Partners against grime

Der ALLROUNDER ist an einen Reinraum angedockt, in dem Spritzteile geprüft und konfektioniert werden. (Foto: PATRICK SAELY PHOTOGRAPHY) / The ALLROUNDER is docked to a clean room in which moulded parts are tested and assembled. (Photo: PATRICK SAELY PHOTOGRAPHY)

Bei der Turnkey-Anlage sind zwei Reinräume kombiniert, das Teilehandling übernimmt ein in die Maschinensteuerung integrierter Sechs-Achs-Roboter. (Foto: PATRICK SAELY PHOTOGRAPHY) / Two clean rooms are combined in the turnkey system, and parts handling is performed by a six-axis robot integrated into the machine controller. (Photo: PATRICK SAELY PHOTOGRAPHY)

Not precise but super-precise; not hygienic but ultra-hygienic. When it comes to products for medical technology, precision and technical excellence are crucial. This is something that Lercher Werkzeugbau GmbH & Kunststoffspritzguss from Klaus in Vorarlberg, Austria, knows only too well. The company is currently moving into medical technology with its own clean room production. And ARBURG is an essential partner here.

The company produces plastic dental parts with a machine that is directly connected to a clean room. These are then combined to form an assembly. The hybrid ALLROUNDER 520 H with clean room equipment transports the encapsulated items to another, larger clean room where part inspection and packaging take place. At the end of this clean room, the goods are packed ready for delivery. The products are made of PBT and PE. A total of four machines are planned for the final expansion of the system. “ARBURG has a great deal of experience and knowledge in all areas, and especially in automation and medical technology. We notice this again and again,” says Sandra Ender-Lercher, Managing Director of the family business, praising the cooperation and support in general.

Hybrid ALLROUNDER first choice

After the first hybrid ALLROUNDERs were purchased and subsequently the first successful turnkey project with an ALLROUNDER 520 H, the cooperation continued with the clean room project. For the automated production of the dental components – three different items in multiple moulds – the hybrid ALLROUNDER HIDRIVE series was also the obvious choice, as it combines the speed of the servo-electric toggle with a dynamic, hydraulic injection unit for maximum precision and performance. As Sandra Ender-Lercher says: “The catalogue of requirements for these plastic dental parts calls for precision so that there are no problems for the end customer with regard to quality or sterile packaging, for example.” Due to this machine characteristic, larger multi-cavity moulds can also be used in combination with smaller machine sizes. Ultimately, this is also a question of costs. Series production started in the first half of 2022. Two clean rooms work in combination to produce the dental technology components. The machine, which is docked directly to the Class 8 clean room, is equipped with a KUKA six-axis robot equipped with the SELOGICA user interface on its control system. This robot removes the moulded parts which are transported to the second clean room via a conveyor belt. Two clean-air modules with main and pre-filters are fitted above the ALLROUNDER clamping unit and the robotic system housing. Lercher builds its own moulds. Robot systems with removal hands and grippers were independently commissioned directly on site. All machines are equipped with a host computer connection via OPC-UA as well as reject switches to ensure accurate tracking and quality of the manufactured parts. 

More than just a partnership

“We have been exchanging information with ARBURG on clean room technology since 2019. And since we have now also successfully introduced the medical standard after IATF 16949, there was nothing standing in the way of the clean room facility,” comments Sandra Ender-Lercher. ARBURG’s pre-sales and after-sales service is particularly impressive. As Sandra Ender-Lercher says: “We are taken seriously as a customer. The right contact persons are always there for us, and so we always get to a practical solution quickly.”