Small framed 3,000-ton press packs a big punch

June 15, 2000
Textron Automotive, Athens, Tenn., fit a 3,000-ton press into floor space designed for a conventional 1,500-ton machine.

The Maxima two-platten machine from Ferromatic Milacron North America, has a 44 X 15.75-ft footprint and a height of about 12 ft.


The more-compact 3,000-ton press fits into a manufacturing cell designed for a unit half its tonnage. The machine's two-platen design also helped beat previous cycle times by 15%.


Textron Automotive, Athens, Tenn., fit a 3,000-ton press into floor space designed for a conventional 1,500-ton machine. The new press also helped the manufacturing cell boost line speeds and shrink cycle times, or TAKT times, by nearly 15%. The Milacron Maxima is said to balance cell or operator time with the 61-sec TAKT time requirements and requires no additional work in process when compared to conventional 3,000-ton presses.

The two-platen injection machine produces 1,200 GM instrument panels per day. The material of choice for the GM panel is a 16% glass-filled SMA styrenic. The shot is 8.5 lb and is drawn from a central system/silo and is shot in a short stroke using a direct-acting hydraulic ram. This is said to eliminate the double-platen deflection common to machines that build tonnage through tie rods. The ram's maximum travel is 1.37 in. The Maxima also has a dry-cycle time of 8.1 sec (30-ips clamp speed at 50% stroke).

Milacron Inc., Plastics Technologies, 4165 Halfacre Rd., Batavia, OH 45103, (513) 536-2428.

Sponsored Recommendations

Altech's Liquid Tight Strain Relifs Catalog

March 13, 2024
With experienced Product Engineers and Customer Service personnel, Altech provides solutions to your most pressing application challenges. All with one thought in mind - to ensure...

Industrial Straight-Through Cable Gland

March 13, 2024
Learn more about Altech's cable glands and all they have to offer for your needs!

Smooth Sorting with SEW-EURODRIVE!

Feb. 22, 2024
Sorting systems are essential when it comes to warehouse automation, material handling, and distribution. SEW-EURODRIVE’s automated sorting solutions increase capacity, reliability...

Setting the Agricultural Industry in Motion

Feb. 22, 2024
Agricultural products go through specialized processes of harvesting, storing, conveying, cleaning, drying, sorting, and handling to ensure that seasonal products reach the processing...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Machine Design, create an account today!