Elmet: "Smartshot i" automates cavity balancing in LSR injection molding

"Smartshot i" is intelligent cold-runner technology for LSR injection molding – (Photo: Elmet).

Elmet GmbH will present the "Smartshot i" cold runner system for liquid silicone rubber (LSR) injection molding at Fakuma 2026. The system continuously analyzes the injection process, automatically adjusts the positions of the nozzle needles, and is intended to reduce setup effort, particularly for molds with cavities of different sizes.

With conventional family molds, the individual cavities often have to be manually balanced using filling studies. By contrast, "Smartshot i" records process data during injection and individually controls the needle position of each nozzle. According to Elmet, tests with a 16-cavity mold required 20 shots to balance the cold runner. Compared with the previous procedure, startup time was reduced by up to 95 percent.

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The needles are controlled by servo-electric actuators. Elmet specifies a positioning accuracy of 2 µm for the individual nozzle needles. Pressure sensors in the cavities are not required for control. The system is also designed to detect thermally induced changes during the startup phase and continuously adjust the needle positions to the respective filling behavior.

With its automatic control system, Elmet is primarily targeting complex multi-cavity and family molds in which different cavity sizes result in varying filling conditions. The reduced need for manual adjustment is intended to improve reproducibility during setup and reduce the influence of operating personnel on process tuning.

According to the company, the system is prepared for further data-based automation functions. Features currently under development include online rheometry for real-time measurement of material viscosity, as well as methods for detecting material fluctuations without additional external sensors. These functions have not yet been specified as part of the standard production system.

At Fakuma 2026, "Smartshot i" will be demonstrated in a production application at the booth of Momentive Performance Materials in Hall A4, Booth 4307. Elmet itself will also present a digital twin of the system in Hall A5, Booth 5306, designed to visualize functional sequences and process relationships.

Fakuma 2026
Friedrichshafen, Germany
October 12–16, 2026
Hall A5, Booth 5306

More information: www.elmet.com

Elmet Elastomere, Oftering, Austria

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