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REPRINTED FROM TWIN PLANT NEWS- January 2001
Cycle Times - MuCell HelpsMorton Custom Plastics, a major contract molder and thermoformer with six plants in the Midwest and Southeast, has positioned itself to bring customers quick and broad access to the economies of MuCell injection molding by signing Ferromatik Milacron North America to a two-year agreement to retrofit as many as 40 machines with new controls and MuCell hardware. The first machine, a 1993 Milacron VH-500-54, is already in work. It returned to Morton's Lebanon, KY, plant in November as a test bed for customers. Potential value of the agreement for Milacron is more than $4 million. "It's integral to our business strategy to offer our customers the most advanced manufacturing technologies, especially those that lower part costs and cut cycle times as MuCell does," said Paul Schmitz, president of Morton Custom Plastics. "Speed of implementation is part of our value added for customers, too. We've investigated the potential for MuCell molding in our primary markets of appliance, aerospace, lawn care equipment, electronics and off-road agricultural and recreational vehicles and believe demand could develop rapidly. In turn, the agreement with Milacron ensures we'll be able to ramp up quickly with this new technology by having 'first rights' on a portion of Milacron's manufacturing capacity." William Gruber, vice president of Ferromatik Milacron North America, said his company, too, sees strong potential for MuCell. "We've committed ourselves as a strategic resource to Morton because we recognize the benefits that a technology advantage like MuCell can have for both molder and consumer alike when implemented on a large scale, and we're prepared to make it accessible as quickly as the market wants to absorb it," Gruber commented. "This is the value we bring to the market as a technology resource, ready to retrofit MuCell or any suitable machine, Milacron or not." Morton Custom Plastics and Morton Metalcraft Co. comprise Morton Industrial Group, Inc., a major contract manufacturer of metal and plastic components and assemblies for a wide range of industries. The plastics business has within it the injection molding capability of 150 machines (up to 2500 tons of clamp force), six plants, 875,000 sq. ft. and over 1250 employees dedicated to plastics processing. The company is a full-service plastics processor, too, with extensive product and mold design capabilities, ancillary production operations, and downstream finishing, assembly, paint and decoration capabilities. "We bought one of Milacron's first machines in 1968, one of its first 1000-ton machines, and we were the first to try the company's CAMAC control," said Schmitz. "As a contract manufacturer, we have to be early adopters of the most efficient new technology to broaden our own market opportunities, and Milacron is always out in front with the latest. Fortunately, we were an early adopter of gas-assisted molding and use it routinely at all four of our injection plants, so we expect a relatively quick, smooth ramp-up with MuCell." The MuCell Process, licensed from Trexel, Inc., of Woburn, Mass., is drawing wide interest from manufacturers in diverse industries, including construction, housewares, electrical, consumer goods, and packaging, as well as automotive. The process uses compressed gas, mixed under pressure with a melted polymer in the barrel of an injected press. Once injected into the mold, the gas forms areas of microscopic bubbles. This reduces part weight by as much as 25 percent, depending on the filler content in the material, with minimal effect on structural properties of the part. Because of the lowered melt viscosity possible with the process, fill pressures can be reduced as much as 50 percent, while mold filling improves, even with clamp tonnages reduced up to 40 percent. A corresponding reduction in melt temperature can speed cycle times by as much as 30 percent. Milacron will also retrofit Morton's machines with new CAMAC controls as part of the program. In addition to offering MuCell technology on all of its new injection molding machines, Milacron can provide the process for its existing machines or those of other makers through its Rebuild, Retrofit, Remanufacturing Business. Milacron's Uniloy business unit also has an exclusive license to offer the MuCell process of structural foam injection molding machines and intermittent extrusion blow molding systems, such as reciprocating screw, accumulator head, and external ram accumulator machines. Morton Industrial Group, Inc., is a supplier of highly engineered metal and plastic components and subassemblies for large industrial original equipment manufacturers. The company operates from 12 facilities in five states in the Midwest and Southeast with more than 2,200 employees. Morton provides large industrial original equipment manufacturers with a wide range of services, including design, prototype development, production, and assembly of metal fabrications and plastic components. Morton is integrated in the design, prototyping and production of the nearly 10,000 highly engineered metal and plastic parts that it manufactures just-in-time for its customers' assembly lines. MORTON CUSTOM PLASTICS At Morton, a highly engineered solution starts with the establishment of a strong partnership with the customer. The company applies its project management skills to ensure the most cost-effective and reliable production possible. First comes design engineering with Pro/ENGINEER software and other CAD tools. Morton works directly with its customers' designers to facilitate collaborative development and quality planning. Next, prototype fabrication, tool design and construction bring a finely crafted component to production readiness with incredible efficiency. Then, it applies leading edge purchasing, and logistics. Finally, it designs and builds the complex sub-assemblies that include the components produced or purchased by Morton. This service alone saves tremendous amounts of time and money for customers, and enables them to reach the market faster with higher-margin products. MILACRON Milacron, Inc. is a world leader in plastics processing and metalworking technologies with major manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and India and 11,000 employees worldwide. Plastic technologies include injection molding equipment, extrusion systems and wear items, mold bases, mold-making equipment and mold components, as well as aftermarket and MRO (maintenance, repair and operating) parts and services. Metalworking technologies include carbide and high-speed steel round tools, metalworking fluids, chemical and tool management services, precision grinding wheels and carbide wear parts. Return to Top | Return to Magazine Articles 00-01 |
