Flexible automation on minimal floor space

They are designed to be extremely compact, based on a standardized concept and yet very flexible: With the new FlexCell automation cells, the WITTMANN Group will be celebrating a trade fair premiere at Kuteno 2025 from May 13 to 15 in Bad Salzuflen, Germany. The second highlight topic at the WITTMANN booth 20-D36: PCR foam injection molding – for a competitive CO2 balance.

“The aim in developing the FlexCell was to combine maximum efficiency with high cost-effectiveness”, emphasizes Alexander Paech, Sales Manager Automation and Auxiliaries at WITTMANN BATTENFELD Deutschland. “We are looking forward to presenting this innovation to our customers live at a trade fair for the first time at Kuteno 2025.”

The number one efficiency factor here is the footprint, because as a supplier of turnkey injection molding systems, WITTMANN knows how to make particularly good use of the space-saving potential. The FlexCell automation cells comprise the protective housing, linear robots and conveyor belts in one compact, safe unit.

Modular and retrofittable

It doesn't have to be a turnkey solution from WITTMANN to benefit from the FlexCell. The highlight: FlexCell automation cells are suitable for injection molding machines of all brands and can be retrofitted in existing production facilities.
With its three different versions – Basic, Primus and Plus – FlexCell covers the entire range of injection molding applications. From simple pick & place tasks all the way to planned integration of downstream equipment, such as granulators for inline-recycling or packaging stations for molded parts. The modular design makes it very easy to adapt the FlexCell to individual requirements. 

Since the cells are mounted directly onto the injection molding machine and allow production with the machine safety door open, the automation equipment can be positioned very close to the clamping unit. In the Primus and Plus models, the protective housing is mounted on the conveyor belt and thus requires no separate floor space. 

Fast setup and safe production 

All automation components have their fixed place and are safely enclosed inside the FlexCell. In this way, the concept contributes to greater occupational safety as well as more efficient setup processes. Temperature controllers can also be integrated in a space-saving way. They are placed underneath the conveyor belt.

Special emphasis was placed in product development on easy access to the mold space for manual interventions, servicing and maintenance work. In the Primus and Plus models, the conveyor belts together with the protective housing can be easily moved to the side.

Due to their standardized design, the FlexCell automation cells recommend themselves by short delivery times and an excellent price/performance ratio.

Significantly reducing the CO2 footprint

The EU wants to be climate-neutral by 2050. The resulting Green Industrial Deal will make it mandatory for manufacturing companies to gradually reduce their CO2 emissions. The question of how the CO2 footprint of plastic products can be significantly reduced is WITTMANN's second major focus at Kuteno 2025. The stacking blocks presented at booth 20-D36 are made of 100% recycled polypropylene, which was processed using the Cellmould foam injection molding technology. This saves twice as much CO2 – on the one hand by dispensing with primary material and on the other hand through the particularly resource-saving manufacturing process.

The raw material used is post-consumer recyclate (PCR) from WILDPLASTIC. WILDPLASTIC GmbH, based in Hamburg, Germany, produces this recyclate together with global partner organizations from so-called wild plastic. Wild plastics are plastic materials found on streets, in illegal landfills or in nature, usually in countries without adequate waste and recycling systems. 

These plastic materials are collected, cleaned and sorted locally so that a regranulate can be produced from them according to industrial standards. In Europe, this PCR is processed into new circular products. The material used for the stacking blocks presented at Kuteno was rescued from the environment in Senegal.

In Cellmould foam injection molding, nitrogen gas is injected into the molten plastic before it is injected into the cavity, which significantly reduces both the amount of material used and energy consumption. The resulting components are lighter and often even have improved mechanical properties due to the foam structure inside. 

“We achieve very good component qualities when processing PCR in foam injection molding”, emphasizes Andreas Hollweg, Sales Manager Injection Molding Technology at WITTMANN BATTENFELD Deutschland. “Together with our partner WILDPLASTIC, we are continuing to drive this topic forward intensively in the run-up to K 2025.”