Sumitomo Utilizes Intelligent Motion Control in New Automated Packing Machine

The original El-Exis SP 250 was released back in 2019. This month, Sumitomo has released a more compact version of this automated packing machine. The latest version is projected to produce over 170,000 bottle caps an hour or a plastic bucket every 5.5 seconds.

 

Packing Machine Process

Bottle caps, buckets, basins, trays, and other common plastic goods are manufactured by injection molding. Plastic pellets are melted, mixed with dyes such as stabilizers, plasticizers, and others, and then the homogenous mix is forced through a nozzle into a die.

The die is clamped under pressure, squeezing out excess and ensuring a good fill. The flash is removed, and the injection molding system is ready to run again. 

 

The El-Exis SP Series

The El-Exis SP Series is designed to produce plastic components rapidly. In the injection molding industry, throughput and minimal post-processing are key. Sumitomo created the El-Exis SP for this reason.

 

The El-Exis SP 250-1600. Image used courtesy of Sumitomo

 

“The opening and closing sides of our machine are the fastest on the market,” mentioned Arnaud Nomblat, Business Development Director in Sumitomo’s Packaging Division.

Injection speeds can reach 1000 mm/s and can fill multiple cavity molds in a matter of seconds. Intelligent motion control drives the production ram, and careful control monitoring of water flow during mold cooling boosts the throughput. Overall, this may reduce energy consumption by 20%.
 

Upgrades on the Newest Packaging Machine

This latest iteration of the El-Exis machine has focused on sustainability. In addition to increasing throughput, Sumitomo has opted to develop more energy-efficient machines capable of producing thinner parts, meaning less plastic is required for each production run. 

The equipment is designed to run recycled polypropylene from waste streams and residue instead of virgin material. Borealis partnered with Sumitomo during development to supply the recycled material and a copolymer to aid flowability and impact resistance in the final product.

 

Sumitomo has a variety of machine packing solutions designed for different sectors. Image used courtesy of Sumitomo

 

Sumitomo has big plans to debut this machine at Fakuma 2021, a trade show for plastics processing and automatic machine packing solutions. 

Fakuma 2021 will take place in October. The show is one of the largest plastics processing conventions in the world, with nearly 1900 exhibitors. These exhibitors will demonstrate new tools and techniques in injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming, and additive manufacturing. Sumitomo will be demonstrating their El-Exis SP 250.

Engineers can access the El-Exis SP 250 with the “myConnect” software, allowing them to operate the machine remotely. This machine may be particularly useful for demonstrating new molding operations or troubleshooting problems, as engineers and technicians can remotely control the machine.

The included software package also gives the customer access to various web-based services and support, helping production managers track down inefficiencies and minimize machine downtime. The software will be demonstrated at Fakuma 2021 as well.

Sumitomo is hopeful that this new compact machine packing solution can help engineers and plant managers increase productivity and overall operational efficiency. 

Do you use any packing machinery like this one? Let us know in the comments below.