Sodick to inject excitement at MACH 2024

Sodick GL30-LP to make MACH premiere

Warwick-based Sodick Europe and UK distributor Sodi-Tech are set to inject some excitement into the mould tool manufacturing sector at MACH 2024, which is taking place 15-19 April at the NEC, Brimingham (Hall 20, Stand 350). The company will introduce six industry-leading machine tools with many of these innovations receiving their MACH exhibition premiere. For the injection mould and toolmaking industry, Sodick Europe and Sodi-Tech UK will introduce the new 30-tonne hydraulic hybrid GL30-LP injection moulding machine.

Sodick will also unveil the new VN600Q, the ALC600G iG+E precision wire-cut EDM with new iGroove+ technology and the UX450L linear motor-driven machining centre, as well as the the AD35L die-sink EDM and the AL60G EDM die-sink machine which will incorporate an Erowa Compact 80 robotic-loading system with a Zeiss DuraMax measurement and probing system that will provide live demonstrations at the event. The ground-breaking innovations will offer technology and productivity enhancements for every machine shop and toolmaking business. For the injection mould segment, Sodick will launch the new GL30-LP injection moulding machine which has been designed especially for manufacturers of small, complex and high-precision components.

Perfect for manufacturers in the medical, electronic and precision instrumentation sectors, the new GL30-LP is equipped with Sodick’s unique V-LINEÒ technology, direct pressure mould clamping and the new Total Servo Drive system. With unparalleled levels of technology packed into a small-footprint machine, the GL30-LP demonstrates exceptional stability, traceability and usability that combine with a host of advanced injection moulding functions to improve operational accuracy, productivity, performance and energy efficiency.

Unparalleled levels of performance
As with all Sodick injection moulding machines, the new GL30-LP is equipped with Sodick’s unique V-LINE two-stage plunger injection system. This groundbreaking innovation separates the injection and plasticisation processes in one unit, resulting in extremely accurate, rapid and repeatable resin injection. This suppresses outgassing, reduces fibre fracture and prevents backflow to provide unparalleled levels of performance, consistency and quality throughout the manufacturing process.

The V-LINE technology also delivers excellent plasticisation and injection performance with unrelenting stability and reliability in the plasticisation process. This contributes to accurate and highly repeatable resin injection while the hydraulic accumulator mechanism enables extremely high-speed injection with dynamic responsiveness.

From a technical perspective, the new GL30-LP (pictured right) has a compact footprint of just 3,150 x 1,030 x 1,679mm with a maximum clamping force of 294kN (392kN optional). The machine has a tie bar distance of 310 x 310mm with a minimum and maximum die height of 150 and 360mm respectively.

Capable of accommodating tools up to 200kg, the GL30-LP is available with three screw diameters of 14, 18 and 22mm. Depending upon the variant selected, manufacturers can achieve a max injection-specific pressure (MPa) from 260 to 288 with an injection volume from 4.5 to 27cm³ and an injection rate by volume from 57 to 190cm³ sec.

Sodick has three core principles for its moulding machines and the GL30-LP achieves these with its consistent plasticising heat profile, constant filling volume and constant holding pressure — all of which work in perfect harmony to achieve ultra-precise injection moulding results. In addition, the mould open/close clamping mechanism adopts both an electronic system to achieve accurate positional control and a hydraulic mould clamping mechanism that ensures a repeatable and highly accurate clamping force. With a direct pressure mould clamping system utilising the merits of the electro-hydraulic hybrid system, precision and repeatability are assured.

With manufacturers increasingly conscious of energy costs and their carbon footprint, the new GL30-LP incorporates Sodick’s Total Servo Drive that provides even greater energy-saving performance through electric servo motors for the hydraulic pump drive and the mould open/close and ejection mechanism. Furthermore, the ‘green’ efficiency credentials of the machine are enhanced by its quick start to production and improved ratio of crushed and recycled material and moulds.