At the beginning of April, the ENGEL Group is starting the global roll-out of the all-electric Wintec e-win injection moulding machines outside Asia. At the same time, the manufacturer is presenting an updated and streamlined two-platen injection moulding portfolio comprising the ENGEL duo and Wintec t-win series. According to the company, the aim is to adapt the range to changing market requirements and provide plastics processors worldwide with a clearer basis for selecting production solutions in terms of cost and process technology.
The announcement emphasises a division of roles between the group’s brands. ENGEL is to focus on highly integrated, individually configured production solutions, while the Wintec brand is intended to address standardised solutions with a focus on cost efficiency and availability. In practice, this means users can choose between customised, highly integrated system solutions and standardised machine concepts, while maintaining consistent engineering and quality standards across the group.
Wintec e-win, all-electric standard solutions going global
The global roll-out of the Wintec e-win series is intended to increase availability of these standardised, energy-efficient all-electric injection moulding machines outside the Asian market. The machines cover clamping forces from 1000 to 5000 kN and are positioned as solutions for series production with high cost efficiency.
The use of all-electric drive technology is intended to provide precise and dynamic control of all main machine movements. This translates into high repeatability of movements, high process reproducibility, and stable shot weights, which is particularly relevant during long running times and within narrow process windows.
The manufacturer also points to lower energy consumption because energy is required only during actual movements. This is intended to enable a significant reduction in energy costs compared with hydraulic machines. At the same time, eliminating hydraulic oil is expected to reduce maintenance effort and downtime and help keep the production environment clean.
Process stability is supported by digital assistance systems iQ clamp control, iQ hold control and iQ weight control. iQ clamp control automatically adjusts the clamping force to actual demand, which is intended to reduce energy consumption and mould stress. iQ hold control optimises holding pressure time, supporting reduced material usage and shorter cycle times. iQ weight control plus detects fluctuations in material viscosity and compensates for them within the same shot, which is intended to increase process stability and reduce scrap, particularly when processing recyclates.
As a result, the e-win series is aimed at applications where high output, stable processes and low unit costs are the primary priorities.
The all-electric Wintec e-win injection moulding machines are intended to deliver precise, energy-efficient production. The manufacturer points to stable processes, high part quality and low unit costs.
ENGEL duo, higher performance with reduced complexity
In parallel with the e-win roll-out, ENGEL has restructured the portfolio of its ENGEL duo two-platen injection moulding machines. The series remains available in the clamping force range from 4,500 to 55,000 kN. The company states that larger machines up to 110,000 kN have already been realised, and further configurations with even higher specifications are also possible.
The technical update of the portfolio is intended to respond more directly to market requirements. The manufacturer states that available clamping forces in the updated range increase by up to 28% with the same platens, which is intended to allow applications with higher performance requirements to be implemented on the same machine platform.
New wide-platen versions have also been added for the duo 1000 and duo 2100 models. The larger platens are intended to expand usable mould space and enable larger moulds to be used within the same machine class, which according to the manufacturer increases production flexibility and reduces capital expenditure.
ENGEL states that the duo series is still intended to combine configuration and equipment flexibility with high platen rigidity, low operating costs and low energy consumption. Short dry cycle times are intended to support short overall cycle times and therefore higher productivity. This is complemented by fast spare parts availability and a globally established service infrastructure. Since its market launch in 1994, more than 15,000 machines from this series have been installed worldwide.
The high-performance ENGEL duo two-platen injection moulding machines are intended to expand usable mould space and increase production flexibility. According to the manufacturer, this reduces investment costs and facilitates cost-efficient implementation of demanding applications.
Wintec t-win, increased injection performance and productivity
As part of the portfolio revision, the Wintec t-win two-platen injection moulding series is also being developed and is now globally available with clamping forces from 4,500 to 40,000 kN. The manufacturer reports new injection units that are intended to deliver up to 38% higher injection performance. This is expected to shorten filling times and expand the application range, particularly for large-volume or demanding parts.
Process control is also supported by iQ weight control plus, which automatically compensates for fluctuations in material viscosity. According to the manufacturer, this increases consistency in series production and reduces scrap.
Wintec t-win is described as a cost-efficient and robust two-platen machine for standard-oriented processes. It is intended to combine a standardised concept with reliable technology and high availability. The series is said to have around 2,000 installed machines worldwide.
Wintec t-win two-platen injection moulding machines are intended to offer high injection performance for large-volume components. This shortens filling times, increases productivity and supports cost-efficient series processes.
A unified portfolio for different production strategies
According to the group, combining the global roll-out of the all-electric e-win series with the restructuring of the duo and t-win series results in a clearer portfolio covering different requirements in plastics processing. The company states that processors are expected to benefit from easier machine selection, faster project execution and improved cost efficiency. With the parallel offering of the ENGEL and Wintec brands, the group aims to cover a broad technological spectrum that can be used to specifically improve efficiency, process stability and manufacturing costs.
