The arrival of the Billion 1100-ton Bi-material press marks an important step forward in our innovation path: an injection moulding machine designed for highly technical, multimaterial components, now already in production with its first moulded part, a bi-material air deflector.
The workflow to bring it into production
Commissioning the press went far beyond unloading it from the truck: it was a full technical project involving multiple teams and approximately 230 hours of work. The process unfolded across four main phases:
Installation of the press
The work began with unloading the press using two cranes, followed by its final positioning inside the plant. At this stage, the main structure was secured and all essential mechanical groups were assembled.
Connection to plant utilities
Once positioned, the machine was connected to the factory’s electrical network and cooling-water circuits. All safety checks were carried out to ensure correct operation of power lines and auxiliary systems.
Process calibration and system checks
All sensors and safety devices installed on the machine were then tested. Special attention was dedicated to calibrating the Bi-material system with its index plate, which required managing and synchronising over 1,200 signals constantly exchanged between the press and the central control system.
Integration with the robot and advanced technologies
The final phase involved interfacing the press with the anthropomorphic robot and integrating it with next-generation management systems. This enabled advanced functions such as full production traceability, real-time process monitoring and predictive-maintenance strategies, aligned with Industry 4.0 and 5.0 best practices.
The result is a machine that is not only installed but fully integrated into the factory, ready to communicate continuously and reliably with utilities, robots and information systems.
Bi-material: more complexity, fewer process steps
The key feature of the Billion press is its Bi-material system, which enables the co-injection of two materials (or two versions of the same material) in a single cycle.
This makes it possible to:
- combine rigid and soft areas within the same component
- create technical overmoulding without additional assembly steps
- reduce cycle times and manual handling, improving quality and cost efficiency
The 1100-ton clamping force allows the machine to handle large, complex moulds while maintaining stability and repeatability.
Main features
The new Billion press is equipped with a Cap Lock clamping system, which keeps the mould stable during injection, reducing scrap and tooling wear.
At the same time, the index system coordinates the movement of the Bi-material units and in-mould operations.
The press also operates in synergy with an anthropomorphic robot for part removal and handling. Both systems are connected to Industry 4.0 and 5.0 platforms, enabling live monitoring of cycle times, temperature, pressure, machine states, alarms and energy consumption.
This data stream supports full traceability, predictive maintenance and continuous process improvement, enhancing production efficiency and reliability.
A team effort
The rapid commissioning was made possible thanks to the coordinated work of our maintenance, production, technical office and automation teams.
A special thanks goes to Gianni, Luca, Simone and Michael, who led the key phases of installation and start-up.
The Billion 1100-ton Bi-material press is not just a new asset, but a strategic tool that allows Techpol to tackle increasingly complex multimaterial projects with high standards of quality, safety and efficiency.
