Yi+ Vision | Mr. Nobuyuki Kawahara on All-Electric Injection Molding for High-End Manufacturing

Demand for micron-scale components is growing in medical, optical and microelectronics applications, raising the bar for precision injection molding. Yet all-electric injection molding machines are often viewed simply as upgrades to hydraulic models, valued mainly for energy savings and higher precision.

Mr. Nobuyuki Kawahara, YIZUMI’s all-electric injection molding technology expert with more than 20 years of experience in the field, draws on the development of YIZUMI’s FF30M all-electric injection molding machine to address a key industry question: How can micron-level molding capabilities help all-electric technology unlock new opportunities in high-end manufacturing?

Introduction ·

Mr. Nobuyuki Kawahara

————————

YIZUMI All-Electric Technology Expert 

20+ Years Deep Expertise in All-Electric Injection Molding

01

| Beyond the Limits of Hydraulic Machines

For a long time, the industry has misunderstood all-electric injection

molding machines as simply an upgrade to hydraulic models, seeing only the energy efficiency and precision. According to Nobuyuki Kawahara, this narrow view masks the real strategic value of all-electric technology.

Compared with conventional hydraulic injection molding machines of the same size, all-electric models can improve position and speed stability by 10%–20%, provide more consistent pressure control and reduce energy consumption by 20%–30% or more. While hydraulic machines may meet the needs of general-purpose molding and larger parts, even minor fluctuations can affect quality and yield in micro- and nanoscale applications.

The FF30M demonstrates these capabilities in medical-grade PMMA precision array molding, producing features as small as 0.08 mm in diameter with spacing of just 0.17 mm. Such applications require precise, rapid and stable control of injection speed, position and pressure.

In such micro-molding processes, the amount of melt injected in a single shot can be smaller than the volume of resin inside the nozzle. Even minor control deviations, response delays or process disturbances can therefore have a significant impact. This is where the precision of all-electric drive technology becomes particularly valuable.

02

| The Real Differentiator: Precise, Closed-Loop System Control

Some manufacturers attribute the advantages of all-electric molding mainly to improved motor drives. Kawahara stresses that the real competitive edge of high-end all-electric machines lies in precise closed-loop control across the entire system.

Conventional all-electric machines can only deliver basic improvements in precision. However, medical and optical-grade micro-molding requires avoiding subtle process variables such as nozzle disturbance, melt fluctuation and parameter deviation. The FF30M features a newly developed high-precision clamping and injection system, with structural optimizations for micro-shot injection, rapid response and fine pressure control to compensate for process disturbances.

Built on this mature all-electric technology platform, the FF30M is already used in mass production of medical microfluidic chips. YIZUMI will further develop the platform with high-speed injection units and optical-specific plasticizing units, expanding into applications such as micro-connectors and precision optical lenses.

High-end all-electric molding requires more than component upgrades. Its key lies in coordinated system-wide control for ultra-precision applications.

FF30M Microfluidic Chip: Mass Production and Application

03

| Four Trends Shaping the Next Five Years

Key challenges remain: the durability and stability of larger machines, fast response under complex operating conditions, and cost control. Mr. Kawahara expects four trends to shape future development:

Automation，Reducing manual intervention and setup errors to improve process consistency and efficiency.

AI-enabled manufacturing: Using equipment data for intelligent inspection, adaptive process compensation, service-life prediction and predictive maintenance.

Lower costs: Expanding all-electric technology into more precision manufacturing applications beyond specialized medical and optical markets.

Remote services: Digitalizing commissioning, acceptance and maintenance to improve support throughout the equipment lifecycle.

All-electric technology is an important route for China's injection molding equipment industry to move into higher-value manufacturing. The FF30M marks a milestone in YIZUMI's development of high-end all-electric machines.

Looking ahead, the industry must balance stability, intelligent control, application requirements and cost-effectiveness. More reliable, intelligent and cost-effective technology will be key to advancing high-end precision molding, and YIZUMI continues to develop its capabilities in this field.

* Data were obtained under specific test conditions; actual performance may vary.

For reference only and shall not constitute a commitment.