Granulate lock Arburg has expanded its Profoam lightweighting process to the manufacture of large parts with its addition of a new, bigger granulate lock. Originally designed for small Allrounder injection molding machines, the granulate lock is a two-chamber box that holds a blowing agent, such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide. The gas is mixed with the resin to form microcellular bubbles that freeze as the melt solidifies.
What's new? The possibility of foaming even larger parts. At the K show, Arburg introduced a 5-liter granulate lock, in addition to the 1-liter system it initially debuted. The new device, which is available for order starting this spring, is compatible with Arburg injection molding machines with clamping forces ranging up to about 550 tons.
Benefits Significant part-weight reductions. The bigger granulate lock allows users to conserve materials and reduce part weight when making large automotive parts. The units are designed to be easily installed or moved among various Allrounder machines.
Arburg Inc., Rocky Hill, Conn., 860-667-6500, www.arburg.com
