We are proud to announce that two new, even larger compression presses are now in production at PanStone in Taiwan. They will be known by the impressive names P153 and P154. These machines surpass our previous presses in both height and power. Together, they weigh a staggering 90 tonnes! So it’s no wonder we had to carry out additional piling work in our factory at the spot where they will be installed.
OPENING
At just over 5.5 metres high, one of the presses almost touches the ceiling! This is due to the extra-large 1-metre opening between the top and bottom of the press. The more space there is between them, the larger the mould – and therefore the products that can be made in the press.
one of the presses will
almost touch the ceiling!
ENORMOUS CLAMPING FORCE
The two presses have an enormous clamping force of 800 and 1,000 tonnes respectively, which the hydraulic cylinders exert to hold the upper and lower plates firmly together. This prevents the mould from springing open due to the internal pressure of the flowing rubber and ensures that the material fills all the cavities properly. It offers unprecedented possibilities for the production of rubber products with a large surface area.
LARGE VACUUM BOX
Both machines are fitted with a large vacuum box. This creates a vacuum in the space around and inside the mould. Air and volatile substances are thus extracted during vulcanisation, allowing the rubber to flow more freely and resulting in a denser, defect-free structure without air bubbles in the rubber. In short, the new presses will significantly increase the efficiency and capacity of our production process!
VISIT TO PANSTONE TAIWAN
Before the presses were shipped to the Netherlands, our director Wouter and Production Support Engineer Stephan flew to Taiwan. There, they tested the presses thoroughly, made the necessary adjustments and finally gave the go-ahead.
MEANWHILE IN LELYSTAD
To make room in the factory for the two new presses, we have moved one press (101) and said goodbye to three trusted machines. Presses 125 and 126, which have been in operation here since 2007, are set to enjoy a new lease of life at RIS Bulgaria. Press 62, an impressive machine built in 1929, is taking a well-deserved retirement after almost a century of loyal service.
The foundations have been modified at the site where the two new presses will be installed. Sawing, pile driving, formwork and concrete pouring. The concrete is now drying nicely.
Once the presses have arrived in Lelystad, Jan van Dam’s team will be on hand to install them. PanStone will then take care of all the connections and commissioning. After that, ABUS will install a new overhead crane.
We look forward to seeing these impressive machines in action at our factory later this year!