Superiority and flexibility combined

In-mould labelling (IML) as a technique has been well-accepted because of the many advantages it has over traditional tehnologies. IML enables better appearance, high durability, flexibility in design, effective automation of production and safety in packaging, amongst others. Acmeplas System Technologies, Ltd. has been providing IML systems and President Kevin Wang explains to International Plastics News – Middle East and Africa (IRNEA) how these can benefit plastic products manufacturers.

IRNEA: The key technology of IML system total integration is the coordination of injection moulding machine, mould and robot. Could you please talk about the difficulty of this particular technology?

Mr. Wang: A total IML system is composed of injection moulding machine, injection mould, IML robot, auxiliary equipment, raw material and labels. However, it’s the perfect integration of technique characters of each unit. In the aspect of injection moulding machine, each plastic product has its own requirements of injection moulding machine. Mould thickness, tie-bar space, mould opening stroke, clamping force, injection speed and many other aspects should all be taken into consideration. In addition, cost of investment is also one of the influences for prices’ varying from brands of injection moulding machines. In the aspect of mould, it’s the key element of an integrated system whose design decides the selection of injection moulding machine and design of robot. Rational design of mould helps to lower costs of injection moulding machine and robot indirectly. With regard to robot, practicability should be taken into account firstly. Costs will be added when speed is considered first. Meanwhile, end-of- arm tooling (E-O-A-T for short) tooling and the way of labeling are also very important.

IRNEA: What difficulties should be overcome when integrating a total system?

Mr. Wang: Although we considered comprehensive technique, IML total systems don’t succeed overnight. We always encounter problems during the system integration. First of all, long project evaluation period and high initial investment cost, customer often needs evaluate more than one suppliers. Secondly, to integrate a system and debug them to until operate smoothly requires not just qualified individual system equipment but also sophisticated technical knowledge and long practical experience.

It is hard to provide technical support to each equipment simultaneously. In the aspect of technique, not just injection moulding machine and mould but also IML robot and even auxiliary equipment, all requires its own professional technology. In order to ensure production cycle, high yield and stable system operation, we still have a lot of technical problem to settle since each equipment requires technical support from an experienced team. To settle technical problems of an integrated system, you obviously need the cooperation of each equipment supplier simultaneously, but it is not just hard to realise the fact but also costs a lot.

Also, it is hard to distinguish after-service duty for an integrated system. In the course of the model selection of injection moulding machine, design of injection mould, E-O-A-T for robot, and shape of products, also choice of label and demand of sticking, it is possible that problems would appear to affect overall result that solution requires cooperation from many aspects. Furthermore, it requires high technical training cost and long learning period for the whole system, and each equipment needs to arrange training course separately. For customers, they must bear cost and time.

In view of so many difficulties during system integration, Acmeplas depends on its advantages of being agent for the sound European brand of injection moulding machine, self-development and manufacture for injection mould and automated equipments, hoping to give customers comprehensive support from before-sales, sales, and after-sales, provides customers with one-stop service for injection moulding machine, injection mould, automated and auxiliary equipments etc. We can provide second-to-none Valet Production Service. Customer’s system can carry our real production in our Class 100,000 Clean Room. We also offer on scene training to solve problems in practical function, and speed up the launch of customer’s products into the market.

IRNE: Being the leader of a leading company in this segment, what would be your leading development in 2014?

Mr. Wang: Acmeplas will continue to promote application technologies for the IML system and stick to our commitment to provide “System Total Solutions” for the customers worldwide.