Chen Hsong is advancing its Manufacturing 4.0 roadmap with the planned launch of a new DMZ series of multi-material injection molding machines and the iChen Smart Family, including the AI Molder. Against a backdrop of supply chain resilience measures, sustainability mandates and market volatility, the company is pairing precision hardware with connected software to support accuracy, efficiency and adaptability on the shop floor. The DMZ machines extend the company’s multi-material lineage rooted in the modular DM series, focusing on alignment precision, energy management and configurable injection options. On the software side, iChen encompasses whole-factory design and planning, cloud connectivity and AI-driven assistance for setup, troubleshooting and process stabilization. The portfolio is scheduled for October 2025 at K 2025.
Multi-material DMZ hardware: key features
Clamping unit, alignment and positioning
- Independent turntable with gaps of ≤ 0.15 mm, paired with a high-rigidity alloy steel base.
- Servo-driven with a closed-loop optical encoder for ± 0.005° positioning accuracy.
- Designed to improve multi-colour and multi-material yields through precise mold alignment.
Clamping unit, energy and drive efficiency
- Standard recovery via servomotor (eDrive) delivering 15–30% energy savings.
- Servo-driven turntable for multi-material operation consuming 45% less energy than hydraulic drives.
- Combined measures targeting reduced energy consumption and operating costs.
Injection unit, modularity and investment
- Flexible host architecture enabling rapid changeovers and support for diverse injection systems.
- Adjustable nozzle distances and multi-station production capability.
- Configuration approach aimed at lower upfront investment and avoiding later upgrade waste.
Toggle design and motion profile
- Patented toggle clamp design with a dedicated motion characteristic control curve.
- Stable, fast and impact-free movement.
- Quiet, safe and reliable operation.
Software layer: iChen Smart Family
The iChen suite extends beyond machine control to factory-level integration. iChen Smart Factory addresses intelligent whole-factory design and planning, while iChen Cloud provides the digital backbone for connecting equipment and aggregating continuous data streams. The system targets connectivity, agility and Industrial IoT workflows across production assets.
AI Molder: setup, diagnostics and stabilization
- sMolding: uses industrial big data and cloud computing to automatically generate initial molding parameters, with the aim of reducing trial runs by up to 80% and minimizing material waste.
- sTroubleshooting: applies deep machine learning trained on thousands of defect cases to identify issues and propose corrective actions within seconds.
- StabMolding: continuously optimizes parameters in real time using statistical tools, detects subtle process shifts and can predict equipment wear, targeting a 15–20% improvement in production stability and reduced downtime.
Launch timeline and trade fair presence
Chen Hsong plans to launch the DMZ multi-material injection molding machines and showcase the iChen Smart Family at K 2025, the trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry. The event is scheduled for October 8 to October 15, 2025, at Messe Düsseldorf, Hall 13, B-43, Stockumer Kirchstraße 61, 40474 Düsseldorf, Germany.
