Multi-Connect Technology Enables Fast, Simple Colour Changes for New Colourline Decor and Function Elements in Surface Treatment

Hennecke is recognized as an expert in creating scratch-resistant, high-quality polyurethane or polyurea surfaces on injection-molded structural components. With the new Colourline Multi-Connect, the machinery manufacturer is now introducing a machine system that takes surface processing to a new level. Users can now seamlessly process abrasive color systems based on Clearmelt technology. The intelligent plug-and-play system "Multi-Connect" offers fast and clean color changes. Thanks to its seamless modular structure, users additionally benefit from production capacity that can be expanded to nearly any desired extent. A reliable application of polyurethane or polyurea systems is, for example, surface processing of structural components through coating with clear raw material systems in RIM (Reaction Injection Molding) processes. With Clearrim technology, Hennecke presents an innovative concept that enables efficient production of structural components with high-quality functional surfaces.

Here, a thin polyurethane or polyurea layer is used to effectively process the surfaces of thermoplastic carrier elements or carrier elements with natural surfaces.

Users thus obtain scratch-resistant, durable, and high-quality surface structures for decorative parts in the automotive sector, in the furniture industry, or for countless other decorative elements. Beyond this, Clearrim is very suitable for being combined with different processing procedures. The best example of this is the methodological development resulting from the collaboration between Hennecke and Engel Austria in machinery technology: Clearmelt® technology. Here, in the injection molding process, thermoplastic-molded parts are combined with decorative films or coating parts. At the same time, processing with transparent polyurethane or polyurea systems takes place in the same production cell. Hennecke has continued to develop this process significantly in close collaboration with customers. Now painted polyurethane systems can also be used for coating injection-molded structural components. With the use of different colors and effect pigments such as metallic flakes, for example, users have almost complete freedom in design. While the high-pressure metering system Streamline demonstrates its strengths in the Clearrim or Clearmelt® technology area or in painted polyurethane systems alone, Colourline with Multi-Connect technology enables fast and uncomplicated color changes. Of course, transparent systems can also be used here. Flexible production with multiple colored polyurethane systems is made possible through systematic division of isocyanate and color processing into separate units.

Colourline is permanently installed as an isocyanate unit in the injection molding machine. Its own heated Multi-Connect color module is arranged as a compact mobile unit. A Multi-Connect parking station is used in the homogenization and pre-tempering of different color systems.

The parking station provides feed to up to seven color modules simultaneously here. When needed, the user removes the module with the desired color from the parking station, connects it to the isocyanate unit, and locks it in place there. There the isocyanate unit takes control of the color module. Each color module is equipped with its own MN 8 MC type mixing head, which connects to the isocyanate unit. This ensures that each color circulates in its own system and that colors do not mix during changeover. Due to the intelligent plug-and-play principle, a color change requires no washing or cleaning and is completed in less than 15 minutes. Since color pigments are very abrasive, Hennecke developed the HT30evo piston pump for this special application. Each color module is equipped with its own piston pump, configured in such a way that it can produce with high precision and repeatable accuracy even under these extreme abrasive conditions.

Because the units are connected via a single multi-connector, the positioning of Colourline and Multi-Connect color units can be adapted very flexibly to the user's layout. Moreover, the modular structure offers the possibility of expanding production capacities effortlessly.

Thus, a system with one parking station and seven color modules can be seamlessly expanded with additional parking stations. To increase production capacities, the number of Colourline isocyanate units can be increased as desired. This allows multiple injection molding machines to be used for high-volume production. In the meantime, all Multi-Connect color units can be connected with all Colourline isocyanate units. This gives the production department the highest possible flexibility. For large-scale production requiring high material volumes, the Colourline Multi-Connect system can additionally be equipped with a circulation line. Material continuously circulates through this circulation line and supplies all system components. With Colourline featuring Multi-Connect technology, completely new horizons are now opening up for the automotive and consumer goods industries. The new technology stands out not only for the very high quality of structural components and the exceptional efficiency of the fully integrated process, but especially for the very high scratch resistance of the surface. To enable users to utilize the new technology, Hennecke, in collaboration with Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid (K.I.M.W.), offers training for entry-level users on processing colored or transparent systems. Participants will learn in a two-day course directly on the machine how to control the process theoretically and practically and how to make optimizations. There is no comparable training of this kind on the market to date.     Alexander Frank Sales Manager Composites and Advanced Applications