Machinery maker Elmet Solutions’s latest precision dosing system for liquid silicone rubber (LSR) injection moulding is Top 5100. Suitable for 20- and 200-litre drums, it replaces the previous 5000 version, which has been used worldwide for almost ten years.
The portfolio starts with the 20-litre Top 700 system and extends to the fully equipped 7000 flagship for 20 and 200-litre drums, with which the new 5100 is closely related in terms of its concept.
Advances compared to its predecessor include a more compact design, which requires less floor space, the optimised pump technology in terms of sealing technology for longer service life, the higher resolution of the volume counters for greater precision in production and the revised, efficiency-enhancing software.
Compliance with the most stringent safety standards (EN ISO 13849-1) ensures maximum protection for operators. The CE and UL-certified 5100 can also be delivered FDA-compliant as an option.
Elmet’s standard phthalate-free design of the dosing systems and their exposed components allows it to be used in the food, healthcare and related industries. For users of both the 5100 and 7000, the conceptual relationship between the two systems enables them to reduce their spare parts inventory.
The new 5100 is equipped with the M pump unit, enabling an increased delivery pressure of 230 bar, so that all commercially available LSR materials can be processed in an extended viscosity range from 0.001 Pas to 3000 Pas. This includes carbon black or mineral-filled and self-adhesive materials, which tend to increase in viscosity, as well as abrasive materials, such as thermally conductive materials for the e-mobility sector.
The Top 5100 also comes with the same flow-optimised processing unit and additive system that characterise all other LSR dosing systems from Elmet. Flow rates in excess of 5 litres/minute enable short cycle times when filling large moulded parts or high numbers of cavities.
The modular design of the processing unit with integrated cooling and the user-friendly clamp connection of the elements facilitate cleaning and maintenance. The volume counters with their high resolution of 3.9 ?l per impulse provide additional stabilization of the process when mixing components A and B.
It is equipped as standard with the option of connecting a single controlled additive line, with the possibility of adding up to five more. The supply can be made from 1, 4 or 20-litre additive tanks. The high resolution of the additive volume counters of less than 0.1 ?l/lmp is a benchmark for maximum accuracy in additive addition, which is particularly important for very small parts.
Up to 99.6 % material utilisation per drum, the high feed rate and the low maintenance costs stand for economic efficiency over the entire service life, which is often 20 years or more, according to Elmet.