Redesigned for medical, electronics, and other processors working with the smallest injection molding machines, small precision molds, or tight production spaces such as cleanrooms, Conair’s latest and smallest microTemp temperature control unit (TCU) is compact enough (14.7 tall x 15.6 wide x 18 in deep) to tuck neatly under a small injection-molding machine. Yet, this smallest-ever TCU retains the power, precision, and configurability of full-sized Conair temperature control units. The latest entry to Conair’s renowned Thermolator® line of TCUs makes its global debut at the Conair booth (W2113) at NPE 2024, May 6-9 in Orlando.   

The new microTemp TCUs are available in two control styles. The MTC-B (Basic) is equipped with a 4-inch LCD display, while the premium MTC-T or “Touch” model features a 4-inch color touchscreen HMI that includes Conair’s easy-to-use common control interface. The common control interface simplifies training, thanks to contextual help screens, and links directly to SmartServices, Conair’s cloud-based Industry 4.0 platform for auxiliary equipment monitoring, management, and control.  

Both the Basic and Touch models share important standard features, including a direct-injection, single-zone design that can heat or cool water between 40°F (4°C) and 250°F (121°C). Both units feature compact cabinets, standard 1/3 or ½ HP pumps, durable Incaloy 3- or 6-kW heaters, along with adaptive maximum setpoints, PID controls, programmable setpoint displays, a low-pressure resume feature, and on-screen diagnostics.  

For medical and electronics molders, the premium MTC-T Touch unit offers a range of user-configurable, energy-saving process control capabilities that can assist in production validation and troubleshooting. These capabilities include auto-relief warm-up and cooling, estimated flow display, auto restart, low pressure auto-resume, and key performance indicator (KPI) trending. Other key features include an automatic phase detection circuit and a built-in pressure transducer to eliminate the need for external pressure-monitoring gauges.

The MTC-T Touch unit also features password-protected security, mold-specific recipe programming and storage, and a range of communications features, including Modbus TCP and OPC-UA via Ethernet and SPI via RS-485.  In addition, the MTC-T offers plug-and-play remote monitoring and control, with KPI trending, using Conair’s SmartServices cloud-based monitoring and measurement platform.  

The Conair Group (www.conairgroup.com) offers innovative auxiliary equipment solutions to plastics processors around the world. With 32 degreed engineers, including 16 senior team members with an average of over 23 years of experience, Conair brings unparalleled technical expertise and support to its customers, guaranteeing its products will deliver maximum productive uptime. Twenty parts and service team members respond to tens of thousands of calls each year, answering in an average of about 15 seconds. Over 450 individual products include resin drying systems, blenders, feeders and material-conveying systems, temperature-control equipment, and granulators. Extrusion solutions include line-control systems, film and sheet scrap-reclaim systems, and downstream equipment for pipe and profile extrusion. Conair also has specialized expertise in every major end market – such as packaging, medical, transportation, building and construction, and many others – and strives to ensure plastics processors succeed in today’s competitive global marketplace. 

 

The new microTemp Thermolator® TCU from Conair offers big features in an even smaller footprint, suited to injection molding machines of 250 tons or less.