The industry's first ultra-large electric injection moulding machine (e-IMM for short) featuring the world's highest clamping force of 4,000 metric tons is now part of Japan Steel Works’ standard lineup.
JSW
With the rapid global shift toward electric vehicles, there is an increasing demand for lighter components to extend driving range. Target products for the 4,000-ton class clamping force include exterior parts such as bumpers and tailgates, as well as the conversion of electric vehicle battery cases to plastic. Demand is growing from automobile-related manufacturers both in Japan and overseas. In the United States, moulding machines of this class are widely used in agricultural/ industrial machinery, general merchandise, and home appliance industries, apart from the automotive industry.
Currently, hydraulic systems are the mainstream in the 4,000-ton injection moulding machine market, but they have issues, such as elevated power consumption and quality variations. The maximum speed and acceleration of mould opening/closing and injection operations are low, making it difficult to shorten the production cycle.
Therefore, JSW has adopted an electric system that achieves high productivity, energy efficiency, and high quality. Its main specifications include:
- Model name: J4000F-22000H
- Type: Two-platen
- Clamping force: 4,000 metric tons (4,400 US tons)
- Maximum injection volume: 22,000cm3 ⇒ Approx. 18.6 kg in PP equivalent
The main features
- Improved productivity: The industry's fastest dry cycle improves productivity by 10% compared to the latest hydraulic systems.
- Electric servo motor drive. Because it is an electric type, there is little variation and a short start-up time, which improves the operating rate.
- Energy saving and reduced running costs. Compared to hydraulic systems, power consumption is reduced by 15-20%, cooling water consumption is reduced by 50%, and hydraulic oil consumption is reduced by 70%.
- Annual CO2 emissions reduced by 15-20%, compared to hydraulic systems
- Space saving
- The shortest machine length in the industry: 17.4m, which is 12% shorter than other companies' latest hydraulic systems
- Long life and robust design, inheriting the design philosophy that we have cultivated over many years, ensure long-term reliable operation.
- High rigidity mould platen. The mould also has optimum rigidity to prevent moulding defects in the moulded product.
- High-performance movable platen support mechanism. Large-diameter, wide support rollers maintain platen precision over extended periods.
- High rigidity clamping bed. The ladder frame structure keeps the bed level for a long-lasting machine.
Japan Steel Works at K 2025
Japan Steel Works LTD will be presenting three injection moulding machines (IMM for short) from the J series with clamping forces of 800 kN, 2,200 kN and 6,500 kN respectively. These machines are all-electric systems, popular for profitable precision injection moulding in all relevant industries and plastics processing sectors worldwide. Experts from the headquarters in Japan, from its European daughter company ‘JSW-PME’ which handles injection moulding machines, based in Warsaw (PL) and KT Sakkas, Germany, will be on hand to provide visitors with advice and assistance.
The J80ADS (800 kN clamping force) produces a cover panel in recycled ABS on a demonstration mould provided by JSW. The downstream SCARA & 6-axis robot removes the part, which is then checked through a camera system which is linked with the process parameters.
The next exhibit – J220ADS all-electric machine – is turned into a 2-component application by means of a FLiP auxiliary unit. The J650ADS (6,500 kN) demonstrates right here the advancements in designing large-sized all-electric injection moulding machines.
Thanks to the advanced technology, electricity is only consumed when the clamping unit or injection unit is in motion. Clean operation and the absence of hydraulic oil means sustainability while eliminating product contamination, which favours the use of the machines in clean-room industries in particular.
These e-IMMs are known to generate less heat and are pleasantly quiet. The drives of JSW machines are predominantly air-cooled. ‘Electric’ also means faster and more economical, with shorter cycle times despite incorruptible precision. The OPC UA interface maintains the connection to the ancillary equipment. Last but not least, the JSW machines deliver high-precision repeatability that can be called up reliably on demand. JSW relies on the low-maintenance information of the servo encoder for its position measuring systems.