Cannon to launch composite mold heating system at JEC World

Cannon will introduce its all-new Nexus system, comprised of a composite mold, thermoregulation system and the associated controls at JEC World 2026 next month. This new method for regulating mold temperatures allows for a 25% increase in efficiency compared to standard mold heating practices. In addition, the system opens up new optimization scenarios previously unavailable while reducing cycle times, with the aim of increasing part quality and potentially cutting raw material usage. Initially aimed at manufacturers using PU RIM (Reaction Injection Molding), the Nexus system is also applicable to many processes that involve thermoset materials.

Nexus technology uses the physical properties of composites for both structural reinforcement and heating elements within the mold. This enables rapid temperature increases, reaching up to 30°C per minute, and significantly more precise localized temperature control than fluid-based systems. Within the mold, this allows for the creation of distinct thermal zones separated by gradients as small as a few millimeters. This is advantageous in processes requiring meticulous modulation of the material’s chemical kinetics. Furthermore, the nature of composites facilitates the design of custom mold properties, allowing for precise calibration of heating rates transverse conductivity and heat distribution to meet the specific requirements of the part being produced.

“In thermoset molding, heat management is a crucial factor in achieving consistent quality, competitive cycle times and energy-sustainable processes,” said Andrea Castelnovo, technology and R&D manager at Cannon Tipos. “Traditional technologies, based on metal tools and thermal fluids, have reached a physiological limit. Even when optimized, they rarely exceed 75% energy efficiency and impose thermal inertia that affects the entire production process. These considerations led to the creation of Nexus, offering a completely new approach to mold temperature control, based on the intrinsic properties of the composite materials. The goal was simple in theory but revolutionary in practice: to heat only what is needed, in the shortest possible time, thus minimizing energy waste and dispersion.”

Developing the Nexus system required over 10 years of experimentation, beginning in 2015 with the aim of improving efficiency for RIM and HP-RTM processes. As literature on using composites as heating elements was limited, Cannon conducted a series of internal electrical and thermal tests to fully understand their behavior. Based on the data collected, a mathematical model was built to simulate an operational composite mold with integrated heating.

Even before the first Nexus prototype was built, composite plates had been produced using the same principle. These allowed Cannon to compare simulation and reality, optimize the heater layout, and define the correct material sequence. The next step was to build a demonstration mold designed to replicate the operating conditions of a RIM process for polyurethane foams. Field tests then confirmed the theoretical results: the quality of the parts produced was equivalent to that obtained by more established technologies, while energy consumption was reduced by over 70%. Furthermore, the time needed to bring the mold temperature up was drastically reduced, from about one hour to around eight minutes.

Nexus aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 12, which promotes responsible consumption and production. This allows manufacturers to precisely control temperatures, maximising material expansion and reaction performance. As a result, raw material usage and cycle times are reduced while hazardous thermal fluids are eliminated. This simplifies the plant’s energy infrastructure by eliminating the need for complex heating and piping.

Photo: Nexus composite mold with integrated heating elements for highly precise and energy efficient temperature control (© The Cannon Group)

JEC World 2026 
Cannon