FÜRTH, Germany — October 2, 2023 — October 17-21, 2023, FAKUMA in Friedrichshafen will shed light on all aspects of the future-relevant topic of plastic. Plastics manufacturers and processors from all over the world will present innovative and durable high-tech solutions for a wide variety of sectors at the trade fair, from the automotive sector to the packaging industry and construction. The questions of how manufacturing and decoration processes can be optimized, which sustainable raw materials can be used, and which technologies bring us closer to a real circular economy are increasingly being addressed.
LEONHARD KURZ has been working on the further development of machines, the optimization of processes, and improved materials for decades in order to minimize the consumption of resources and promote the reuse of plastics. The thin film specialist from Fürth was the first company in the plastics industry to develop a take-back system for production residues in the graphics industry. The Post-Industrial Recycling (PIR) compound RECOPOUND®, which is produced by recycling PET transfer carrier residues, can be processed in injection molding on standard machines and finished using advanced hot-stamping and insert-molding technologies.
KURZ takes on a pioneering role
“To increase the recycling rate of plastics even more, more waste needs to be recovered and recycled. KURZ is the first company in our industry to take this fundamental requirement for sustainability fully into account,” explained Martin Hahn, head of Application, Technology & Innovation at KURZ’s Business Area Plastic Decoration, and adds: “As part of an integrated system, RECOPOUND not only represents closed-loop progress in the entire finishing industry, but as a high-quality raw material it also offers decisive advantages for the competitiveness of our customers, as we will show you at FAKUMA 2023 together with ARBURG.”
At the ARBURG stand 3101 in Hall A3, KURZ and ARBURG will be conducting a live demonstration of the insert molding technology by manufacturing and finishing a toolbox. The great advantage of insert molding is that the carrier material can be deformed more than with the classic in-mold decoration process and, in contrast, partial areas can also be decorated. This makes this process particularly well-suited for the production of highly profiled components. The upper corners of the case are partially decorated on site using insert molding. In addition, the ARBURG logo on the shell is given a brushed and metallized finish via hot stamping. This allows visitors to experience not one, but two efficient KURZ processes.
Exploiting added value, tapping into potential
In the joint project between KURZ and ARBURG, several components are manufactured from RECOPOUND. The raw material for the new components is obtained entirely from industrial residual materials. The recycled material has robust mechanical properties and, thanks to its gray color scheme, is a good match for the overall concept, which reflects the ARBURG colors. In general, RECOPOUND is ideally suitable for the production of stable and robust products and can be decorated without restrictions. If virgin plastics in products are completely or partially replaced by RECOPOUND, CO2 consumption can be reduced by up to 40 percent compared to production with new material.
With ARBURG, KURZ has found the right partner to implement the project. With its automated ALLROUNDER 920 H, the well-known machine manufacturer and system supplier offers a tailor-made injection molding system that works quickly, efficiently, and precisely and can be adapted to individual customer requirements.
At FAKUMA 2023, it will be combined with a specially adapted BINTEC installation unit from the KURZ subsidiary BAIER. The special version for inline working with part fixing and part control, works hand in hand with the ARBURG injection molding system.
In addition to demonstrating production live on site, visitors to both the ARBURG and KURZ stands can learn about insert molding, hot stamping, and the use of recycled plastics. More information about KURZ’s trade fair presentation and solutions is available on the KURZ website for FAKUMA 2023.
Posted: October 2, 2023
Source: LEONHARD KURZ Stiftung & Co. KG
