Copyright RubberWorld
Fridingen, Germany – In a challenging market environment, interest in DESMA’s new developments remained very high, and the company recorded nearly the same number of customer visits as at K 2022. The initial presentation of the new vertical machine platform “REFERENCE 300+” attracted considerable customer interest, particularly with regard to its ergonomic overall design and new performance data. The virtual presentation of the horizontal machine “SEALMASTER 450+DUO” also generated numerous ideas for future manufacturing processes and new product groups that can be produced using this injection molding technology. The newly developed machine networking system “DESMA DataHub” demonstrated a cost-effective solution for networking machines from different control generations. Additional networking with the PCF Navigator ECOS, utilizing real data from the manufacturing process, allows for a highly realistic calculation of the CO² footprint of manufactured elastomer components. Combined with the effects of suitable energy-saving measures and optimized manufacturing processes, this provides a wide range of actionable options. The presentation of DESMA’s four mold manufacturing locations in Germany, the USA, China, and India effectively highlighted the global availability of its extensive expertise, drawn from thousands of molds and cold runner systems already delivered. DESMA Automation, featuring new host computer technology and comprehensive process simulation, also offered an excellent platform for engaging project discussions. However, in some customer conversations, the relevance of the K trade fair for the elastomer industry was clearly questioned due to the declining number of exhibitors in this sector. Exhibitor participation in areas such as mold making, automation, and article inspection systems decreased significantly. Several manufacturers of injection molding machines for elastomers were no longer represented, and some visitors expressed a preference for attending more specialized trade fairs in the future in order to meet all partners in the process chain at a single event. Nevertheless, K 2025 proved timely in offering a platform for new technologies and trends in challenging times.
