FIPA develops a cost-effective solution for German manufacturer

FIPA has developed a high-performance, cost-effective solution for German manufacturer Franke Kunststofftechnik GmbH & Co. KG.

The German family business’ portfolio includes the development, design, simulation, prototyping, and production of injection moulding tools, totalling up to 19 tons in weight.

In search of a device that would quickly and simultaneously remove and place eight battery covers from an injection moulding machine, Franke Kunststofftechnik GmbH & Co. KG, a German manufacturer of injection moulding tools for the plastics industry, approached FIPA with the application challenge.

The company says using vacuum cups to remove injection moulded parts is a difficult step in the process, as the vacuum cups must be resistant to high temperatures and, in many applications, they should not leave any marks on the material being demoulded.

Combined with the vacuum cups, FIPA created a customised gripper that weighs less than 2.5kg, has a two seconds removal time, and provides a cycle time of just 19.2 seconds from injection moulding to placing, thus enabling a production throughput of up to one million parts per year.

FIPA’s latest innovate gripper solution is also a first for Franke, who previously only used tools for demoulding parts from 4 cavity moulds.

“After thoroughly discussing and reviewing Franke’s technology application needs, we realized our Thermalon vacuum cups would be an ideal solution for this particular project,” said Timo Bendrat, FIPA Sales Manager for Western Germany.

“Our Thermalon vacuum cups are comprised of a material optimised for the specific needs of the plastics industry, because it is heat-resistant up to 160°C and low-marking.”

“It was an absolute pleasure to work with FIPA, who responded quickly to our inquiry, worked diligently to ensure that this project ran smoothly, and was managed in a timely fashion. The result was a highly effective, and cost-sensitive solution that successfully met our application technology requirements.” said Niklas Franke, who is responsible for application technology at Franke Kunststofftechnik GmbH & Co. KG.