
AI systems can alert the operator before problems occur and provide more effective maintenance, and allow for fewer repairs, less downtime and less risk of human error.
At the K show, a Roboshot S180C press — known in the U.S. as the S200C — produced components from a biopolymer material.
Also at the K show, Fanuc showed off its Roboshot-Linki2, an IoT solution that enables remote monitoring and visualization of data from up to 1,000 Roboshot machines via smartphone, tablet or PC.
For the latest Roboshot series, data can be shown directly on the machine using split screen. Linki2 can shorten response time in case of issues, thanks to e-mail notifications, automatically detect molding process abnormalities and improve efficiency.
With the IoT solution, users can remotely monitor their machines and can interface with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software systems using Euromap communications.
Contact:
Milacron, Batavia, Ohio, 513-536-2000, www.milacron.com
