Energy-efficient machines in full force

The injection moulding sector demonstrated impressive innovations and these were shown in action at K 2025. Two exhibitors attracted attention with recent developments in their product lineup.

High energy efficiency from vertical machine

ARBURG celebrated the world premiere of its Allrounder 475 V with a clamping force of 1,000 kN, a reflection of high energy efficiency, a small footprint and an attractive price-performance ratio. The new vertical machine can be used flexibly and looks predestined for both manual and automated overmoulding of inserts. At the ARBURG stand, the Allrounder 475 V was seen as part of a turnkey system that produces, marks and post-processes high-quality covers for car radio keys from PC/ABS recyclate in combination with in-mould decoration (IMD).

ARBURG launches Allrounder 475 V with a clamping force of 1,000 kN.

The new vertical machine is specifically designed for standard applications, for example for the growth sector of e-mobility as well as for electronics and medical technology. These include the manual or automated overmoulding of cables, contacts and infusion accessories.  The footprint is particularly compact but, despite this, the new vertical machine offers extra space also for larger moulds. The standard installation height is 250 millimetres with the option of extending it by 100 or 200 millimetres. Side doors and the upwardly offset clamping cylinder ensure good accessibility to the mould and ejector. An off-centre ejector is available as an option. The table height is 900 millimetres for improved ergonomic working.

The Allrounder 475 V has a clamping force of 1,000 kN and can be equipped with hydraulic injection units in sizes 100 to 400.  For energy-efficient operation, the machine is equipped as standard with the Arburg servo hydraulics system (ASH), which continuously adjusts the water-cooled, speed-controlled servo motors to the actual power requirement. This minimises idling losses and reduces the specific energy requirement by up to 60% compared to conventional hydraulic machines. The new "Gestica lite" control variant ensures particularly simple and intuitive operation. Even inexperienced personnel can get to grips with this quickly. The clear dashboard provides everything needed for the work at a glance: information on the job, the current process and the upcoming tasks - all intelligently and actively supported by optional assistance functions that ensure high-quality plasticising and moulded part quality.

If required, the vertical machine can be automated flexibly, for example with a six-axis or linear Multilift robotic system. Arburg can fulfil almost any customer requirement, including simple sprue removal, difficult component handling or customised automation for complex production cells including upstream or downstream process steps. The Arburg turnkey experts supply CE-compliant machines, automation and peripherals from a single source. 

A Kuka six-axis robot is used for the complete part handling. It first removes the moulded part from the mould and feeds it to a laser station, where it is labelled with a code. The robot then transfers the part to a milling station and, with the gripper, guides it along the milling path to remove excess film and generate the final contour. In a subsequent cleaning station, the wireless key cover is deburred before finally getting placed on a conveyor belt by the six-axis robot and ejected from the production cell.

Compact, powerful, sustainable all-electric model 

A highlight at the KraussMaffei stand was the world premiere of the all-electric PX injection moulding machine series. The new generation impresses with outstanding energy efficiency, excellent shot weight consistency and short cycle times. The machines offer a wide range of applications and high overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)  In addition to cost-effectiveness, the new series also focuses on sustainability: thanks to state-of-the-art drive technology with energy recovery, minimal media consumption and a resource-saving machine concept, the PX machines achieve top values in terms of energy efficiency, both in operation and in idle mode. With their compact design, they also enable flexible production cells with integrated handling and conveyor technology - perfectly tailored to the requirements of modern production.

At K 2025, KraussMaffei showcased the new all-electric PX series in combination with the new LRXplus linear robot. The LRXplus series offers a wide range of functions for flexible automation and is characterized by a high level of compatibility, both with KraussMaffei injection moulding machines and with systems from other manufacturers as well as with various automation tasks. Visitors to the trade fair experienced the efficient combination of PX machine and LRXplus robot live at the KraussMaffei booth. Future-oriented applications for medical technology, technical components and packaging/logistics were put on display.

With the MC7, KraussMaffei presents a modern, web-based control platform. It impresses with its intuitive operation, powerful software and hardware architecture and the highest security standards. The MC7 architecture already includes the upcoming requirements of the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). This means that the control system is even better protected against cyber-attacks and the distribution of malware. The CRA standard also makes it easier to connect machines to the network for digital data usage. Another feature of the new MC7 control system is the new, web-based visualisation concept, which impresses with its intuitive user guidance, clear display and extended functionality. The new interface makes set-up, operation and maintenance easier and increases efficiency in day-to-day production.

KraussMaffei introduced its its all-electric PX injection moulding machine series at K 2025.

With the new Chopped Fiber Processing (CFP) process, KraussMaffei presents an economical solution for direct compounding of chopped glass fibres and polypropylene. Compared to conventional long glass fibre pellets, CFP offers significantly greater flexibility and noticeable cost advantages - while maintaining the same component performance. At the heart of the process is a newly developed, patented screw geometry that ensures particularly efficient melting and homogeneous mixing of polymer and fibres. The result: high-quality, fibre-reinforced components with optimum material utilisation. Another advantage: CFP is compatible with all KraussMaffei standard injection moulding machines and can be easily retrofitted via the KraussMaffei Service. The return on investment (ROI) is less than one year.

KraussMaffei is also expanding its automation portfolio beyond injection moulding technology to include autonomous automation cells that are versatile and easy to integrate. At K 2025, the company presented a fully automated assembly cell that assembles three plastic parts in real time - without any manual intervention. The mobile, compact unit enables particularly short cycle times with a minimal error rate.  Assembly is carried out by form-fit clipping of the components. A laser scanner then checks the height and width of the components with an accuracy of 0.01 mm. An optical inspection automatically detects and sorts out faulty parts, while the good parts are filled directly into boxes.

Digital solutions that increase efficiency and make everyday production noticeably easier are an integral part of KraussMaffei's strategy. Numerous innovations were presented at K 2025: With the Dataset Manager, the socialProduction platform receives new functions for transferring, versioning and comparing machine data sets. A new AI function supports machine operators with intelligent assistance in real time. Two new modules are being added to the tried-and-tested and patented APCplus machine function: cascadeX for cascade control and the new materialX database for customer-specific material parameters.