Integrated production system EcoFritz

Summary
The EcoFritz application demonstrates an integrated production solution for material efficiency with recycled plastics: immediate in-line recycling, careful material preparation, intelligent process control and gas injection technology work together to keep material in the cycle while minimizing raw material usage.

EcoFritz application overview
EcoFritz is produced on a servo-hydraulic SmartPower 60 using glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide. Sprues and production scrap are ground directly by an integrated S-Max granulator and mixed back into the feedstock. Material never leaves the production process: what would otherwise become waste is immediately returned as recycled content, enabling a closed-loop material cycle.

Material preparation and dedusting
Recycled material can introduce dust and fines that affect dosing and melt homogeneity. The Feedmax Clean vacuum loader features a powerful dedusting system that achieves separation rates up to 80% for particles below 1,000 µm, enabling reliable use of recycled materials even in high-quality applications.

Compensation of material variations
HiQ Flow is a digital assistance system that continuously analyzes melt viscosity during injection and, if it detects deviations from the setpoint, adjusts the changeover point and holding pressure within the same cycle to compensate for fluctuations in raw material or environmental conditions, ensuring constant part weight before deviations produce scrap.

Reducing the amount of material used
Airmould internal gas pressure technology injects nitrogen to form a hollow cavity inside the molded part, reducing the amount of plastic required and enabling lightweight components with short cycle times and good surface quality. Material displaced by the nitrogen is reground together with the sprue and returned to production.

Combined approaches for material efficiency

• Production scrap is recycled immediately.
• Recycled material is carefully dedusted.
• Process fluctuations are compensated within the same cycle (HiQ Flow).
• Airmould reduces the amount of material needed for the part.

Conclusion
Together these technologies show how recycled material can be processed reliably while making efficient use of every gram of material, enabling closed-loop material cycles and reduced virgin raw material consumption.

Technical data / specifications

• Main application / product shown: EcoFritz (demonstration of material efficiency).
• Machine used for demonstration: SmartPower 60 (servo-hydraulic).
• In-line granulation: integrated S-Max granulator (grinds sprues and scrap directly at the machine).
• Feeding and material handling: Feedmax Clean vacuum loader with dedusting system (separation up to 80% for particles < 1 000 µm).
• Process assistance: HiQ Flow — continuous analysis of melt viscosity, adjusts changeover point and holding pressure within the same cycle.
• Gas injection technology: Airmould internal gas pressure technology (uses nitrogen to create an internal cavity, reducing part mass).
• Material processed in the example: glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide.
• Closed-loop recycling: sprues and reground material are mixed back into virgin material for immediate reintegration.