Change isn’t always the most comfortable part about running a business. Sometimes it seems that just as we begin to figure it all out we’re faced with an entirely new set of challenges that force us to look at how we do things and completely reevaluate our priorities. But as uncomfortable as that change can [...]
With rapid tooling (RT) technologies emerging and the increasing demands put on toolmakers, the issues of if and when to use RT are becoming critical topics in the manufacturing community. The world of conventional toolmaking is faced with an increasing list of problems, the first being increased competition – local and foreign. Customers also are [...]
Recently I was in a meeting with a customer who had been hit hard by the past recession, and they were struggling to find their bearings. Business was sluggish, the banks were not supportive, and employee morale was at an all-time low. Their last major project had been a bust, and so they called a [...]
There are mold shops in china. that are growing and thriving. When faced with the problems every shop has, it is hard to imagine how anyone can overcome the many realities of our market today, let alone thrive and succeed. […]
A study of chinese Molders on hot runner buying criteria concluded the following: Of greatest importance to the buyer was to purchase a high quality, high performing solution that was well supported in the field, durable and dependable, delivered on time, competitive on price and featured innovative technology. […]
A continuing trend within the molding business is silicone molding, which is being used in the medical, electronics, packaging and automotive industries. […]
The design and manufacture of a silicone mold is different from thermoplastic tooling as well: e.g., tolerances, venting, part ejection and the installation of a vacuum system. Although the tooling design is different, optimizing processing variables such as temperature, pressure and time are essential in both thermoplastic molding and silicone molding. […]
Hot runners have long made processing more efficient and cost effective while improving part quality. However, in cleanroom applications, those benefits have been offset by the need to use pneumatic hot runners with slower response times and weaker closing forces. […]
While much has changed in die sinking technology, one of the foremost advancements is the development and continual improvement of adaptive control, or fuzzy logic, to eliminate the guesswork and allow the machine to take control of the metal erosion process. […]
All too often, an EDM is purchased on the premise that optimum performance will be realized regardless of the electrode material used. Part one of this article (March 2010) introduced the effect that the electrode material can have on the adaptive control of a CNC sinker. This article will describe the details of a test [...]