Horizontal versus vertical injection machine

[ebeck]

Hello group!

I'm planning to include plastic moulding in my prototype workshop in order to make R&D medical devices for my customers. I expect to run batches ranging from 100 to 20000 units.

I've more or less decided on purchasing one of the Babyplast machines (

http://www.babyplast.com/ing/index.htm),

but I need some advice whether to get a horizontal or vertical one. I expect to run occational batches (5-10%) with metal or glass inserts. So, what are the cons and pros of vertical versus horizontal machines in your opinion?

Furthermore, I'm trying to find suppliers for tabletop (or small floor standing) EDM's, both wire and ram, new or used. Any suggestions?


Best regards,

Esben Beck
Beck Engineering
Oslo, Norway

 

[insideman]

You plan on doing insert molding, hence the vertical machine is the one you need for ease of loading the inserts.

The drawbacks are that automatic ejection is probably not feasible. I fancy this will be a minor concern for you.

Another is that it is far more likely that some klutz will leave a tool in the mold and close it, damaging the mold or the press. Care, good sense and disciplie will cope with this!

 

[plasgears]

You may want to include a turntable for the convenience of continuous process. With perhaps 6 stations the process could be: sta 1, load insert; sta 2, index; sta 3, injection; sta 4, cool; sta 5, ejection; sta 6, remove finished part.

 

[TheAnswerGuy]

ebeck,

When I worked at Glenn Beall Engineering we had a couple of molding machines that were manufactured by Arburg. These machines had a pivot sytem that allowed them to run in a vertical and horizontal position. The platten size allowed us to run a 5" X 8" MUD (Master Unit Die).

You may want check-out the

http://www.machinerycenter.com

website for deals on used molding machinery. Unfortunately, many plastic companies have been going out of business and this situation has put many like-new molding machines up for sale, pennies on the dollar.