Another area of the mold manufacturing process that is trending more toward automation is hot runners. D-M-E reports that 15 years ago one in 10 tools was a hot runner mold, today that number is closer to five in 10.

In the closure industry, automating the process to run fully automatic (24/7) for high production custom and captive molders is an effective way to stay competitive,And, these cells will be increasingly capable of support hundreds of tool positions.

DME also notes that mold change and color change on the same product also may be required. “Three plate molding is being replaced with hot runner molding in order to decrease cycle time and reduce material waste,The processor also is doing more than just molding the part. The automated processes of pad printing, hot stamping, gluing, assembling and packaging are now a part of getting the business.

The days of ‘clip and ship’ are gone. The functions of labor-intensive secondary operations are quickly being entirely automated. Processors cannot afford to compete domestically and globally if human hands have to touch the parts after they’ve been molded. Printing, inserting, two-color, multi-component, and multi-material functions must be done without manual interaction.

In the mold control area of the process, cavity pressure control of the molding machine is becoming increasingly important. Lange notes that controllers are being developed that yield close loop control of the process—thus correcting for other variations such as percent regrind, varying mold cooling temperatures and aging presses in general.

A controller’s improved slaving function provides the capability to create an offset in power between the master and slaved zone, thus allowing for some compensation in power output to correct for variations in heater tightness, heater wattage, mold cooling variations and the like.

D-M-E emphasizes that using automation to save time and labor costs is particularly effective in lean manufacturing environments. As shorter leadtime demands continue to be placed on moldmakers, it is imperative that efficient planning get the jobs through their shops as quickly as possible by making maximum use of their capabilities and equipment,

Opportunities for automation in a mold shop may require more planning, as they have to be more adaptable, but these opportunities exist,To thrive in today’s moldmaking environment, we must find the areas where unproductive time can be eliminated. High performance machining is an increasingly important aspect of how automation will aid moldmakers.

Solutions to these challenges lie in turning to emerging mold technologies, or established technologies that have previously not been widely used. Spin and spin stack molds are becoming more popular,Rotational molds and machine platens are more prevalent than ever.

These technologies were once only for larger operations, but now even 15- to 20-man shops are making multi-component, core back, rotational molds. Automation in a moldmaking shop has to be adaptable to enable work with shorter runs of parts versus a fixed set of automated equipment. Automated machine cells can focus on cutting mold cavities.