Process understanding meets plastic expertise

Bürkert covers the entire value chain of plastic production in-house. This enables quick response times for adjustments and prevents disruptive supply chains. (Source: Bürkert Fluid Control Systems)

In the article and tool simulation, components are examined regarding their mechanical properties, the flow behavior of the medium in the finished system, the plastic melt flow during component manufacturing, and the warpage behavior after the manufacturing process. (Source: Bürkert Fluid Control Systems)

The tool design and tool manufacturing are also housed in-house. (Source: Bürkert Fluid Control Systems)

The manufacturing of plastic parts requires specialized know-how. The fluidics specialist Bürkert has over 40 years of experience in plastics technology – from development to the production of plastic components and assemblies. Currently, it offers the complete plastics value chain under one roof at the new Plastics Technology Competence Center at Bürkert Campus Criesbach. This provides more flexibility in design, optimizes the manufacturing process of tools as well as the production of parts. At the same time, valuable injection molding process expertise can be incorporated into the development process, which optimizes the finished products and fluidic systems for their intended use.

Fluidic applications often place high demands on the materials used: aggressive media, high temperatures and pressures, as well as hygiene requirements in the food industry or biocompatibility in medical technology or pharmaceuticals are just some of the challenges. The plastic parts used here, such as valves, media-conducting lines, or complex custom solutions, contain a great deal of know-how. Bürkert's fluidics experts have therefore built up knowledge and expertise in-house over more than 40 years, from developing plastic components to plastic manufacturing (see Image 1). Recently, these have been consolidated in the new Plastics Technology Competence Center at the Criesbach Campus. Users benefit from precisely tailored plastic solutions, shorter development times, faster market launches, and support with sometimes complex and lengthy international approval processes.

The entire plastics value chain from a single source

A cross-functional team from materials laboratory, development, tool design, tool manufacturing, technical center, plastics production, and quality assurance covers the entire plastics value chain in the new competence center. The selection of materials is paramount. The standard portfolio includes around 90 different materials suitable for most applications. For particularly challenging applications, custom materials can also be developed in close consultation with the customer.

Following the material selection, its qualification takes place in the laboratory for the specific application. This concerns not only the material but also the component or the entire system. Subsequently, the components are designed to enable cost-effective series production of plastics. Depending on customer requirements, prototypes are then produced, e.g., via additive manufacturing technologies, vacuum casting, or injection molding from cost-effective prototype tools using original materials. The prototypes are created for functional or spatial testing as needed. Even at this stage, it is helpful to keep the complete solution in mind, not just the development of individual components. This includes part and tool simulations, for example, regarding mechanical properties, flow behavior of the medium in the finished system, plastic melt flow during component manufacturing, and warpage behavior after the manufacturing process (see Image 2). The tool design and manufacturing are also handled in-house (see Image 3), as well as a technical center and the plastics injection molding for, e.g., transparent parts, complex mechanically stressed parts, and micro-structures in macro-components.

Having the complete solution from a single source results in short, fast communication channels, which facilitate optimizations. It also avoids disruptive supply chains. Throughout all steps, customers benefit from the dual expertise of the fluidics specialists: They are not only well-versed in the chemistry of the materials used but also familiar with the processes of the target industry where the finished components will be used. The innovative capacity of plastics development has already been demonstrated in various applications: reliable washable valves in the food and pharmaceutical sectors, water treatment in dental units, food-approved labeling using industrial inkjet systems, pressure-resistant systems in hot water and steam applications, or parts colored to match the customer's corporate identity.