Compression set is a phenomenon that causes most water leaks (not related to installation) in molds today. Simply put, this means that an o-ring has resided in a compressed state in the mold for so long that it has lost its ability to apply adequate force in the gland and overcome the applied water, air [...]
After an in-depth Web search and listening to numerous manufacturing reps speak in molecular detail, it is apparent that o-ring design/sealing is more complex than just a piece of rubber being squeezed between some tooling. […]
1) Static (stationary tooling) seals are o-rings placed between tooling or fittings that do not move—such as cores trapped and sealed between plates, or cavities housed in a bore with external o-rings that seal against the I.D or walls of the bore. […]
The type of fouling (chemical make-up and physical characteristics) or residue the molding process leaves behind on your tooling will help determine your cleaning requirements. Many resins contain stabilizers, fillers or release agents that leave residue in the form of grease, light oil, yellow waxy film or rust and white-colored dust. Some resins, [...]
Cleaning is unpopular with many employees who prefer the challenge of troubleshooting or machining. Cleaning is messy, sometimes monotonous, and can be a potential health risk. There can be prejudice in a company culture that associates the job of cleaning with a lack of talent. On the flip side, […]
Systemizing mold maintenance is based on establishing consistency in repairs required (performance) and repairs performed (maintenance). Cleaning is another area where individual techniques (freelancing) greatly affect mold reliability, part quality and the tooling budget. To be cost-effective, mold cleaning must be performed: […]
Mold cleaning is a process where major maintenance bottlenecks often occur because molds are pulled faster than they can be cleaned and made production-ready. I have visited plants where molds waiting to be cleaned line hallways and toolrooms, taking up valuable bench space. Many times, in order to meet production demands, molds get reset dirty [...]
To prevent this from happening, both the spindle and tool are blasted with compressed air each time a tool is changed. In some cases, the spindle and tool are cleaned automatically by the compressed air service installed in the machine while other machines’ spindles are cleaned manually. […]
The answer is to simply reduce the temperature differences when welding. There are three things you should do to get a perfectly invisible weld: […]
Once the mold is packed, you have to be sure that you have good cooling. Cooling is about 80 percent of the cycle, making challenging the mold cooling system very important. Checking each cooling channel to ensure that proper flow is achieved, in addition to developing a mold surface map of temperatures is key. [...]