Specialist for plastics technology combines all production steps under one roof
A material often used for the manufacture of products is plastic. The advantages of this material are obvious. Good shaping, resistance to weathering and chemicals, low weight, durability and above all versatility and the possibility of bonding with other materials such as metal or ceramics make the synthetically produced material valuable for a wide range of different industries.
One of the original moulding processes for plastics processing is the so-called injection moulding. In this process, softened plastic is pressed under high pressure into a cavity (mould area) of an injection mould. Thus the material is brought into the desired shape and can be removed from the opened mould after cooling. Many product manufacturers buy these plastic components from external service providers in order to concentrate on their core business, to increase quality or to reduce costs. The outsourced plastic injection molded parts are then used and finally assembled according to the project.
"Whether in the automotive, electronics or consumer goods sectors, the idea of bringing this production step in-house is being discussed more and more frequently," says Thomas Sturm, Managing Partner of VWH GmbH. The reasons for this are manifold. Among other things, it is a matter of manufacturing smart products or dissatisfaction with the supply chain and time.
What is the challenge of creating added value in-house again?
The strategic orientation of the last decades has been interpreted by many companies as just-in-time. As a result, existing know-how was often lost or reduced to a minimum. Furthermore, no new technologies could be implemented in the few processes that still exist. The lack of production space as well as the lack of knowledge and machines to build up new ones are the big challenges that many companies will have to face in the future. The definition of the entire production chain has to be reworked. This begins with the storage and drying of the plastic granulate, the optimal design of the injection moulding machine and mould, the actual injection process and the further processing and packaging of the manufactured articles. Indispensable and self-evident is the training of qualified personnel.
How can the process of value creation be completed in a target-oriented way?
In order to implement this type of value creation in a company, some effort is required which cannot be made by every company on its own. As a general contractor, VWH GmbH, expert for special machines and toolmaking, establishes targeted value-added management with its customers. Through decades of experience, the company is able to fully support its customers in the design of articles, prototype construction, the construction of series tools as well as the design and implementation of the injection moulding process. At the beginning of the project, the necessary basic conditions are worked out in close cooperation with the customer. Various concepts, linkages and process parameters are designed and implemented together. The focus is on the sustainable requirements. "Due to our experience and specific product knowledge of the customers, challenging and highly innovative projects are realized", explains Andreas Klatt, technical director of VWH GmbH. Engineering is a key component of the project. The correct design of the mould as well as the injection moulding components and further automation is carried out in close cooperation with the customer. The consideration of the main and secondary processes, as well as the training of employees and initial production support round off the service portfolio of VWH GmbH. Each process is viewed neutrally and is therefore designed to be manufacturer-independent. The focus is always on the requirements of the customer. As a general contractor, VWH is the contact and problem solver and delivers a turnkey solution.
