Case Study: System integrator takes risk out of complex plastics project

Injection moulding equipment manufacturer, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, has completed a challenge set by supplier of connectors and interconnect components, Molex Ireland, which would enable the company to produce a new product to target a new market.

The complex project required the production of a two-shot rugged sealed connector made by Molex for pump manufacturer, Grundfos, enabling the group to target the industrial multi-components rugged sealed connector market.

The new manufacturing process included two multi-cavity bespoke two-shot direct gate hot runner moulds (to make the connector cover and insert in a single mould process), management of 750 and 850 Glow wire materials with a strong bond to a second shot sealing material, plus a fast and efficient multi-component 350 tonne injection moulding machine.

Molex states it chose system integrator, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, as one of the technology partners for its previous experience in this type of application. “We were confident that Sumitomo (SHI) Demag could provide the right equipment as they had a successful installation base of multi-component injection moulding equipment worldwide,” commneted Process Engineer, Donal Costello.

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag provided sample parts by borrowing a similar machine from an existing customer for a two-week period to run the unique moulds as well as sending the machine to the mould makers before it went to Molex. Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Managing Director, Nigel Flowers, said: “We were able to test the materials, fit the moulds, complete validation and commissioning so that when the machine got to Molex all we had to do was install the system.”

Molex states Sumitomo (SHI) Demag provided a solution which took the project from an idea into production, providing a compact and flexible machine enabling it to target the rugged sealed industrial connector market. Donal continued: “This project involved a new customer, new product type and a new sector for Molex globally – we had to be 100 percent confident that our chosen partners could deliver a manufacturing solution that was both capable and reliable. Sumitomo (SHI) Demag in conjunction with the other stakeholders, Hofmann, Manner and John Goff, really helped us to de-risk the entire project.”