According to marketing manager Eckart Spork, this capability has contributed to the company's growth as a tooling supplier to the device industry. Another advantage of hot-runner systems is the reduction of material waste, he adds. The company has also succeeded in eliminating some of the traditional drawbacks of hot-runner systems, such as restrictions on the types of materials that may be processed, involved maintenance procedures, and susceptibility to wear. Building upon this architecture, the company recently introduced a modified 230-V system that can process thermally sensitive polymers. New heating elements and revisions in the nozzle adjustment area ensure that a homogeneous temperature is maintained as the material flows through the system.
Modular nozzles allow most maintenance procedures to be performed on-site.
The material's heat-conductive properties are specifically suited to thermally sensitive plastics that require high processing temperatures, according to Spork. The 230-V manifold systems can be configured in h, cross, star, or t shapes, and can be fitted with nozzles of any service voltage. Both the grade of LCP used and the wall thickness determine the tubing's strength range. Amalgamations of LCP and such materials as polycarbonate, he adds, are currently undergoing testing to determine their suitability for use in a variety of applications including catheters.