Perfectly balanced

09 / 2012 - FRIMO tool carriers for PU processing have been established on the market for many years and now stand for proven safety and reliability. FRIMO introduced the first large-scale series production-compatible electric tool carrier for instrument panel foam moulds back in 2004. After that great market success and continuous further development, FRIMO is now unveiling the new Type 7 tool carrier – an innovation with a completely new type of drive concept offering the customer additional flexibility along with energy advantages and improved dynamics.
With all of the systems previously available on the market, the tool carrier’s upper part – which weighs about one tonne – is the only part that moves. Potential energy is applied to the upper part during lifting, which, during lowering, is then converted to wasted brake heat or (at best) into barely useable electric energy.  With the new Type 7, however, the upper and lower parts move toward one another instead. This means that the ingenious mechanical coupling compensates for the masses of the upper and lower parts – or in other words, the sum of the potential energies remains nearly constant. For one thing, this optimised utilisation of energy drastically reduces the drive power, because the drive no longer has to apply lifting forces, but rather only acceleration forces. And for another, the movement of the two tables reduces the closure time, even with low displacement velocities. The lower forces now also make higher displacement velocities possible, however. As a result, the closure time can be cut by half against conventional systems. And that raises productivity, of course.
Another major advantage of the system is the extension of the kinematics to larger pivoting angles with lower forces required. That pivoting motion, both of the lower part of the mould (e.g. with open foaming) and of the complete closed mould, serves to distribute the reactive mixture optimally – near penetrations, for example.
Fully compatible with the previous instrument panel standards (1000 mm block height), the tool carriers can also be used for lower block heights.
The increasing number of variants necessitates frequent tool changes. Now these innovative drive kinematics also facilitate the changing of foam moulds, whereby the mould parts are laid on small, lightweight change trolleys.
In sum, the new Type 7 tool carrier represents a dynamic innovation which saves energy and raises productivity.

Contact for further information and documentation

FRIMO Group GmbH
Martina Schierholt
Hansaring 6
D-49504 Lotte

Phone.: +49 (0) 54 04 / 8 86 - 1 57
Fax: +49 (0) 54 04 / 8 86 - 51 57
E-Mail: schierholt.m[at]frimo.com