There are a lot ways to make a shop better, more efficient, more productive and more profitable, but one practical method that is often overlooked is tool lifecycle management. This is about more than cutting tools. Fundamentally, it’s about data: ensuring that cutting tool data is available where and when it is needed. It links [...]
Maintenance training becomes increasingly necessary each time a boomer clocks out for good. Decades of repair experience and mold knowledge are gone in the flash of a retirement party, severely compromising ongoing mold maintenance. This is mainly because many companies do not document critical procedures accurately. […]
In most welding shops, there is a certain procedure for handling a mold from when it arrives for repair to when it is ready for a customer. At my company, it is a seven-step process that may require adjustments depending on whether we are using micro-TIG or laser welding. […]
Traditionally, designers have relied on a general “feel” or “rule of thumb” to decide which alignment locks to insert within a mold, considering sizes and mounting preference. That’s adequate, right? Maybe not. Selecting an alignment lock based only on gut feel could result in an undersized selection and, down the line, can result in costly [...]
The benefits of prioritizing expected tool life over price when choosing metalcutting tools are clear, especially in the precision-focused and deadline-driven moldmaking industry. Reputedly, economical tools often provide abbreviated and unpredictable life that results in poor tolerance control and leads to expensive rework. […]
Software can help compensate for excessive erosion during taper cutting with wire EDM. Wall straightness or angle accuracy often present a challenge to the machine operator when he or she is attempting to wire EDM taper angles. Several factors within the EDM process affect angle accuracy. These include, but are not limited to, temperature, machine [...]
Incorporating multiple-gate nozzles means smaller molds, small presses, a balanced fill rate, reduced residence time, temperature control and design flexibility. […]
Careful consideration of the entire machining system will improve milling of hardened steels. To maximize productivity and reliability, mold shops often machine a large portion of their products from hardened steels. Historically, hardened steels have been rough milled at low feeds and speeds, with large depths of cut and stepovers. […]
For large injection-molded parts, a servo-driven valve gate system can improve surface finish and part performance. The art of sequential molding has proven to be a beneficial process in many markets. Automotive suppliers are one of the largest users of this technology, especially for the production of plastic parts with Class A surface finishes. Sequential [...]
Mold builders and molders should carefully consider hot runner selection, as it dramatically impacts an injection molding system’s speed, quality and uptime. […]