Wittmann UK partners Schottli for IML

The Wittmann group of companies has been making advances in automated in-mould labelling, thanks to a company wide partnership with toolmaker Schottli AG.

Wittmann France, based in Grenoble, has been leading the way in commercially automating the In Mould Labelling (IML) process for various high speed food packaging clients.

Leading applications have been found in the dairy packaging industry (margarine tubs) in Holland and France and in cosmetic packaging for beer crates in Germany.

Wittmann’s principal contribution to the partnership is the design and configuration of the automated label and mould handling system.

The process begins when the Wittmann-designed loader picks the labels from a stack and transfers them to a high speed gripper. As soon as the mould opens, the gripper removes the finished plastics parts and simultaneously inserts the labels into the dies at the necessary precision setting.

The gripper then retracts from the mould zone with an acceleration of up to 7g and the mould then closes for the next shot. Meantime another module of the system is automatically stacking the mouldings; placing them on a paced conveyor belt. These operations can attain peak rates of as little as 0.8 seconds take-out time.

Schottli’s role is to design the mould tools specifically for client use with IML; with location and connector layout, guidance and drive elements, and injection points that have all been configured with IML in mind.

A typical Wittmann/Schottli cell for producing 4 + 4 injection moulded items of dairy packaging in a ‘stackmould’ application consists of an injection moulding machine (100 to 500 tonne locking force) surrounded by a steel structure to provide the necessary stiffness and stability. From this operates two W 627HSS robots with capacity to work alternately with a single, one-sided mould or stack mould. Another 3 axis robot is generally needed to work on two conveyors. The tool will consist of two magazines with four cavities each.

Such a system is capable of producing fully labelled mouldings without manual labour for a full 8 hour shift. Average mould cycle time is about 5 seconds. Current delivery time for this kind of Wittmann IML system is about 5 months and the current range of IML manufacturing options include ‘wraparound’ label; ‘single-face’ application or ‘stack mould’ applications.

The Wittmann/Schottli IML systems have already attracted some 20 manufacturing clients throughout Europe. The principal area of benefit to date is principally high speed, and high volume food-packaging lines. Outstanding print quality is another factor which is accelerating the growth of IML. IML films can be printed with a greater degree of realism, unlike post-printing of previously fabricated packages – an operation which can also pose health hazards in relation to the food handling sector.

In the UK, Wellingborough-based Wittmann UK continues to serve all plastics processing needs as a one-stop-shop for both automation systems and materials handling equipment and expertise. The success of Wittmann’s award winning materials handling equipment is expected to boost sales – particularly in the areas of polycarbonate, ABS and acetal processing. Also in the volume PET processing markets, where the material condition (especially dryness and viscosity factors) are critical.

Managing director Barry Hill believes that equipment suppliers are bound to become more global in character – chiefly in order to support and resource innovation such as automated IML. ‘We supply across five continents, and with our new production facilities now opening up in China and the Far East, we have every confidence in staying competitive,’ he says. ‘The Wittmann group continues to improve productivity in all our departments. We continue to simplify our product range and standardise our range of spare parts. At the same time, Wittmann UK makes sure that our service provision is second to none and that our ISO 9001 qualification is always working to the benefit of our clients.’

Wittmann is one of the world’s leading producers of robots, automation and materials handling equipment for plastics and other manufacturing industries, with production plants in the USA as well as Austria, Hungary and the UK.

Further details from Wittmann UK:Tel. 01933 275 777