Networking in a new branch

ENGEL_med_con_web

ENGEL_med_web

ENGEL_med.con_2013_Evening Event

ENGEL_med.con_2013_moojah

With more than 130 participants, the med.con medical technology conference brought a full house to the ENGEL Germany Technology Forum Stuttgart at the end of February. This already demonstrates that the new ENGEL branch lives up to its claim of being a communication platform for the injection molding industry, even before its official opening in April.

Not only medical technology experts from southwestern Germany traveled to the conference in Wurmberg. Claus Wilde, head of the new branch, and Christian Pum, CSO of ENGEL Holding in Austria, were also able to welcome numerous guests from more northern regions as well as from Italy, Austria, and Switzerland. They were treated to an exciting mix of technical presentations, live demonstrations, networking, and an insight into the comprehensive offerings of ENGEL at its new location. "We have the largest technical center of an ENGEL branch in Wurmberg," says Claus Wilde. "With regularly changing exhibits, we can present something new to our customers and guests with each visit. Many product and technology innovations will in the future be available especially early on at our location for customer trials."

Purity meets efficiency

Four medical technology applications and a total of seven production cells were showcased by the ENGEL Germany Technology Forum Stuttgart at med.con. Particular attention was given to the production of pharmaceutical containers on an ENGEL e-victory 440/120 injection molding machine using the inject2blow process – a German premiere; the innovation was only introduced last fall by the development partners ENGEL and Cantoni. "By integrating the injection molding and blow molding processes into a single mold, we achieve the highest level of efficiency," emphasizes Christoph Lhota, head of the ENGEL Business Unit medical. "Even small batch sizes can be produced extremely economically. We are currently handling many inquiries, especially from the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors."

The trend towards high-performance applications in cleanroom conditions was addressed at med.con with the production of syringe barrels on a fully electric ENGEL e-motion 940/200 T injection molding machine. The ENGEL e-motion series was consistently adapted to meet the requirements of high-performance and high-speed applications. New design concepts ensure that even at maximum performance, particle and warpage levels do not increase. The tool chamber of the ENGEL e-motion machine was encapsulated as a cleanroom, implemented by ENGEL partner Max Petek Reinraumtechnik.
Short cycle times were also a focus when injection molding needle holders on an ENGEL e-motion 310/100 T, equipped with high-speed automation from Hekuma, as well as when producing delicate membranes from liquid silicone on an ENGEL victory 330/120 LIM injection molding machine.

Warm-up for Medtec Europe

Current requirements, success factors, and market opportunities were the focus of the technical presentations. Additionally, the speakers provided valuable tips for practical operations. The speakers included: Prof. Thomas Seul from Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences, Hansjörg Keusgen from FOBOHA, Timo Steinebrunner from Braunform, Martin Jungbluth from Max Petek Reinraumtechnik, as well as Christoph Lhota and Prof. Georg Steinbichler from ENGEL.

It became clear that ENGEL is not only known for the most efficient system solutions and outstanding medical expertise but also as an excellent host, especially evident on the evening. With Austrian-Swabian fusion cuisine and the finest soul and reggae sounds by moojah, ENGEL kept its guests lively. "The perfect warm-up for Medtec Europe," summarizes Claus Wilde. The trade fair, where ENGEL also exhibited, opened its doors in Stuttgart one day later.