On the 20-21 of November, the LKT (Plastics Technology Institute) at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg organized the international conference Assembly Injection Molding. At the conference not only was the term “Assembly Injection Molding” coined, but also several presentations that discussed injection molding as technique that can be used to integrally manufacture and assemble complex products were presented. In assembly injection moulding, a part’s various constituents, consisting of different or even identical materials, are assembled into a component at the same time as moulding is taking place. The term assembly injection moulding augments the existing definition of joining effected in multi-component injection moulding with the assembly elements of handling, controlling and special processes. On account of process development and expansion in recent years, it has grown substantially in terms of production depth. It has been aided in this inter alia by the implementation of joining processes during multi-component injection moulding. Assembly Injection Molding includes the secondary functions of handling, adjusting, checking, and additional special operations. Assembly injection moulding is particularly interesting because the choice of material combinations, geometry, injection parameters and additional process steps can be used to selectively determine the properties of the bonds produced: ranging from material-bond, form-fit or frictional bond to mobile and flexible.  

Professor Ernst Schmachtenberg of the LKT introduces concepts of Assembly Injection Molding

Over 90 participants attended the 53rd Madison Thermoset Molding Conference held October 18-19 in Madison, Wisconsin. Attendees from all over the United States heard diverse presentations from the keynote speaker from Boeing Company to Bio-Composits and More GmbH, Germany. This year’s agenda included topics on new thermoset composite materials, integrity testing of composites, overcoming color and appearance challenges, thread forming technology in thermosets,  meeting the challenges of the new “green” world, and protecting intellectual property.