Coronavirus-related restrictions are beginning to ease up in Michigan and other states, so many sectors are getting back to work. Manufacturing is notably among them, and by extension, plastic injection molders. With employee safety top-of-mind, many plastic injection molders, whether voluntarily or by legal decree, are limiting the number of people that can be on the floor each shift. This likely means less operators working at any given time, so there’s more pressure to maximize production with the staff you do have.
Getting back up and running as quickly as possible and minimizing downtime will be crucial as plastic injection molding for manufacturing not only returns, but ramps up. Be ready and make the most of your workforce by taking this advice to speed startup and cut downtime.
Expedite Manufacturing Startup
There are many factors that could impede your ability to start up quickly, but most of them can easily be resolved.
If your plastic injection molds arerusty due to improper shutdown, clean them with Zap-Ox™. Without scrubbing, Zap-Ox will remove rust, oxidation, build up, weld discoloration, and more.
If a hasty shutdown has left your mold dirty, use the Nanoplas cleaner that meets your needs. All of our cleaners have a stronger spray and chemical composition, so you can clean your molds quicker without having to wipe with a rag, preventing dirt and grime from being pushed back into the metal, and saving time.
If you over-applied a rust preventative because you didn’t know how long your molds would be in storage, or have an excessively thick application of rust preventative, start by using a Nanoplas cleaner. Going forward, use Mold Guard™, Mold Guard Green™, or Safe-T-Guard™ which are thin and truly dry rust preventatives that don’t allow corrosion to penetrate, and can be molded through at startup.
Reduce Machine Downtime
If your plastic injection molds aren’t running, that means you aren’t producing. Keep them in service and working efficiently by avoiding these common issues.
Over-applying grease to make it through a run, because your grease is breaking down with heat. You’re likely trading one problem for another — you’re not coming up short, but you are experiencing grease bleeding into the mold cavities. Either Nanoplas grease will solve both issues. Our greases don’t break down, so there’s no bleeding. They also remain on the surface longer, extending production up to ten times longer than PTFE lubricants, so you don’t have to stop to reapply. In fact, Syn-Lube helped one manufacturer go from daily to weekly applications, and 1,000-1,500 parts per day to 24,000 parts.
Excessive mold release build up. With efficiency being so important due to fewer operators and machine up time, making sure the molds do not have to be shut down for any reason is critical. Excessive mold release build up can lead to temporary shut down for cleaning. Nanoplas coatings and release sprays don’t build up.
If you’re experiencing any of these issues as you and your team return to work, we encourage you to give our products a try. And if you have any other problems related to plastic injection molding that aren’t noted above, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ve likely heard it or seen it, and solved it before, and will happily do the same for you.
Medical supplies. Food. Due to COVID-19, both are in extremely high demand and will be for the foreseeable future, making medical- and food-grade plastic injection molding extremely busy industries.
Equally in demand is food-grade packaging. In the midst of COVID-19, it all ties back to safety. Single-serve products help minimize cross-contamination. Plastic-contained bites keep the virus on the surface of the container, minimizing the risk of coronavirus getting into the food and therefore into someone’s body. Restaurants are only open for carry-out to promote social distancing, requiring appropriate to-go containers.
All this adds up to an increased need for medical- and food-grade plastic injection molding. To step up and help meet this demand, there are three things you and your team can focus on: production efficiency, scrap reduction and startup.
Maximizing Injection Molding Production
To make your runs as productive as possible, you need to release as many products as you can while minimizing downtime. Applying a nano-thin coating when the mold is out of the press, like HCF™ Heat Cure FDA Compliant, is a good first step. It offers extraordinary release, up to 300,000 cycles, and eliminates the need for traditional mold releases that build up and require shut down for cleaning.
Minimizing Scrap
If you use a grease that doesn’t break down, you’ll significantly minimize, and possibly even eliminate, scrap from bleeding into the mold cavity, injector pins, and other areas. Applied correctly, Syn-Lube™ (high temperature, high performance, synthetic grease) and Cera-Lube™ (high performance, nano ceramic grease) mitigate bleed off. Both remain on the surface longer than PTFE lubricants, extending production time up to ten times longer. In fact, Syn-Lube helped one manufacturer go from 1,000-1,500 parts per day, to 24,000 parts, with the product lasting weekly versus daily.
Speedier Startup
When it comes time to store your molds, use a dry rust preventative, like Safe T Guard™. Unlike other rust preventatives that claim to be dry, Safe T Guard truly is, so it won’t break down grease and can be molded through at startup, getting your production up and running faster and reducing scrap significantly.
If the onset of COVID-19 and related quarantine orders didn’t give you time to properly store and maintain your molds, a cleaner like Zap-Ox™ will have them back in operating form ASAP. Zap-Ox cleans gassing and burn marks, buildup, and more with little-to-no scrubbing, saving maintenance and downtime.
Note that all Nanoplas products mentioned above are FDA-compliant or NSF-registered, making them appropriate for medical and food-grade plastic molding.
Whether you increase production by focusing on one, two, or all three of the areas discussed, or are trying to maintain the same output with less staff due to health and safety measures, we here at Nanoplas want to help, so don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re happy to provide a free sample, product recommendation, or answers to any questions you might have.
This year’s plastic injection molding trends look to continue several of the big initiatives from 2019 in some exciting ways. As companies consistently strive to improve in all aspects of their businesses, increased efficiency and reduced downtime remain two of the most important benefits.
Moving into 2020, we see a lot of improved technology, software and even thought processes that will help companies achieve their goals. Here are five plastic injection molding trends to look for in 2020:
1. Bio-Plastics and Environmentally Friendly Additives
Companies in every industry—but particularly plastics—are always trying to reduce the environmental impact of products and operations. This year, we expect to see a lot more bio-resins made from renewable resources (plant and vegetable extracts like corn or sugarcane) that are far safer for disposal and also more energy-efficiency in manufacturing.
Much of this trend is being driven by packaging. As companies look to reduce their environmental footprints, they’re seeking better packaging solutions, which is helping drive the increase in bio-resin use.
In a related trend, we’re seeing a push toward making conventional thermoplastics biodegradable. Adding metal compounds to the plastic leads to oxidation, breaking down the plastic and allowing microorganisms to do the rest. Environmentally friendly additives to traditional plastics along with bio-plastics are going to have an impact on the industry as a whole and, of course, on the environment.
2. Automation
When we talk about the automation and plastic injection molding trends for 2020, we’re specifically referencing software. Improved software and technology, which will only continue to advance, will allow manufacturers to save time, reduce waste and increase throughput.
Being able to analyze designs and plastic flow through molds will mean parts can get into production quicker as the time required for the testing and refinement phases is drastically cut.
Programming is being simplified, maintenance is becoming more efficient, cycles are getting faster and downtime is being significantly reduced. With better, more thorough control of the entire process, software automation is going to improve production throughout the industry.
3. Reinforced Plastic Materials
One of the big trends in 2019 is going to continue through 2020 and beyond as the automotive and aerospace industries seek the just-as-strong-but-not-as-expensive solutions that are also gaining traction in the medical industry and with the military due to the proven durability of the materials.
Plastics reinforced with metal, glass, carbon and graphite substitute for what used to be metal parts. The weight of the reinforced plastics is similar if not less, there is no decline in strength or function, and the cost savings can be huge.
4. Lightweight Materials
As reinforced plastics are already replacing exotic materials with parts that are of comparable or lighter weight, there’s an increased demand in less weight in general. In cars, particularly electric and hybrid models, less weight means better gas mileage or longer battery life, so developing lightweight injection molding products continues to be in high demand.
In other industries, the benefits may be less obvious but are still notable. Lightweight medical uses like joint replacements and stents will dramatically benefit patients, but even the improvements in tools and equipment can increase the efficiency (and costs) in healthcare
5. Sustainability
In any type of manufacturing, sustainability remains important and efforts to improve persist. In injection molding, in addition to bio-resins and eco-friendly additives, efforts will continue to reduce waste and enhance recycling.
We’re going to see a larger focus on using as many recyclable materials as possible—likely with goals of 100%—throughout the injection molding industry. Since plastics have always been under additional scrutiny, we can expect even more motivation from manufacturers looking to improve their environmental footprints.
Nanoplas products are designed to reduce your costs through cutting downtime and increasing efficiency. With many of the latest plastic injection molding trends based on precisely those goals, our products will help you further embrace whichever trends you choose to focus on this year and beyond.
When a part is physically fractured or broken, you’re experiencing cracking. Cracks usually occur due to post-molding conditions, but when troubleshooting cracking, you want to know exactly when the cracking is happening as it will help you efficiently address potential issues and ultimately solve the problem.
Troubleshooting Cracks
In addition to post-molding conditions, cracking can be caused by a number of process settings, including second-stage pressure, melt temperature, residence time in barrel, ejection, part removal, operator error, mold breakaway and gate seal.
Molding Process
Mold
Machine
Material
High second-stage pressure
Undercuts
Overheating
Moisture content
Melt temperature
Sharp corners
Lack of process control
Contamination
Residence time in barrel
Lack of draft
Regrind
Ejection
Lifter or slide corners
Part removal
Operator
Mold breakaway speed
Gate seal
Table 24.1 Cracking Troubleshooting Chart, found in Injection Molding Advanced Troubleshooting Guide: The 4M Approach (p. 224)
How to Eliminate Cracking in Injection Molding
While cracks often occur post-mold, identifying the underlying issue is extremely important in being able to prevent cracking from happening. Check the part design—are there areas with sharp corners that act as stress risers and initiate cracks? If so, adding more radius to those areas can alleviate the stress and thus the cracks.
During the molding process, you could be facing high second-stage pressure, causing the material to stick which can lead to cracks when the mold opens or during ejection. A high melt temperature or improper residence time in the barrel could degrade the part and make it susceptible for cracking during ejection.
Since cracking usually occurs during ejection, it’s important to determine if the ejection itself is causing the issue or if it’s another issue that leaves the part vulnerable to ejection. Stop the mold process prior to ejection and look for cracks. If you see them, you know you have another issue. If there are no cracks, eject the part and check again. If you see cracks this time, you know there’s an ejection issue.
Nanoplas mold-release sprays are invaluable when it comes to ejecting parts and can be a tremendous help if you’re experiencing cracking.
If the part shows no cracks after ejection, it could be a part-removal issue or even an operator error. Something as simple as an operator handling the part could lead to cracking, which generally means there’s a design flaw that needs to be addressed. Simple handling of a part shouldn’t lead to cracking.
Cracking is a troublesome issue, but it can give you a lot of necessary information as to what needs to be improved to eradicate the problem.
Want to learn more? Check out these other great articles that solve common injection mold issues:
There are three types of injection mold release coatings within our Nano Mold Coating family and two ways to apply them, depending on the type of coating you’re using. Our HC and HCF (the food-grade alternative to HC) coatings are applied in the tool room at room temperature and all QC coatings (QC, QCRU and QCSI) are applied in the press in a hot mold.
These coatings have been scientifically formulated with the use of nanotechnology to create a semi-permanent barrier on the surface of molds which facilitates extraordinary plastic or rubber part release. The cured injection mold coating is a non-toxic, and colorless hardened polymer film that is only 100-200 nanometers in thickness so it has no affect on finished part dimensions.
Before we can talk about the actual injection mold coating application, we need to talk about cleaning the substrate, which is the most critical part of the application process. Regardless of what type of coating you’re using, the cleaning process is the same.
First, pre-clean the surfaces with Nanoplas Mold Brite or Power Clean. Remove all debris, oil, lubricants and rust preventatives from the entire mold, including the pores and crevices.
Use the white microfiber cloth included with the kit until you’ve removed all oil and debris. The white cloth makes it easier to see when you’ve gotten everything. Don’t use shop rags as they are often contaminated with lubricants or detergents and we’re trying to get rid of that—not add it.
Next, wet a clean, white cloth with ethanol, alcohol, acetone or MEK solvent to get rid of any remaining degreaser or oils. Before you begin the application process, make sure the surface is completely dry.
Injection Mold Coating Application – HC and HCF
The application method for HC (Heat Cure) and HCF (food-grade Heat Cure) injection mold coatings is the same, done at room temperature in the tool room. You can use a microfiber swab or cloth, depending on the actual mold configuration.
Apply a small amount of coating to the swab or cloth and apply to the surface in one direction. When this is done correctly, the surface should look wet as if you rubbed an alcohol wipe over the surface. If the swab or cloth dries out, reapply coating.
After you apply the coating in one direction, apply a second coating in a perpendicular direction over the same area. The reason for the second coat and change in direction is to make sure the entire surface is coated well, as the coating can be hard to see during application. Make sure there are no streaks or pooling, as that can lead to a sticky residue once cured.
Next, with a standard heat gun, begin the curing process. Set the gun to 550-600 degrees Fahrenheit. With the gun 4-6 inches from the surface, apply heat in a slow, sweeping motion, back and forth, for at least 10 minutes over the entire coated area.
The HC and HCF coatings each have a UV dye that will show up under a black light, allowing you to confirm the entire area has been coated.
You can apply a second coating for a longer coating life if you’d like. One satisfied with your coating, cover the mold with a clean cloth to keep dust from settling into the coating. Let it rest for at least three hours to allow the coating to completely harden.
With any of our Quick Cure family of coatings (Quick Cure, Quick Cure Rubber and Quick Cure Silicone), you’ll apply the coating in the press using the heat control of a thermolator.
After cleaning the mold thoroughly as described above, heat the mold to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Shake the QC bottle well before using and during any reapplications.
Apply a mist to the surface of the mold or the microfiber cloth included in the kit. Wipe lightly, in one direction, making sure you create a thin, even layer. Remove any excess pooling or streaks immediately. After you’ve covered the entire area, apply the coating again, this time wiping in a perpendicular direction to make sure the area is properly coated.
Once you’ve applied the coating, heat the mold to 240 degrees Fahrenheit and allow it to cure for 15 minutes before production. If your press can’t get to 240 degrees, increase the length of time of the cure proportionally to the reduction in temperature. Once the mold is cured, it’s ready for use.
General Mold Maintenance
When you need to clean your coated molds, we recommend Nano Mold Cleaner, which was designed not to remove the coating. Other injection mold cleaners can gradually remove the coating and reduce mold performance over time.
For a demonstration on how to apply our coatings, watch our video on how to apply injection mold coating.
One of the most important aspects of injection molding, or anything involving machining, is making sure machines are running at peak performance. Any downtime cuts into efficiency and, ultimately, the bottom line. Prolonged downtime can lead to serious problems with customers and nobody wants that.
Mold machine maintenance itself requires downtime, but when you plan for it, you’re able to maintain efficiency without the fear of unexpected and potentially disastrous downtime that may arise from failing to maintain your machines.
Basic Mold Maintenance Checklist
Before and after every cycle, you should do a basic maintenance check on your mold. This ensures you’re keeping the mold free of potentially harmful debris, which means your parts will come out just as they’re supposed to.
1. Clean mold cavities.
First, use a solvent like Nanoplas Clean-N-Run to eliminate any residue that may be left behind in the mold. Spray it on, gently wipe the cavities and dry the mold. Start from the top of the mold and spray in a top to bottom motion as you move down the mold. If the mold needs further cleaning repeat the process or use a cloth to scrub hard to move contaminants. Once done cleaning dry the mold.
Next, hit the molds with compressed air. This helps dry the mold after using Clean-N-Run and also gets deeper into the mold to eradicate any additional debris you couldn’t otherwise reach.
2. Inspect and clean the mold beyond the cavity.
Debris and water are just as detrimental in the runners and sprues as they are in the cavity and you should never neglect these areas. Use Nanoplas Mold Brite or Clean-N-Run here as well, then follow it up with compressed air. Every part of the mold should be clear of debris before you run another cycle.
3. Dry the mold.
Part of the compressed-air benefit is aiming toward completely drying the mold, but this is an important point, especially before storing the mold: the mold needs to be completely dry. If any water is left behind in a metal mold, you’re at risk for rust, which can cause a slew of problems. Rusty molds create more rejected pieces and are also prone to failing completely. Prevent these problems before they start by making absolutely sure your molds are dry.
4. Check the hardware.
Make sure everything is in working order with your bolts, screws, plates and anything else fastening your mold. Nothing should be loose and there should be very little wear on these components.
Advanced Mold Maintenance Checklist
Even with daily or twice daily mold machine maintenance as discussed above, the reality is certain parts will eventually wear out and need to be replaced. In addition to following the basic injection molding maintenance checklist before and after every cycle, you’ll want to do deeper inspections at longer intervals.
You should perform this maintenance at regular intervals determined by what type and how many cycles you’re running.
Check ejection components.
All ejection components, including ejection pins, should be inspected. If you notice any damage, replace the parts. Also, make sure all the parts are appropriately lubricated. Do this every 10,000 cycles or so.
Check all non-ejection components, too.
You don’t need to do this as frequently (maybe every five to 10 times you check the ejection components), but your inspections should never be limited to only ejection components. All parts related to the mold need to be checked for wear, damage and lubrication, including gaskets, valves and springs.
The Value of Preventive Maintenance
As discussed earlier, there is a cost associated with preventive maintenance: downtime of your machines and the manpower to perform the checks. However, this cost is virtually nonexistent when compared to the much higher cost of unexpected and potentially prolonged downtime, rejected parts and other hassles that hinder efficiency.
By getting in the habit of performing regular maintenance checks, you can keep your machines—and your business—running efficiently.
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