Manufacturing of plastic and ceramic injection-molded parts including toolmaking, assembly and automation
sternplastic Hellstern GmbH & Co. KG
Villingen-Schwenningen (DE) · Schleitheim (CH) · Kinsale, Co. Cork (IE)New on Amplifa
Specialist for demanding injection molding
sternplastic Hellstern GmbH & Co. KG is a Swabian family-owned company headquartered in Villingen-Schwenningen and has been manufacturing technically demanding plastic and ceramic injection-molded parts for over 60 years. Its range of services extends from feasibility analysis and design (CAD/CAM, Moldflow simulation) and in-house toolmaking through to single- and multi-component injection molding, insert and outsert technology, and overmolding of metal and ceramic parts. In ceramic injection molding (powder injection molding), parts are produced from the high-performance ceramics alumina (Al2O3) and zirconia (ZrO2). At three sites in Germany, Switzerland and Ireland, around 200 employees produce on more than 12,000 sqm of manufacturing floor space with over 70 injection molding machines (clamping forces 20–500 t, shot weights from micro injection molding up to 2500 g). Further process steps are automated assembly of components, ultrasonic welding and hot embossing. Customer industries include mechanical engineering, automotive, electronics, medical/dental technology, the textile industry, chemicals/pharmaceuticals, food and pipeline accessories.
- Site
- Villingen-Schwenningen
- Processes
- Plastic injection molding (single- and multi-component), Multi-component and color injection molding technology, Insert and outsert technology, Overmolding of metal and ceramic parts, Ceramic injection molding / powder injection molding (micro injection molding of precision, Toolmaking (mold making, injection molds), Milling (toolmaking), EDM (electrical discharge machining)
- Materials
- Alumina (aluminium oxide), Zirconia (zirconium oxide), PA, PBT, engineering thermoplastics, Polyamide, Polybutylene terephthalate, Engineering thermoplastics
- Certificates
- ISO 9002 (predecessor of ISO 9001), IATF 16949:2016, ISO 14001, EMAS
- Founded
- 1958
- Employees
- 200
- Industries
- Mechanical engineering, Automotive, Electronics, Medical/dental technology, Textile industry, Chemicals/pharmaceuticals
- 01
Feasibility analysis / consulting
- 02
Design (CAD/CAM, Moldflow)
- 03
Toolmaking (milling, EDM, grinding, turning, drilling)
- 04
Plastic injection molding / ceramic injection molding
- 05
Assembly, automation and further processing (ultrasonic welding, hot embossing)
- 06
Quality inspection incl. computed tomography
Materials and processes
Polyamide
Engineering thermoplastic for mechanically stressed injection-molded parts.
Polybutylene terephthalate
Engineering thermoplastic, among other things for precision parts in electronics.
Engineering thermoplastics
Processing of standard to high-temperature-resistant plastics.
Alumina (aluminium oxide)
High-performance ceramic for precision parts in powder injection molding (PHC).
Zirconia (zirconium oxide)
High-performance ceramic for technical ceramic parts such as screw-in nozzles and surgical instruments.
Sites
Villingen-Schwenningen
DEHeadquarters / Production
- Part weight / size
- Micro injection molding up to 2500 g shot weight
- Lot size
- Individual parts to large-scale series
- Materials
- Engineering thermoplastics (incl. PA, PBT), ceramics (Al2O3, ZrO2)
- approx. 50 injection molding machines (single- and multi-component)
- Industrial computed tomography scanner (Zeiss)
- Tactile measuring machines
- Contourograph
- Toolmaking (milling, EDM, grinding, turning, drilling)
Schleitheim
CHProduction site (sternplastic Fertigungs GmbH)
- Materials
- Engineering thermoplastics
- Injection molding machines (single- and multi-component)
Kinsale, Co. Cork
IEProduction site (sternplastic Production GmbH)
- Materials
- Engineering thermoplastics
- Injection molding machines (single- and multi-component)
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic injection molding (single- and multi-component)Plastics | – | – | Micro injection molding – 2500 g | – | engineering thermoplastics, standard plastics, high-temperature-resistant plastics, PA, PBT |
| Multi-component and color injection molding technologyPlastics | – | – | – | – | – |
| Insert and outsert technologyPlastics | – | – | – | – | – |
| Overmolding of metal and ceramic partsPlastics | – | – | – | – | metal, ceramics |
| Ceramic injection molding / powder injection molding (micro injection molding of precisionPlastics | – | – | – | – | alumina (Al2O3), zirconia (ZrO2) |
| Toolmaking (mold making, injection molds)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Milling (toolmaking)Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| EDM (electrical discharge machining)Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| GrindingMachining | – | – | – | – | – |
| TurningMachining | – | – | – | – | – |
| DrillingMachining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Assembly of components / automated assemblyAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ultrasonic weldingJoining | – | – | – | – | plastic |
| Hot embossing (embossing processes for marking)Plastics | – | – | – | – | – |
| Quality inspections using industrial computed tomography (3D CT scans)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Consulting and feasibility analysisEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Design incl. Moldflow simulation (CAD/CAM)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
6 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Injection molding machine (single- and multi-component) | – | more than | – | – | Villingen-Schwenningen, Schleitheim, Kinsale |
| Injection molding machine with clamping force 20 to 500 tonnes | – | – | – | – | – |
| Industrial computed tomography scanner (Zeiss) | Zeiss | – | – | – | Villingen-Schwenningen |
| Tactile measuring machine | – | – | – | – | Villingen-Schwenningen |
| Contourograph | – | – | – | – | Villingen-Schwenningen |
| Injection molding machine | Arburg | – | – | 1957 | Villingen-Schwenningen |
Additional services
Quality
Quality inspections are integrated into the automated production process and are carried out, among other things, with an industrial computed tomography scanner (Zeiss) for non-contact 3D CT scans, tactile measuring machines and a contourograph. The results are documented in the initial sample inspection report and submitted to the customer for approval.
| Evidence | Villingen-Schwenningen | Schleitheim |
|---|---|---|
| IATF 16949:2016 | ||
| ISO 14001 | ||
| EMAS |
History
- 1957
Purchase of one of the first Arburg injection molding machines by Matthias Hellstern
- 1958
Company foundation (according to the 2026 environmental statement)
- 1963
Leap into independence; targeting the precision engineering industry
- 1967
Construction of the company building on Hegaustraße, extended several times in the 1970s
- 1978
Foundation of the Irish branch
- 1980
Peter Hellstern joins the company; first CNC-controlled machines
- 1988
Foundation of the branch in Schleitheim
- 1993
Certification according to DIN ISO 9002 as one of the first companies in Germany; death of the founder Matthias Hellstern
- 1995
Hansjörg and Peter Hellstern join the management
- 2005
Certified management system according to ISO/TS 16949 and DIN ISO 14001
- 2008
Certification according to DIN EN ISO 14001:2005
- 2014
EMAS validation
- 2017
Re-certification according to IATF 16949
- 2021
Relaunch of the website; IATF certificate for sternplastic Fertigungs GmbH, Schleitheim (10.01.2021)
- 2022
Johannes Hellstern takes over the management