Wickert compression press picks up speed

May 18, 2023
Advanced heating and cooling capabilities allow it to process high-performance thermoplastics while minimizing cycle time.

WKP 3000 S Wickert’s newest high-temperature compression press is ideal for processing high-performance thermoplastics in the aerospace industry, and also can be used to manufacture membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) for fuel cells. Inductor coils in the heating plates of the press heat the mold halves quickly, and integrated channels with cooling water ensure that they cool down rapidly. Across its components, the press experiences temperature deviations of 9 degrees Fahrenheit. 

What’s new? The press’ heating and cooling capabilities, designed to meet the needs of a Wickert customer in Germany.  

Benefits Speed. Wickert calls the press the world’s fastest. The press offers economical and efficient processing, and, in its newest configuration, it’s able to process high-performance thermoplastics, such as polyetherketoneketone and polyetheretherketone, in highly dynamic processes while minimizing cycle time. 

Wickert Hydraulic Presses, Hebron, Ky., 859-372-3399, www.wickert-usa.com 

Vital Statistics 

Clamping force 

About 330 tons 

Heating platen size 

About 1.9 feet by 1.9 feet 

Cooling rates 

About 27.8 degrees Fahrenheit per minute 

Maximum temperature (standard press) 

842 degrees Fahrenheit 

Heating rates 

99 degrees Fahrenheit per minute 

Cooling rates  

180 degrees Fahrenheit per minute 

Maximum temperature deviation 

9 degrees Fahrenheit across the entire temperature range 

About the Author

Karen Hanna | Senior Staff Reporter

Senior Staff Reporter Karen Hanna covers injection molding, molds and tooling, processors, workforce and other topics, and writes features including In Other Words and Problem Solved for Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing, Plastics Recycling and The Journal of Blow Molding. She has more than 15 years of experience in daily and magazine journalism.