At first glance, the accompanying chart of steel prices tells a disturbing story. After hitting an all-time high in mid-2008, prices descended during the next year or so. During this period, the U.S. economy was suffering through a deep and prolonged recession, so it is not surprising that the price of steel would drop. [...]
Following are eight tips for reinventing your mold project:1. Get out of denial. If you’re going to survive, you must move to a conceptual business model, and that means making some hard choices. […]
A few months ago, I suggested that MoldMaking Technology sponsor an art exhibit comprised of molds and tooling. Moldmakers could present their work in pictures or as sculptures on a show floor. […]
The main challenge in dealing with any strategy for business growth is that it is interdependent with opportunities and being prepared to capitalize on them when they occur. Developing a global strategy will help a small business increase its opportunities; however, not many small businesses have time to use this concept to their advantage. They [...]
first-rate mold company plans to come out of the recent recession with numerous advantages for their customers in the injection mold and precision machining market segment. The advantages offered are a result of the company’s long-term commitment to automation technologies. […]
Cleaning molds is a key part of running a successful injection molding operation. There are two situations when mold cleaning is required: (1) offline when the mold is on the bench and is cold [room temperature] and (2) online when the mold is warm and still in the press.Because of temperature differences, the cleaning solvents [...]
The most important issue facing the mold and die industry in recent years is throughput. Throughput is the amount of work a shop can complete in a set amount of time. This idea of productivity has been under constant review with the pressure from overseas competition. To survive in the global market with shrinking leadtimes, [...]
While there are many suppliers of shrink fit chucks available, there are good and bad shrink fit chucks available. It is important to do research related to the selection of a toolholder for your particular application. […]
Plunge Milling Plunge milling has been around for a long time and can be the most consistent form of high metal removal, especially on older machines incapable of operating at high feedrates. This consistency is a result of efficient toolpaths, as there is little wasted tool motion when compared to more common methods of machining [...]
There are 10 inherent benefits that a good shrink fit chuck can offer a mold shop:1. Unsurpassed accuracyA properly produced shrink fit chuck should be able to guarantee 0.00012″ (3 microns) maximum run-out at three times the cutting tool diameter. This accuracy is very repeatable from operator to operator. […]