By Ron Shinn
Gigantic injection molding machines with thousands of tons of clamping force get big headlines, but a new machine small enough to fit under your Christmas tree grabbed attention at a recent trade show.
The Maverick 9T benchtop molder — with nearly the same functionality as traditional molding machines — debuted at MD&M West in Anaheim, Calif., in February. It is a fully automatic, servo-driven hydraulic machine with ejection capabilities.
“It is super simple to use and takes only about four hours to learn the controls,” said Brendan O’Neill, VP of engineering at Polymer Dynamics, which builds the injection molder.
The Maverick 9T, which has 9 tons of clamping force, starts at $58,670 plus tax. It is built in Mountain View.
O’Neill said the machine is aimed at newcomers to injection molding and can be used for prototyping and large-scale production up to about 500,000 parts per year. He said it is especially suited for making parts for the medical, automotive and consumer electronics markets.
There is a semi-automatic mode for overmolding.
The Maverick 9T accepts standard-sized resin. It has a three-zone temperature control and an operating temperature up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
It does not need compressed air.
Opening clamp stroke is 6 inches and platen speed is 1.3 inches per second. There is a built-in light curtain and multiple ejection settings. Tie-bar spacing is 6 inches by 6 inches.
Parts drop underneath the platens.
The entire unit is 36 inches long, 13 inches wide and 32 inches tall. Total weight is 375 pounds. It operates on 240 volts, three-phase power.
Control is via a single touch screen. It displays shot-to-shot variations and stores recipes. The control separates and displays data for the injection phase, packing phase and holding phase.
Traditional steel molds or 3D printed molds can be used.
O’Neill stressed that the Maverick 9T is a true benchtop press and not a desktop model. A benchtop machine is capable of precision molding and producing slightly larger parts, he said.
O’Neill said the Maverick 9T can generally be shipped in about two weeks. The company hopes to sell about 20 this year.
There is also a two-press configuration called the Wingman Station, which consists of two Maverick 9Ts on a bench with space in the middle for an operator, if needed. This is an especially effective system for hand or robot overmolding, the company said.
O’Neill and Cameron Karamian, VP of operations, founded Polymer Dynamics. In addition to building the Maverick 9T, the company offers design-for-manufacturing (DFM) consulting, mold tooling and turnkey automation services.
Contact:
Polymer Dynamics, Mountain View, Calif., 650-336-5580, www.polymerdynamics.com
