When it comes to injection molds, the importance of an efficient cooling system cannot be overemphasized. A reduction of just one or two seconds in cooling time can lead to as much as a 10- to 20-percent increase in the production rate. That alone could directly affect the profitability of the job. However, saving time [...]
The moldmaking industry is often at the cutting edge of metalworking technology. Innovations in machine tool design, cutting tools and CNC programming are typically championed by moldmakers in their quest for increasingly precise tools. Highly accurate measurement tools are also becoming necessary for mold design and manufacturing, though the industry has been slower to adopt [...]
With manufacturers putting increased pressure on their suppliers for cost savings and efficiencies, mold manufacturers are being challenged to produce consistent, accurate product cost quotes. These challenges include the need for: […]
There has been a long-standing, unresolved debate over whether graphite or copper is a better EDM electrode material. The preference is most always the same in any one geographical region. In North America , the preferred electrode material has shifted from copper to graphite. In Europe and Asia, many argue that copper is the preferable [...]
The use of CAE for injection molding simulation has progressed from flow-front prediction in the late ‘70s to full simulation of the injection molding process, its variants and associated processes. Injection molding simulation benchmarking is the comparison of predicted and actual process parameters. Typically, an extensive study is carried out on a mold, machine and [...]
Mold building in China is a very challenging business. Two of the difficulties are offshore competition and molders’ growing demands for early design involvement. One solution to combat these challenges is mold filling simulation. Its use can help mold builders stay competitive, enhance efficiencies, meet customer expectations and create more business opportunities. Following are four [...]
Maintaining a fleet of molds in a timely and efficient manner is a support function, and the bench is a critical part of the mold maintenance process. However, this is also a piece of equipment that is given not so much as a second thought by many companies, and I’ve seen plenty of examples of [...]
In today’s customer-driven design and manufacturing world, tolerances are ever-increasing as more and more functionality is being pressed into a shrinking product envelope. CAD models are now being annotated with more critical tolerances, beyond basic fit and clearance requirements, such as complex surface profiles. Since virtually all product development is now done in the CAD [...]
Suppose a mold needs to produce parts immediately but it has a damaged texture. This can be an everyday occurrence within a molding facility, as lifters or pins break and hit the tool surface, causing rust to develop or unacceptable texture wear to appear. These situations call for an action plan to help get that [...]
Hot runner systems are such a common part of injection molds that hot runner suppliers must adjust component designs in order to meet increasingly stringent requirements in performance and materials, often adding to system complexity. […]