Linbrunner adopts the e-Forming approach with a new state-of-the-art twin-sheet thermoforming machine from Cannon

For thermoforming companies, today’s market demands more than producing high-quality parts. Manufacturers must remain flexible enough to handle frequent product changes, minimize operating costs and make better use of existing factory space — all while maintaining consistently high quality.

These were the challenges facing Linbrunner.

Founded in 1988 and based in Mengkofen, Germany, the family-owned company has built its reputation on producing high-quality thermoformed components for clients across a wide range of industries. Serving diverse markets means production rarely follows long, uninterrupted runs. Instead, frequent tool changes and varying part sizes require a manufacturing system that can quickly adapt without compromising productivity.

At the same time, rising energy costs and the physical limitations inside the production facility meant that simply installing a larger machine was not an option. Linbrunner needed a solution that would increase production capabilities while fitting within the constraints of its existing factory.

The latest evolution of Cannon’s e-Forming series is a twin-sheet thermoforming machine, which has been redesigned to overcome several specific production challenges.

One of the biggest obstacles was the available building height. Many manufacturing facilities in Germany have ceiling heights between six and nine meters, leaving limited space for (generally) large thermoforming equipment.

To overcome this, Cannon redesigned the machine’s vertical drive architecture. The result is a 100% electric thermoforming system — the most compact available on the market — capable of delivering a clamping force of 600 kN while standing just 4.8 meters high.

This design allowed Linbrunner to install a larger-capacity machine without modifying its building, while also expanding the maximum forming area to 2750 × 2200 × 600 mm, a significant increase over their previous machine at 2160 × 1260 × 400 mm that was installed in the same space.

Rather than asking the client to adapt their factory, Cannon adapted the machine.

Because Linbrunner manufactures relatively small production batches, operators perform numerous tool changes throughout the day. Reducing changeover times became a key design objective.

e-Forming features externally accessible mold changes, allowing tools to be prepared while production continues. An integrated roller conveyor, automatic locking system and optional mold preheating further reduce downtime and simplify operation. Its patented Triplo system means that component size is infinitely variable between maximum and minimum parameters for the forming area thanks to the 3-motor drive adjustment, and the setting can be saved and recalled anytime for fast tool changes.

Compatibility with Linbrunner’s existing tooling was equally important. By creating an adapter system, Cannon made sure that the client’s previous molds can still be used, protecting earlier investments while expanding production capacity.

The machine can be operated as both a twin-sheet and single-sheet thermoforming system, giving Linbrunner additional manufacturing flexibility without requiring separate equipment.

Heating is the most energy-intensive stage of thermoforming, making it the greatest opportunity for reducing operating costs.

e-Forming addresses this through a combination of medium-wave infrared (MW-IR) halogen heaters and Cannon’s advanced Energy Management System. Intelligent software automatically selects the most appropriate heating strategy, switching between rapid heating and energy-saving modes while accurately following predefined temperature profiles.

The heating banks and lamp layout have been redesigned to position the heaters closer to the plastic sheet, improving heat transfer efficiency while reducing energy consumption.

With experienced thermoforming technicians increasingly hard to find, Cannon’s Easy Power Mapping embeds their know-how directly into the machine. The software automatically generates the main recipe parameters, deriving the heating elements’ power map from the same part geometry used by the CAM system — so even less experienced operators can achieve consistent forming quality without lengthy trial-and-error.

At the heart of the forming station is a newly developed electromechanical mold platens driven by six independently controlled servo motors. The intelligent control system continuously balances the applied forces across the mold, ensuring uniform clamping pressure even when processing asymmetrical tooling configurations.

Combined with redesigned clamping frames, an adjustable cartridge, reinforced guide systems and precision motion control, the e-Forming delivers improved dimensional accuracy, greater process stability and consistent part quality throughout production.

For Linbrunner, the investment was about more than purchasing a new machine. e-Forming solved the practical challenges that manufacturers are facing: limited factory space, rising energy costs, frequent product changeovers and growing expectations for production flexibility.

By redesigning the machine around these real-world requirements, Cannon delivered a solution that increases production capacity, improves operational efficiency and prepares Linbrunner for future growth — all without compromising the quality standards that have defined the company for nearly four decades.

• e-Forming Twin Sheet