Eight New Injection Moulding Machines Fit the Criteria

Leading sanitation and bathroom-ware manufacturer Thomas Dudley has purchased eight Battenfeld injection moulding machines for its Dudley, West Midlands based factory following finalisation of technical details. Mike Mohr, Works Director, Plastics Division, said that Thomas Dudley’s decision to purchase eight new moulding machines was influenced by a number of factors: old machines needed replacing; the company is making new products of a more technical nature; the need for reliable machines which could run 24 hours a day and run unattended during lights out period from 11pm to 6am; and low maintenance costs.

Mohr said: “ The machines being replaced were Wittmann Battenfeld machines that had fulfilled the above criteria, so it seemed an obvious choice to continue with Wittman Battenfeld. The reliability from Wittmann Battenfeld was paramount in our decision process because of our need to run our production in a ‘lights out’ situation. And we do this in order to maximise our machine usage and to benefit from energy savings. All of this helps greatly to keep our costs down so that we can compete worldwide.”

Included in the new order from Thomas Dudley are six Wittmann Battenfeld HM45 tonne moulding machines; one Wittmann Battenfeld HM 90 tonne moulding machine; and one Wittmann Battenfeld HM110 tonne moulding machines. All Wittmann Battenfeld moulding machines have been fitted with magnetic platens, hot runners, and robotics interfaces. Five of the new Battenfeld HM45 machines have also been fitted with Unipick sprue pickers. Due to the low head-height at the Thomas Dudley works they have been constructed as a side entry unit made as integral to the Injection Moulding Machine. Thomas Dudley are also concluding tool trials at Wittmann Battenfeld’s Kottingbrunn works this month – assessing if the machines will be fitted with ServoDrive rather than hydraulic pumps and motors.