As the number of sales of the FANUC ROBOSHOT injection moulding machine to UK customers passes the 1,000 mark, the company is taking this as a clear indication that repeat precision, automation and all-electric operation are becoming firmly established as priorities for the plastics sector.
The models chosen by leading UK drug delivery system manufacturer Bespak by Recipharm were the S220 & 300iA machines. The machine taking this flagship production platform past such an important milestone was one of the multi-machine projects recently ordered by Recipharm.
Incorporating the latest technology has yielded clear benefits, as UK and Ireland ROBOSHOT Sales Manager David Raine explains. “FANUC moulding machines remain at the cutting edge of repeatability, consistency and reliability,” he says. “Whether it is harnessing the benefits of CNCs, servomotors or amplifiers, the ROBOSHOT series brings the full productivity potential of automation to the moulding process.”
Having a system that is repeatable, consistent and reliable is what customers such as Bespak value most, Raine adds, since this allows them to focus on delivering the best results to customers. “With a FANUC CNC, true multi-axis technology can be employed to ensure the best possible process, in the most consistent manner, resulting in the most stable moulding process,” he says.
Introduced in 2016, the α-S220iA was originally conceived with the specific needs of the automotive sector, but was quickly identified by the medical and pharmaceutical sector as a valuable addition to the Roboshot fleet. This sector’s requirement for precision parts from higher-cavitation moulds, allowing increased production, can be satisfied using the larger Roboshot machines extensive standard range of screw & barrel combinations.
For some manufacturers, Raine believes, the future possibilities of Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) are favouring their choice of integrated and automated platforms such as those delivered by FANUC. “Greater acceptance of Industry 4.0 – including the uptake of OPC-UA type communication – should improve connectivity and communication between devices,” he says.
Bespak has been a supplier of drug delivery devices to the pharmaceutical industry for over 60 years. Products include pressurised metered-dose inhalers, soft mist inhalers, auto-injectors and standard nasal sprays. This is a market where precise pack and component profiles and reliable dispensing are vitally important.