ENRX, Roctool collaborate to advance mold electrification

ENRX (Skien, Norway), developing standalone equipment and integrated systems for induction heating, wireless inductive charging and contactless power supply, and heat and cool molding technologies company Roctool (Le Bourget du Lac, France), have signed a long-term agreement to offer plastics and composites manufactures a sustainable molding solution via a “mold electrification” program. 

Roctool’s expertise includes the design and thermal simulation of heat and cool induction integration for plastic injection molding and compression molding of composites. According to the company, its molding technology reduces cycle times due to the efficiency of induction heating, while also facilitating a significant decrease in energy consumption. This resonates with Roctool’s customers, who are increasingly focused on reducing their carbon footprint by integrating recycled materials or natural fibers into their products. Roctool is said to be especially useful for the processing of thermoplastics, as it enables optimized cycle times and high-quality surface finish directly on the molded part. More than 500 Roctool induction systems have been installed across various sectors, from automotive, electronics, cosmetics and aerospace to energy sports and leisure.

ENRX, with more than 1,200 inducting heating patents, has been supplying key components to Roctool for its molding technology for more than 10 years. Induction heating is commonly used by global automotive brands, major electrotechnical companies, large steel tube and pipe manufacturers and in many other industrial segments. One growing segment is heat treatment related to components for renewable energy generation and storage products. Replacing gas, water or oil heating with induction heating also reduces CO₂ emissions.

The recent collaboration with ENRX provides support to Roctool’s mold electrification program, i.e., more sustainable production methods compared to conventional molding practices that may lack Roctool’s induction technology. Plastic parts manufacturers and composite parts manufacturer can now benefit from such offerings, Roctool says.

Moreover, ENRX and Roctool’s alliance will increase technical services and on-site support for Roctool technology owned by existing and new users, more demonstration and trial capabilities on a global scale, extended technical expertise for new projects related to heat and cool performance and energy consumption, and an improved presence in North America, China and India.

“Year after year, Roctool has been growing its number of users thanks to its molding technology performance,” ENRX CEO Bjorn Eldar Petersen says. “We are now excited to fully support this technology in order to take it to the next level as we see that the plastics and composites market need efficient molding solutions to reach their sustainability goals. Mold electrification will become a new standard for many manufacturers.”