Glass Production Line at hybridica 2008

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How are hybrid components made? Visitors at hybridica, a new trade fair that will celebrate its premiere at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre from November 11 – 14, 2008, will find out. They can follow the integrated processes used to produce a hybrid component "live" and take the results of the production process, i.e. a hybrid clip, home with them as a memento. One of the fair's partners, Leicht Stamping Automation, will set up a complete production line that it will use to demonstrate how a metal clip encased in plastic is manufactured using injection molding. The "Glass Production Line" is part of a special show in Hall C2 at hybridica, the International Trade Fair for the Development and Manufacture of Hybrid Components.

Visitors at hybridica 2008 can experience "live" how a production line is used to manufacture hybrid components made of metal and plastic, which steps are required to do so, and how efficient automation solutions can help to increase production. The Glass Production Line, which will be set up in Hall C2, consists of a pallet decoiler with a straightening unit, a high-precision welding system and an injection-molding machine equipped with a two-step tool, a camera system and a vertical coiler.

According to Thomas Rehbein, Exhibition Director of hybridica, "The Glass Production Line does an impressive job of showing what type of technical know-how goes into the process of producing hybrid components. It will be used to produce a hybrid clip made of metal and plastic and to clearly demonstrate the advantages of automation components that are integrated into a network and work intelligently. Visitors can follow the entire production process live and take the result, i.e. a hybrid clip made of metal and plastic, home with them."

The production line starts with pre-punched metal strips on a reel. The punching grid is fed to the injection molding machine by a pallet decoiler from Leicht Stamping Automation, where it are processed using a corresponding tool. In the first processing step, a blue plastic clip is overmolded onto each metal clip. In the second processing step, the clips are detached from the strip. A measuring system directly on the tool measures each clip and compares the results with the desired values so that defective clips are immediately recognized while they are still in the injection-molding machine. The finished hybrid clips make their way to a container, and a vertical coiler winds the remaining strip back onto reels so that it can be sent to recycling.

Intelligent machine periphery guarantees faster feed rates and optimum cycle times
The first machine in the production line is a PW-150_P pallet decoiler from Leicht. The reels on the pallet are on top of one another, and the strips are fed directly from the pallet and into the production process by a straightening unit. The straightener is particularly suitable for thinner punching grids and allows for quick, time-saving reel changes. When the end of a strip is reached, the process stops automatically. A resistance welding station puts its strengths to the test when replacing the reel. It can weld even the most delicate punching grids with the utmost precision, which reduces production downtime. The combination of the two machines makes it possible to change the punching strip as quickly as possible and continue production of the hybrid clip.

The injection-molding machine from Arburg is a 275 V ALLROUNDER with a clamping force of 250 KN. It is equipped with a tool from Kron Solingen that performs two steps. During the first step, a plastic grip is injection molded onto the metal clip. During the second step, the clip is detached from the punching grid. A camera-based measuring system from Fuchs Engineering in Tübingen controls the quality of the finished component. The measuring system is located directly on the tool in the injection-molding machine. At the end of the production process, the remaining "blanked out" strip is wound back onto a Leicht EW-100 vertical coiler so that it can be sent to recycling quickly and safely.

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