K2010 News

Up scaled thermoformers

With the move away from traditional materials like PS, Illig and Gabler will both focus on forming machines for amorphous PET (APET). Gabler, participating together with its US partner Lyle, will show its modular Focus (Form, Cut and Stack) thermoformer while Illig, its RDK90 automatic pressure former. It features up to 900 mm processable material width and 700 mm index length and processes APET on an 18-up tool at 55 cycles/minute. A RDM70K, with a forming area of 680 x 300 mm, will form APET yoghurt cups.

Meanwhile, TSL-Thermoforming Systems will display the FT3500 machine with its patent-pending tilt technology. The thermoformer has been developed to cater to the growing mid-sized trim-in-place market for PP processing. It forms and trims parts up to 150 mm deep in a single station with a forming area of 775 x 450 mm. The tilt technology is a synchronised dual servotoggle-driven design for high speed and repeatable forming.

Indian thermoforming machinery supplier Wonderpack, which recently merged with Rajoo Engineers, will showcase a four-axis servo controlled form and cut-in-place thermoformer with a speed of 60 strokes/minute.

German supplier Kiefel will show its latest automated pressure forming Speedformer KMD80, said to reduce production costs by 10% due to low energy use and its ability to recover energy. Operating speed of up to 65 cycles/minute is possible, with reduced material consumption through optimum utilisation of the forming area. A film conveying system is operated via a chain guide system for a constant feed rate and forming area of 600 x 800 mm.