Trends in the aesthetics and functions of in-car control panels are always changing. For most car makers, this means multifunctional, elegant and high quality – and ideally, sustainable. Techniplas, a major global plastic component supplier to the automotive industry, uses ColorForm technology from KraussMaffei to achieve this finely-tuned balance.
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Team effort
(Left to right) - Peter Giessmann (KraussMaffei), Eric Jan Frijters (Techniplas), Philipp Strasser (KraussMaffei), Michael Fuchs (KraussMaffei), Rene Rudolf (Techniplas), Sarah Seidel (Techniplas)
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Go with the flow
Schematic of the PUR/PUA flow-coating in the mould.
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Impressive display
KraussMaffei supplied both the MXW 1000 injection moulding machine and the RimStar Flex mixing and metering machine.
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Mix things up
Techniplas also uses two MK5-2K CCM mixing heads alongside the ColorForm system.
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A lot on their plate
The swivel plate for the thermoplastic substrate.
What is ‘ColorForm’?
ColorForm is KraussMaffei’s combination of injection moulding technology and surface finishing with polyurethane in a single step. The technology is designed to make large-scale production of high-quality components more economical and sustainable.
"ColorForm technology offers great potential for a lower CO₂ footprint in the production of components with a noble, multifunctional surface," said Michael Fuchs, global application owner surface and lightweight at KraussMaffei. By consolidating the process down into one step, the user saves time and resource on intermediate storage, painting, and reworking of components. By using a transparent polyurethane surface treatment, Techniplas can also achieve ‘depth effects’ on the final component. The company uses the MXW 1000 ColorForm system at its Treuen, Saxony site.
In-mould coating
The ColorForm process effectively works by combining injection moulding and polyurethane processing. The multi-component injection moulding procedure is the foundation of this process. After injection moulding of the thermoplastic mould base body, the body is flow-coated with polyurethane (PUR) or polyurea (PUA) as the surface material in a second cycle.
The RimStar Flex ColorForm reaction process machine, which was designed specifically for this process, and the mixing head, feed the surface material (PUR/PUA) directly into the cavity. “RimStar systems take up very little space and meter even small amounts precisely and at a high cycle frequency,” said Philipp Strasser, global application owner, RPM and automotive at KraussMaffei.
“Our customers, major OEMs from the automotive industry, place the highest demands on quality. There must be no defects larger than 0.2mm on the entire transparent component. With the MXW 1000 in combination with the RimStar Flex for PUR metering, we fully meet these requirements,” added Toni Luckner, process developer at Techniplas in Treuen.
“Our ColorForm system is used to produce parts using the injection compression moulding process, which are given a high-quality, transparent PUR surface for a special depth effect. Another line for the project is currently being commissioned,” said Luckner.
“We produce under cleanroom conditions in the process. Thus, when the mould is open, no grain of dust can get between the coating and the substrate surface. We thus achieve very low reject rates,” Luckner said.
Savings potential
Using ColorForm tech means Techniplas doesn’t need to transport and paint components, or invest in a painting plant. The finished components are also ready for installation when they’re discharged from the automated production cell, saving on buffer storage and drying.
Long-term cooperation
Techniplas has used the ColorForm process for several years – although the manufacturer refers to it as “ColorFuse” technology. There are four ColorForm systems in Treuen and one in Rüti, Switzerland. An in-house technical center in Treuen also uses two further systems.
Shortening the supply chain during the COVID pandemic
A new system has recently been put into operation, for which Techniplas used an existing MXW 1000 injection moulding machine from KraussMaffei as the basis. Techniplas had the MXW retrofitted at its manufacturer's main factory in Munich's Allach neighborhood.
"There, all necessary equipment is available on-site, and commissioning at the TechCenter was also completed on schedule – both for the injection moulding machine and for the PUR technology, that is, for the RimStar Flex with two MK 5-2K CCM mixing heads for simultaneous production of two components. This cannot be taken for granted under the current basic conditions determined by the pandemic," says Luckner.
New control system and ORCA cooling
The MXW 1000 was not just retrofitted for ColorForm technology. Its control system was also completely upgraded to KraussMaffei’s MC6 control system, and a new ORCA cooling system was installed. "The system performs a contact-free temperature measurement, which minimises maintenance. The technology allows us to control the twenty cooling circuits of the MXW precisely and thus makes a critical contribution to the high, uniform quality of the components," explained Luckner.
