Three words will define Engel’s presence at K2019 – Experience. Passion. Innovation. The company will once again underline its technological pre-eminence by demonstrating a wide range of challenging industry applications, including functionalised surfaces and lighting technology for the automotive industry.
Autonomous driving is presenting new challenges in a vast number of different areas for car manufacturers. “Firstly, vehicle interiors will change, needing to become more homelike with controls replaced by high-quality surfaces. Secondly, autonomous driving will require brand-new sensor technology that can be unobtrusively made a part of the design.
In both instances, there is a growing preference for foil applications as the production solution,” commented Dr Georg Steinbichler, senior vice president of research and development for technologies at Engel Austria. With foil melt and clearmelt, Engel has two extensively tried-and-tested technologies used for the processing of both functional and design foils. And there will be two applications at K to illustrate the diverse array of possibilities.
Engel will demonstrate the flexibility of this production-ready, roll-to-roll IMD injection-moulding process by producing complex, three-dimensional sample parts with different decor on a victory 1060/300 injection moulding machine with an integrated viper 20 linear robot. The joint development by system partners Engel, Leonhard Kurz, Schöfer and Isosport Verbundbauteile makes it possible to thermoform, back inject and die-cut a limitless selection of surface systems from roll to roll in the mould in this one-step process.
Engel is demonstrating a second IMD application (IMD PUR) at its partner Leonhard Kurz’s stand in Hall 5 (Stand A19), where sample parts based on front panels are produced via the clearmelt process on a duo 2460/900 injection moulding machine with an easix articulated robot. These parts meet the new requirements for sensors.
In addition, Engel will also showcase its new plasticising process development which ensures high luminous efficiency, even in cases featuring complex shapes and long structures, such as outline lighting.