In this article on ptonline.com, Randy writes about his journey of learning about venting, and uses some real world examples of how they addressed issues in the plant.
Randy is a true “hands-on” injection molding professional, and his insight into may of the challenges and insight regarding tooling and preventative maintenance are amazing.
Check out this great article on Plastics Technology: TOOLING: A View From the Trenches
One of the challenges for injection molders is efficiency. The cycle times for plastic parts can range from 30 seconds to more than a minute. One of the primary contributors to that time and one of the longstanding constraints is cooling time. It is always a trade off of waiting for the parts to properly cool to avoid warping and shrinking, and maximizing productivity.
The concept of additive manufacturing or what used to be considered or associated with laser sintering, is a way to potentially improve the productivity and efficiency of your mold by taking advantage of conformal cooling.
The additive manufacturing process allows the toolmaker to lay down one layer of the mold at a time, creating the ability to get away from straight line drilling of cooling channels that are not as efficient. By utilizing conformal cooling channels that conform or run closer to the shape of the part allows for more efficient cooling process, and has led manufacturers to realize reduced cycle times by as much as 25-40%!
The creation of conformal cooling channels is something that must be considered when designing the tool, and is often considered an optimization task. In many of the mold software tools, are able to simulate the conformal channels, and their impact on the tool.
Making your operation more efficient is not easy. Additive manufacturing concepts for tool creation is one concept that can potentially have a very positive impact.
The Nanoplas line of mold maintenance products, and our mold coatings can also have a significant impact on your productivity levels. Contact us today to learn more about how our products can help you achieve your goals!
Randy Kerkstra wrote a great article at MoldMaking Technology on the topic of venting of mold components.
He addresses the idea that venting of mold components, actions and part details are often not addressed as potential root causes of erosion, part quality issues and gas buildup.
You can read the full article here: The Designer’s Edge: Venting of Mold Components
Let us know what your thoughts on the topic, or if we may be of assistance with your mold maintenance or mold coating challenges.
In today’s ever-increasing competitive environment, the ability to produce parts profitably is harder and harder. One of the areas that many molders have looked towards to save time and costs is the concept of Rapid Injection Molding. One area that can make this idea even more feasible is through a progressive mold maintenance program.
Rapid Injection Molding, or RIM, is a way to get parts made faster through the use of molds that are easier and faster to produce. With the molds designed for lower volume production runs, how they are maintained can be the difference between having to produce a new mold, and maximizing the production value of the existing mold. As many of the molds are made from aluminum, it is critical that they be cleaned well after each run.
The cleaning products used in injection molding have gone through major changes of late. Products like Mold Brite and Zap-Ox from Nanoplas are specially formulated to effectively clean molds of various materials, and are very effective for maintaining RIM molds.
Another product that can have a significant impact on mold life is the lubricating grease used. The Nanoplas Cera-Lube Nano Ceramic Grease is a high performance lubricant that works very well and can help prolong your RIM tooling.
Finally, based on the lower volumes, an area that can make RIM tooling even more effective is mold release. There has been a lot of progress in the formulations in this area as well. The challenge with RIM is that downtime to apply mold coatings can be too long. Nanoplas now has a mold release spray called Dri-Kote that is quick drying and with good bonding to metal molds.
Getting the maximum value from your RIM tooling is critical, and the way the mold is maintained and treated can make the difference. Many shops have been using the same maintenance products for a very long time, however there are alternatives that can make a difference in your workflow and tooling.
We invite you to check out the Nanoplas family of products and let us show you how they can make a difference in your shop.
Lean Manufacturing Word Cloud Concept in black and white with great terms such as quality, discipline, concept and more.
Lean Manufacturing is often associated with a focus on cost reduction. However, through the implementation of lean manufacturing processes, many injection molders also realize reduced lead times, improved on-time delivery scores, and an increase in overall customer satisfaction.
With those types of added benefits, it’s easy to see what many shops are adopting lean principles. But what are 2 things you can do in the short term that will help you get closer to lean. 5S and Kaizen Blitz.
5S refers to five steps, namely Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize and Sustain, which are core to laying the foundation for continuous improvement. It is a way to systematically organize workplace to ensure it is safe and efficient.
The 5S organization concept provides an amazing boost to a lean manufacturing program, as it mandates constant checks and repairs of machinery and equipment, and it makes results immediate and notable. The results improve because of availability of required tools, properly labeled materials in their appropriate place, along with a general atmosphere of everything being in right place. There are many injection-molding companies who maximize the benefits of lean manufacturing by adopting the 5S principle.
Kaizen is a practice developed by Masaaki Imai of Japan as a way to continuously improve the workplace to make it more efficient and competitive. The various aspects of Kaizen are tackled by the whole team and involve setting up optimal processes and taking prompt actions to contain as well as resolve the actual causes of issues and problems.
A Kaizen Blitz is a concerted and focused approach to improve processes in an accelerated, expedient way. It is an intensive and rapid improvement where results are noticeable within a few days rather than over a longer period of time. In manufacturing environments, teams work together to come up with structured and creative ways to improve processes and solve problems within a short timescale.
Through the process of Kaizen Blitz, you are picking a specific area of focus. This is an important step towards progress and also gets multiple people across multiple departments and functions involved. However, the process is short yet intense by nature.
Reducing costs, and reducing waste are directly related. The lean manufacturing process can play an integral part in your competitive strategy. By implementing 5S and pursuing rapid improvements through a Kaizen Blitz concept, your shop can make real progress in a short period of time.
The Nanoplas family of products can also play an integral role in your lean approach and can also help you achieve your competitive goals. Through reduced scrap rates, improved maintenance performance and other tangible benefits, our products can make a difference across multiple areas. We invite you to contact us to learn more, and let us show you the Nanoplas difference.