At the Wittmann Battenfeld booth, one of the highlights will be the new EcoPower B8X, which, compared to the previous model offers greater energy efficiency, an extended range of injection units and higher precision with an innovative drive system.
On display for the first time, this new version has been updated and improved with features such as a finer gradation of injection unit sizes, enabling customers to adjust their machine more accurately to their needs; and an optimised injection unit including an injection spindle that is oil-lubricated instead of grease-lubricated, thus increasing its dynamism by reducing frictional resistance.
The injection unit of the EcoPower has also been harmonised with that of the SmartPower. The injection unit is now pivotable, making for easier barrel changes, plus the injection unit has been equipped with a sum connector for the heating system - including screw coding - for a faster and faultless barrel change. The sum connector automatically calculates the screw diameter. All electric components of the barrel heating system are located in the control cabinet, to provide easier access to the components than would be possible if they were installed in prefabricated heater boxes. A separate plug-in addition to the sum connector has been installed for the nozzle heater, to facilitate the exchange of the nozzle heater band.
The toggle lever of the new EcoPower B8X has been kinematically optimised, reducing the force required for clamping force build-up by 15%. This reduces the stress on the servo motors, leading to a further reduction in energy consumption. It also enables a higher level of dynamism with the result of better dry cycle times. Parallel movements are included as standard, enabling minimal cycle times.
The B8X control system of the new EcoPower B8X comes equipped with control system components developed in-house, including an X4 booster for the drive units, which has been directly adapted to the servo motors installed in the machine.
The new EcoPower B8X will be available for the European market from the Fakuma 2023 onwards in the clamping force sizes from 550 to 1800 kN, and with volumes ranging from 10.8 cm3 to 778 cm3. The sizes up to 5500 kN with volumes up to 3012 cm3 are still on offer in the current version.
At the Fakuma, an EcoPower B8X 110/350 will be exhibited as an Insider cell in combination with the newly developed, servo-driven WX90 sprue picker from WITTMANN, and equipped with an integrated ejection chute, an S-Max screenless granulator as well as a WFC120 flow controller. The cell will be producing a bracket for a climbing net will be produced using an 8-cavity mould supplied by Lechner, Austria.