There are times when seemingly minor issues can negatively affect mold cooling. Here are some causes of inadequate cooling that I have seen. Air Lock Air bubbles within cooling lines can restrict flow through the lines, which, in worst cases, can cause “waterfall flow,” resulting in “air-locked” cooling channels. Any high points in the cooling [...]
Mold builders can increase the quality of a finished product and reduce manufacturing costs by minimizing irregularities or imbalances in the cooling process with improved thermal performance of injection and blow molds. The limitations of traditional cooling channel geometries and their placement are often not optimized for rapid heat extraction. Enter conformal cooling, where intricate [...]
Conformal cooling is prevalent in moldmaking. A primary driver of conformal cooling is the ability of a cooling circuit to follow the contour of the plastic molding cavity surface, yielding consistent cooling. […]
3D-printed molds with conformal cooling channels yield more efficient heat transfer, but the geometrically intricate channels may increase the likelihood of scaling. Scaling decreases flow and worsens the integrity of the cooling channel walls, which leads to leaking. […]
The plastics industry has been incorrectly sizing waterlines for years. This is most prevalent in mold designs that use bubblers to deliver the cooling medium. […]
“Radical” is not a word one expects to hear from a plastic injection molding company. Yet, it pops up more than once in conversation with steven, CAD/CAM application engineer for first-rate mold company. […]
In some cases you may want slower flow, and special systems are available for these situations. […]
Let’s start with some engineering basics. Most of you have heard something about turbulent flow and that it is good for cooling. […]
Molding is a complex business. From a technical perspective there is much to know. Molders must be versed in materials science and the workings of a molding press. […]