ARBURG Teams Up with Several Companies to Produce Multifunctional COVID Protective Mask
Arburg has been very active in the fight against coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic. An outstanding example is the multifunctional face mask, which was developed in collaboration with partners and made ready for series production in only 41 days. At the beginning of the project, the face masks were made from LSR (liquid silicone rubber) and PP (polypropylene), initially as versions for everyday use. To protect both the wearer of the mask and those in the surrounding area from the virus, this was followed by the next step: the design and manufacture of a supplementary disposable filter that can be easily attached to the mask opening.
The mask itself consists of a soft LSR component, which is put over the nose and mouth, and a firm PP holder with eyelets to attach the elastic bands. The LSR masks were injected on an electric Allrounder 570 A with a clamping force of 2,000 kN and a 4-cavity mold, and removed by a Multilift V robotic system.
The associated PP holder was produced on an electric Allrounder 520 E Golden Electric with a clamping force of 1,500 kN and a 2-cavity mold. The injection molded parts were removed here by a Multilift Select robotic system.
"Arburg Summit: Medical 2020": the production of the LSR mask on an electric Allrounder 570 A, presented live by Manuel Frick.
To prevent infection in everyday life, the mask opening is closed with a cover so that the breathing air can escape downwards. A disposable filter can be placed on the opening to protect the wearer and also people in the surrounding area from coronavirus.
The filter was developed in collaboration with Karl Küfner – a company specializing in the production of filters, which has been using Arburg machines in injection molding production for decades.
Project manager Manuel Frick, who as Arburg Sales Manager LSR designed the face mask, explains the production of the mask filter: "We used an Allrounder 470 H with a clamping force of 1,000 kN and a 4-cavity mold to produce the thin-walled filter housings made of PP. As this hybrid high-performance machine is designed for high-speed applications, we can produce the parts in a cycle time of around 5.5 seconds." This makes it possible to very efficiently produce around 2,500 housings per hour, which are then ultrasonically welded to a high-performance fleece to form the finished filter.
Customers benefit from the face mask project
The question as to whether Arburg will be producing masks for the market as an injection molding company in the future is clearly answered in the negative by Gerhard Böhm: "We do not want to earn money with the production of masks, but rather wanted to show how such high-quality products can be developed quickly and manufactured economically in series production." This project has enabled Arburg both to demonstrate its expertise in the turnkey sector and to gain interesting experience – from the design of the mask to prototype production with the Freeformer and series production with automated Allrounders. "Our customers can now also benefit fully from this. We have already received inquiries from companies who would like to start producing face masks with turnkey systems like this," expressed the Managing Director Sales.
For more information, please visit www.arburg.com
