MHS has introduced the new M3, a fully automated manufacturing cell designed for the high-volume production of direct-gated precision micro parts – completely waste-free and with unmatched consistency. The new M3-D08 will be running at K 2025 in Düsseldorf, Germany from October 8-15 (Hall 1, Booth C40).
MHS
The M3 is engineered for mass production of complex micro moulded parts weighing under 200 milligrams, including components as small as 10 milligrams or less. It achieves this with no cold runner, eliminating material waste and reducing cycle time. This results in millions of identical parts at the highest level of quality, all produced through a compact, efficient process.
Despite its high degree of standardisation, the M3 is designed to be flexible. Modular base tooling allows for interchangeable inserts, side actions, core pulls, and ejectors, enabling the production of highly complex part geometries. Its integrated 8-drop valve gate hot runner system is permanently mounted to the machine and stays in place during mould changes.
The M3 processes any thermoplastic material, including high-temperature engineering polymers such as PEEK, LCP, and PEI. Its ability to mould sensitive materials at scale is made possible by its patented ISOKOR process – a three-stage moulding method that represents a fundamental shift in how micro parts are produced.
Unlike conventional two-stage systems that rely on plunger-based injection and cold runners, the M3 pre-compresses the melt in the screw, further compresses it in the hot runner, and stores it as viscoelastic energy. Upon opening the valve gate, the melt expands and fills the mould cavity in milliseconds at extremely high velocity. This rapid, homogeneous cavity filling results in denser, more isotropic parts with lower shrinkage and internal stress.
The entire process is controlled and monitored with high-resolution sensors, capturing key parameters like pressure, temperature, position, and time, ensuring full traceability and repeatability.
The melt pathway is designed for maximum control: granules are conditioned in an integrated dryer, gently melted in the screw at a controlled low temperature, and only heated to final processing temperature within the hot runner – preserving material integrity and minimising degradation. The system’s cascade pressure profile and constant pressure in the Melt Delivery Unit (MDU) ensure uniform molecular compaction and improved part morphology.
Additional innovations include a dry cycle time of under three seconds, a clamp-free horizontal mould interface with electromagnetic force, and an electric linear motor that provides smooth, sensor-monitored mould movement for sensitive tooling.
The M3 supports up to 32 cavities and even allows the moulding of two different parts or two-component parts in the same cycle. Insert over-moulding, part separation per cavity, and inline quality inspection are all supported within the standard cell design. A built-in robot handles part removal via vacuum, placing each part individually for inspection or post-processing.
Designed for cleanroom use, the M3 can be equipped with HEPA filtration and optical inspection systems to protect sensitive tools and ensure flawless output.