For more sustainability in the automotive industry, KraussMaffei and Techniplas, a leading provider of sophisticated plastic components for the automotive and plumbing industries, have built new MXW 1000 ColorForm system.

"ColorForm technology holds great potential for a lower CO2 footprint in the production of components with a finished multifunctional surface," shared Michael Fuchs, Global Application Owner Surface & Lightweight at KraussMaffei.

Process expertise and quality awareness are the keys to sustainable production in the automotive industry. The experience of Techniplas as the user and KraussMaffei as the provider of injection molding technology and PUR/PUA processing systems makes solutions possible.

The new MXW 1000 ColorForm system.

ColorForm, that is, the ingenious fusion of injection molding technology and surface finishing with polyurethane in a single process step, is one such solution.

Coating right in the mold

The ColorForm process is based on a combination of injection molding and polyurethane processing. The tried-and-tested multi-component injection molding procedure is the foundation of this process.

After injection molding of the thermoplastic mold base body, this body is flow-coated with polyurethane (PUR) or polyurea (PUA) as the surface material in a second cycle.

Schematic representation of the PUR/PUA flow-coating in the mold.

The RimStar Flex ColorForm reaction process machine, which was designed specifically for this process, and the mixing head feed the surface material (PUR/PUA) directly into the cavity.

"RimStar systems take up very little space and meter even small amounts precisely and at a high clock frequency," explained Philipp Strasser, Global Application Owner RPM & Automotive at KraussMaffei.

Transparency with depth effect

In Treuen, Saxony in the Vogtland region, a KraussMaffei MXW 1000 ColorForm system for the series production of components with a transparent surface has been put into operation.

"On this system, parts are produced in the injection-compression molding process. To obtain a special depth effect, a premium-quality, transparent PUR surface is applied to these parts," said Toni Luckner, Process Developer in Treuen (Vogtland). "One more system for the project will be put into operation in the first quarter of 2022."

KraussMaffei supplies both the MXW 1000 injection molding machine and the RimStar Flex mixing and metering machine, including mixing heads for efficient production of components with a polyurethane surface.

"Our customers, large OEMs from the automotive industry, have stringent requirements regarding quality. There must not be any deviations greater than 0.2 mm on any part of the transparent component. Using the MXW 1000 in combination with the RimStar Flex for PUR metering, we fully meet these requirements," added Toni Luckner.

In addition, Techniplas stated that it has had positive experiences with the ColorForm technology from KraussMaffei. At Techniplas, the technology is called "ColorFuse". The company currently has four ColorForm systems in Treuen and one in Rüti, Switzerland. This system has been manufacturing ColorForm parts in series production since 2016. Their in-house TechCenter in Treuen operates two more systems.

For more sustainability in the automotive industry, KraussMaffei and Techniplas, a leading provider of sophisticated plastic components for the automotive and plumbing industries, have built new MXW 1000 ColorForm system.

"ColorForm technology holds great potential for a lower CO2 footprint in the production of components with a finished multifunctional surface," shared Michael Fuchs, Global Application Owner Surface & Lightweight at KraussMaffei.

Process expertise and quality awareness are the keys to sustainable production in the automotive industry. The experience of Techniplas as the user and KraussMaffei as the provider of injection molding technology and PUR/PUA processing systems makes solutions possible.

The new MXW 1000 ColorForm system.

ColorForm, that is, the ingenious fusion of injection molding technology and surface finishing with polyurethane in a single process step, is one such solution.

Coating right in the mold

The ColorForm process is based on a combination of injection molding and polyurethane processing. The tried-and-tested multi-component injection molding procedure is the foundation of this process.

After injection molding of the thermoplastic mold base body, this body is flow-coated with polyurethane (PUR) or polyurea (PUA) as the surface material in a second cycle.

Schematic representation of the PUR/PUA flow-coating in the mold.

The RimStar Flex ColorForm reaction process machine, which was designed specifically for this process, and the mixing head feed the surface material (PUR/PUA) directly into the cavity.

"RimStar systems take up very little space and meter even small amounts precisely and at a high clock frequency," explained Philipp Strasser, Global Application Owner RPM & Automotive at KraussMaffei.

Transparency with depth effect

In Treuen, Saxony in the Vogtland region, a KraussMaffei MXW 1000 ColorForm system for the series production of components with a transparent surface has been put into operation.

"On this system, parts are produced in the injection-compression molding process. To obtain a special depth effect, a premium-quality, transparent PUR surface is applied to these parts," said Toni Luckner, Process Developer in Treuen (Vogtland). "One more system for the project will be put into operation in the first quarter of 2022."

KraussMaffei supplies both the MXW 1000 injection molding machine and the RimStar Flex mixing and metering machine, including mixing heads for efficient production of components with a polyurethane surface.

"Our customers, large OEMs from the automotive industry, have stringent requirements regarding quality. There must not be any deviations greater than 0.2 mm on any part of the transparent component. Using the MXW 1000 in combination with the RimStar Flex for PUR metering, we fully meet these requirements," added Toni Luckner.

In addition, Techniplas stated that it has had positive experiences with the ColorForm technology from KraussMaffei. At Techniplas, the technology is called "ColorFuse". The company currently has four ColorForm systems in Treuen and one in Rüti, Switzerland. This system has been manufacturing ColorForm parts in series production since 2016. Their in-house TechCenter in Treuen operates two more systems.