„Live and in colour“: At FAKUMA 2017, Hennecke is presenting a system that makes changing surface finish colour child’s play

At FAKUMA 2015, Hennecke introduced the CLEARMELT process with ENGEL. Here, thermoplastic moulded parts are combined with decor film or veneer elements in the injection moulding process and are refined with a transparent polyurethane system. This allows users to achieve scratch-proof, resistant and high-quality surface structures with a depth effect. Hennecke has worked closely with customers to significantly develop this process further. Now it is also possible to employ colour systems for flooding injection-moulded parts.

In the new COLOURLINE with MULTI-CONNECT technology, Hennecke divided the isocyanate and colour processing into two separate systems. The COLOURLINE is installed as an isocyanate unit fixed on the injection moulding machine. The MULTI-CONNECT colour module with its own heating is constructed as a compact mobile carriage. The MULTI-CONNECT parking station is used for the homogenisation and pre-tempering of the different colour systems. The parking station thereby provides up to seven colour modules simultaneously. If needed, the user can undock the module with the desired colour from the parking station, move it to the isocyanate unit and re-dock it there. The isocyanate unit then assumes control of the colour module. Each colour module is equipped with its own mixhead (type MN8 MC) to which the isocyanate unit is attached. This ensures that each colour circulates in its own system and colour mingling cannot occur when changing colours. Due to this intelligent plug-and-play principle, a colour change does not require rinsing and cleaning measures and can be carried out in under 15 minutes. The modular system configuration enables effortless expansion of the product capacities. A system with a parking station and seven colour modules can thus be easily supplemented with additional parking stations.

Since the colour pigments are highly abrasive, Hennecke has developed the piston pump HT30evo for this special purpose. Each colour module is equipped with its own piston pump constructed in such a way that it can produce for a long time under these highly abrasive conditions with high precision and repeated accuracy.

The COLOURLINE with MULTI-CONNECT technology now opens up new horizons for the automotive as well as consumer goods industries. Along with components‘ very high-quality appearance and the excellent efficiency of the highly integrated process, the new technology scores points with the especially high scratch resistance of the surfaces.

To help users perfectly master the new technology, Hennecke is offering an introductory training course for the CLEARMELT and COLOURMELT process in collaboration with Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid (KIMW). In a two-day course the participants will learn through theory and through practice directly on the machines how to master the process and how to correct potential mistakes. This training offer is so far unique on the market.

Along with the new COLOURLINE with MULTI-CONNECT technology, this year Hennecke will once again present some exciting sample parts from pioneering areas of application for polyurethane. The PUR specialist is especially innovative in the field of fibre-reinforced structural components. With its HP-RTM process, the Sankt Augustin company provides users with a technology to manufacture high-quality fibre composite parts in large-scale production thanks to short cycle times.

Company specialists from the corporate units for slabstock, sandwich panel and moulded foam lines will also be on site at the fair stand to give expert consultation to interested visitors. From the area "Plants for technical insulations", Hennecke is displaying the flagship upright tank from the Austrian company Austria Email AG, one of the leading European manufacturers of high-quality water heaters and hot water tanks. Thanks to Hennecke technology, the upright tank is equipped with high-quality, directly foamed 75 mm PU insulation.

For over 65 years, high-pressure metering machines from Hennecke have been synonymous with top-class polyurethane processing and the centrepiece of countless processing plants. The Hennecke offer impresses with its modularly configurable systems for the smallest to the largest of output ranges with first-class metering pumps, a large selection of state-of-the-art mixheads and intelligent automation.