MeKuMed research project: Shortened production chain for the efficient manufacture of medical crimp caps thanks to optimised injection mold and automation
Turning five into three: Until now, there used to be five different individual manufacturing steps necessary for the production of medical crimp claps. As part of the state-funded “MeKuMed” research project, Hofmann has worked with project partners to develop a more efficient production in three steps only.
Decisive for this: The mould developed by Hofmann, including a handling system for time-saving and automated production.
From pilot mould to automated series mould
- In the first stage of tool development, Hofmann created a new forming punch with different polishes and coatings for an existing test injection mould of the Institute for Plastics Development.
- Following, a pilot tool with a single mould cavity was then designed, manufactured and further optimized to develop the combined process.
- Using the resulting findings on the process and mould design, we then constructed and manufactured the final 4-cavity mould.
New production chain
With the new production chain, the time and equipment requirements can be significantly reduced thanks to our injection moulding tool. This results in a more efficient production with higher quality and which is less prone to errors.
New manufacturing process
- Microstructuring, pre-damaging and cutting out the blanks using a laser by project partner Fraunhofer ILT: circular pre-damaging allows the aluminium to be precisely removed. The rubber stopper can then be pierced with a needle.
- Forming the metal blank into a crimped cap, followed by injection moulding the plastic component within the combined mould from Hofmann.
Shorter cycle times
The complete injection moulding process with our tool has a minimal cycle time of just 38 seconds – for seven different individual steps. Our series mould therefore saves a lot of production time, effort and costs. In addition, the mould concept and process are scalable to an even higher numbers of cavities.
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