Currier Plastics Is Adding Sumitomo Injection Molding Machines

Currier Plastics, a custom injection molder and blowmolder, is adding Sumitomo Injection Molding (IM) machines in a move the company says will strengthen its medium tonnage range for lid and cap molding. The new additions (HSZ and EV series) are all electric and are designed to be more energy efficient, provide a cleaner molding environment and be more precise at higher speeds and pressures. Sumitomo's "zero-molding" patent pending technology aims to bring waste and defects as close to zero as possible. The benefits that Currier is looking for include improved filling balance, a prolonged mold life, labor and energy savings, better mold clamping precision and improved injection accuracy. "Simply put, these new machines will enable a better part to be molded, at a better cycle time because the mold will open, close, inject and recover faster, with a reduction in energy usage," said Sriraj Patel, IM Project Engineering Manager, in the news release. The extruder screw is controlled by servo controls. With better accuracy in injection pressure, this makes plasticization, filling and pressure holding processes more precise and stable, the company stated. Filling pressure is lower and more balanced even for multi shot molding. Using feedback, or a closed loop control platform, gives a more stable clamp force, and uses about 10% less energy. Currier also touted the machine's high speed processing of thin walled parts. Due to advancements Sumitomo has made in its control logic particularly in the HSZ Series, Currier is able to reduce cycle time due to superior injection rate capabilities and faster clamp speeds, the company stated. Currier recently received tax credits and grants for its expansion plans. Utilizing $1 million in Excelsior tax credits and a $750,000 Economic Transformation Grant from Empire State Development, Currier Plastics expects to invest $20.8 million to re-use and re-purpose a minimum of six acres of underutilized land to construct a 55,000-ft2 manufacturing and storage facility. To handle the increased production and new contracts, the company will purchase $12.5 million in new machinery and equipment over the next five years. Currier reported that it expects to create 50 new jobs, and retain 100 jobs that would have been lost if the project was implemented out of state. Currier Plastics is located in central New York and has been custom molding for a variety of industries such as plastic packaging, beauty and cosmetics, amenities, household consumables and medical measuring devices since 1982. Source: plasticstoday