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.
