The SKZ has come up with something special for this year’s FAKUMA: Together with its network partner Koenig & Bauer Coding GmbH, frisbees will be printed and customized live on site. The frisbees, which were all manufactured at the SKZ, are the result of a joint industrial project between the SKZ and GHD Präzisions-Formenbau GmbH & Co. KG and shows a classic two-component part made from a hard/soft combination, which is produced in a single mold using the transfer process.

Multi-component technology faces challenges
“In recent decades, we at SKZ have developed and optimized the composite adhesion between thermoplastics and thermoplastic elastomers down to the last detail. Now, however, the question is how we can separate the two components again at the end of the life cycle. Multi-component technology faces a challenging task in the course of the circular economy,” says Bernhard Hennrich, Group Manager Injection Molding Research at SKZ. “Friedrichshafen is known for the best weather during the trade fair and I’m looking forward to seeing how quickly our frisbee rings will be used in the courtyard between the exhibition halls. We are delighted that Koenig & Bauer Coding will also be customizing the sports equipment live at the SKZ stand,” says Matthias Ruff, Sales Manager Education and Research, with anticipation.

SKZ presents innovative injection molding tool
Visitors can also look forward to another give-away at the SKZ stand: a watchmaker’s magnifying glass made from silicone. The product was also created in an industrial project at the SKZ with the aim of realizing two complex silicone moulded parts, a watchmaker’s magnifying glass (weight 6 g) and a coffee cup cover (weight 28 g), in just one tool. The project consortium worked on an LSR injection molding machine from KraussMaffei with a dosing system from NEXUS in the SKZ model factory. The project partners were Meusburger Georg GmbH & Co KG, Bestenlehrer GmbH, GÜNTHER Heisskanaltechnik GmbH and toolcraft AG. The tool – an example of successful cooperation in the plastics industry – is currently in use at the SKZ Plastics Center. “The realization of the silicone tool for magnifying glasses and coffee lids is a great achievement by the project partners. It may look simple, but in reality there is so much innovative work behind producing the two items in just one shot. I am delighted that we can pass the magnifying glass on to our guests,” says Ruff.

Driving forward the possible uses of liquid silicone
Bernhard Hennrich adds: “The impending PFAS ban and the increased requirements in the field of electromobility will continue to drive forward the possible applications of liquid silicone.” According to Hennrich, the material is enjoying increased demand, particularly in the field of sealing and electrical insulation.