A mold frame that incorporates steel support pillars has all of the thermal benefits of aluminum matched with the durability of a steel mold—resulting in reduced cycle times combined with added strength and durability. […]
Not wanting disappoint them right out of the gate, I threw out a standard rule of thumb used when pressed for max cycle counts: 250,000 is typically a good starting point, but can vary greatly—up or down—depending upon the following production characteristics and mold design: […]
Re-Working Overseas MoldsPerhaps one of the more interesting markets we’ve seen in moldmaking in recent years is applying North American quality to overseas molds. In other words, shops are finding that making poorly made molds work properly, even having to re-machine features or whole molds, is an area of growth potential. […]
To maintain a competitive advantage in the global marketplace, many of today’s American mold-makers are differentiating their EDM capabilities by embracing micromoldmaking. Because of the complex, precise nature of the parts produced, those willing to adopt the technologies necessary to reliably produce micromolds open the doors to serve a growing segment of the market. [...]
Ten years ago, it would not have been uncommon for the leadtime to manufacture a mold to be in the 12 to 16 week range—three to four months. However, over the past decade significant technological advancements in both machine tools technologies and manufacturing techniques have drastically reduced production times. […]
While automation and accuracy technologies have made and are continuing to make significant progress, some of today’s most impressive innovations are taking place in the realm of spark generation and control. […]
In general, the material characteristics of the electrode play a much larger role in achieving a fine surface finish than one might think. When we think of fine finishes, we may envision something similar to a glossy finish that reflects light very easily. […]
The Universal Electrode Guide —a manufacturer of precision multi-cavity, multi-technology injection molds for Fortune 500 customers in the medical, pharmaceutical and packaging markets—eliminates maintaining an inventory of dozens of different sized electrode guides, or having to wait for a special-sized guide to be made and delivered. “It also eliminates having to inspect each size guide [...]
1) Will both the detection and agent delivery work as designed regardless of the position of the ram? Units that mount on one side of the ram may not detect a fire starting on the other side of the ram or may not deliver agent effectively to properly suppress the growing fire. […]
Selecting the proper electrode material to produce a fine surface finish is vital to the success of the application. It is important to understand which material provides the potential for achieving an acceptable finish without the need for excessive handwork or polishing. By realizing the role that the microstructure of the material plays in producing [...]