Presenting Illig Innovative Varioboxx

The Innovative Varioboxx – Lightweight & Clearly Arranged, Insert Thermoformed

Heilbronn/Germany, April 2013. – For Michael Däbritz, Managing Director of Varioplast Konrad Däbritz GmbH located in the Swabian Ötisheim, there is no better KLT box for transportation and storage of small parts than the so-called Varioboxx. And this is not only due to the fact that the company working with main focus as injection molding specialist in the automotive industry developed this pack and also produce it themselves. “Simply by the facts our Varioboxx differs from standard, typical KLT boxes. It is significantly lighter, thus environmentally friendlier and also cheaper. Thanks to its transparency the content can be checked at a glance“, says Michael Däbritz.

The components of the Varioboxx are manufactured in two different processes. The open carrier box only consisting of frames and ribs and providing the required stability is injection molded as standard part. The transparent inserts serving as receptacles for parts can be individually designed and are suited to be placed into the carrier box. These inserts as well as the dust-tight lid are manufactured by thermoforming. For manufacturing these parts Varioplast expanded their machinery by a state-of-the-art UA 100g sheet processing machine. Originally developed for their own needs, third parties can now purchase the meanwhile patented Varioboxx from Varioplast. It is available in three sizes.

The transparent inserts of variable design suitable for the Varioboxx are now produced
by Varioplast on a servo driven state-of-the-art ILLIG UA 100g thermoformer.

New Box Concept to Improve Handling and Ecobalance
Besides the improved function, the ecological benefit is an equally important aspect for Michael Däbritz – and the related economic savings potential as well. “The Varioboxx, designed e.g. as 1/4 Euro pallet size, only weighs 1.5 kg including insert and lid. Compared to the solid, completely injection molded version about 2 kg of CO2 are saved already during manufacturing of the box as a result of the lower weight. And a truck saves approx. 2 l of diesel per 100 km due to the reduced loading weight. For every truck drive this means a reduction of about 5 kg of CO2 emissions over a 100 km distance“, he calculates. 

The Varioboxx concept is a combination of standard and special pack. The carrier box is the standard element, a robust injection molded part of the size of 1/4 or 1/8 Euro pallet, optimized in terms of carrying capacity, weight and stackability. The box is suitable for block storage thanks to the frame's provably high load bearing capacity. It is available in individual coloring and also in a recyclate version. The transparent inserts, suited to be placed into the carrier box, can be individually designed for optimum synchronization of volume utilization and support of the products stored and transported in these boxes. The inserts can be manufactured as thermoformed articles in a flexible and cost effective way, just like the dust-proof lid of the box. “Using our new ILLIG UA 100g we can now utilize all benefits provided by a high-speed thermoformer. Thanks to the related short conversion times and the high process consistency we can now even produce inserts for individual applications in small to medium batch sizes economically and of high product quality“, says Michael Däbritz. There are also two ILLIG thermoformers of previous design available in the company's thermoforming department.

Meanwhile many customers – especially renowned system suppliers of automotive manufacturers – supplied with parts and equipment groups by Varioplast are exclusively using the Varioboxx as reusable transport box. In-house, in Ötisheim, only the Varioboxx is employed, e.g. for part storage at assembly areas.

The content is directly visible and optimally protected for transport. But still the
box is very lightweight, as demonstrated by Michael Däbritz, presenting this
Varioboxx loaded with components.


High Performance Thermoforming Technology
The process-controlled machines of the UA series from Heilbronn provide new impetus for the production of thermoformed products in terms of productivity (cycle speed), product quality and operating convenience. Machine size UA 100g, as used by Varioplast, is designed for thermoforming material from sheet and roll stock, featuring a forming area of up to 960 mm x 660 mm. The innovations developed by ILLIG and realized in this machine generation comprise machine loading, continue along the process chain with heating up the material to forming temperature and the actual thermoforming with all stages from pre-forming through to demolding of the product. Objective of all measures taken is always to attain a maximally realizable output with uncompromisingly high product quality and facilitated machine operation at the same time.

Examples of such developments, often patented, are e.g. reliable sheet destacking, compensation of outside influences during heating and reduction of temperature loss of heated material until forming, prevention of chill marks, achieving a uniform wall thickness distribution during forming as well as reduction of cooling time. The "Auto" operation page featuring all important functions of a screen page or the new optimization aid for setting the forming pressure in the course of forming in conjunction with a new, frequency-controlled vacuum pump are further elements to enhance operating convenience.

The modern series of ILLIG UA sheet processing machines provides a multitude of machine types and equipment variants featuring different forming areas. These machines combine high precision and repeat accuracy with high productivity, product quality and operating efficiency.


Visit illig at K2013
Hall 3 - Stand A52

For Further Information Contact Us:
illig@hi-techi.com
+91 22 3296 4721 / 22 / 23

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