Solid state relays improve speed of injection moulding machines

Injection moulding is the common process used for producing plastic, glass or metal parts and consists of passing the desired material through a heating and mixing process and injecting it into a mould.

Machines usually have two main sections - the Injection unit and the Clamping unit - and the driving system of the machine can be either hydraulic, electrical, or a combination of both (hybrid).

SSRs have a variety of different uses in a typical machine: a single SSR can switch the barrel and mould heaters, for example, allowing for more precise temperature control; they can help to adjust the position of the tool and ensure the mould is accurately clamped; and they can be used in the ejection unit to actuate the pins that eject the moulded part.

Being solid state, the SSRs are preferred over their electromechanical counterparts because of their significantly extended life time, greater resistance to shock and vibration, and faster switching. The compact design and Rail Mount options also helps save cabinet space and extends reliability.

Three new products in the Sensata Technologies SSR range include the NOVA22 DR45 series, a 60A SSR with built-in over-voltage protection, the SOLICON DRC series that features an ultra-efficient thermal design, and the SeriesOne DR, a compact, HP-rated SSR that is ready to use.