Netstal has announced plans to present an all-electric version of its Elion injection moulding machine for beverage closure production at Fakuma 2026, which takes place from 12 to 16 October in Friedrichshafen, Germany.
The Elion 3200 CAP will be shown producing 26mm HDPE beverage closures using a 72-cavity mould, with a reported cycle time of 1.8 seconds and a shot weight of 72g.
The machine combines a 3,200kN clamping unit with Netstal’s new electric injection unit 2000. The demonstration system will include a 72-cavity mould from Z-Moulds and a hot runner system from MHT.
TotalEnergies is supplying the material, while Piovan is responsible for material preparation.
‘High dynamics’
Downstream equipment, including a cooling conveyor, bunker and optical quality inspection system, will come from IMDvista, with EFCooling supplying the chiller.
“Our new all-electric solution achieves the high dynamics required for closure production,” said Renzo Davatz, chief executive at Netstal. “At the same time, our customers benefit from high energy efficiency, process stability and availability.”
The new injection unit has a 260mm screw stroke and can achieve injection pressures of up to 2,400 bar, depending on the screw diameter. Netstal said the injection system is designed to provide short injection times and consistent shot weights during fast cycles.
Energy efficiency
The clamping unit has also been redesigned, including changes to the toggle lever geometry and force application. The company said these changes are intended to reduce dry cycle times and increase stiffness.
Energy efficiency is another focus of the updated machine. Netstal said its electric injection system and servo drives reduce energy requirements, while an optimised load distribution and feed-in concept can provide further energy savings of up to 5 per cent.
The Elion range is being updated in stages. Clamping units rated at 1,200kN and 1,750kN, together with electric injection units 270 and 530, have been available since 2025. The 3,200kN and 4,200kN clamping units and electric injection unit 2000 are now being added.
‘Complementary technologies’
A 2,200kN clamping unit and the new 940 electric injection unit are planned for summer 2027. Hybrid injection units from 450kN to 4,200kN will remain part of the range.
Netstal said the Elion can be configured with either hybrid or fully electric technology up to 4,200kN, depending on the application.
“For us, electric and hybrid drive concepts are not competing technologies, but complementary technologies,” Davatz said. “The decisive factor is which solution best meets the requirements of the respective application, both technically and economically.”
