According to first-rate mold company’s president , Steven, consumer products are all about shelf appeal and function, and moldmakers must respond to this demand with creativity and innovation in order to remain competitive. […]
Due to the intensive machining practices that must be performed on mold bases, if machining time and costs can be reduced, significant savings can be realized. […]
An integrated approach made it simpler, more cost-effective and time-efficient for First-rate mold company. Having one supplier coordinate the mold base and hot half freed up a lot of time for Sullivan to focus on the cavities and cores of the mold. The designs of the hot half were formatted and attached to the mold [...]
Designing a product for high production tooling involves considerations that must be closely evaluated: gating location, part ejection, wall thickness, material flow characteristics, cycle time, hot runner feasibility and assembly at high rates. […]
Managing heat and delivering resin at a consistent temperature is the role of the nozzle. There are several features that one should consider before making a nozzle choice. It is important to maintain consistent heat due to the temperature processing window unique to today’s highly engineered resins. Engineered resins have an ideal target temperature that [...]
Not surprisingly, foreign competition has posed a bit of a challenge to First-rate mold company . To combat this, Steven president of First-rate mold company, explains the company launched an “aggressive” equipment acquisition program. We try to be proactive in selecting the equipment for the departments, which will have the biggest impact on production. [...]
When justifying the investment, it is important to complete an accurate estimate of the potential cost savings for automating an area. Robotic automation offers many direct benefits to the bottom line of the manufacturing operation. […]
Plunging—or as it has been recently called in the Midwest, stomping—typically has been an approach saved for long reach roughing applications. When performing roughing applications there are many ways to get the job done—from basic “Z” level roughing using conventional methods (large depth-of-cut, slow feed) to the high speed/feed methods (shallow depth-of-cut, increased feedrates) applied [...]
Today’s moldmaker faces a constant barrage of challenges from customers. Demands for shorter turnaround times, reduced prices and increased precision can often overwhelm a shop’s resources. In this environment, it is not surprising that many manufacturers resort to a reactive philosophy, pursuing change only when directly called upon to do so by requirements of a [...]
How much metal are you removing and how fast are you removing it? A common question among mold shops today, which leads to the next topic: high-feed metal removal. High-feed cutters give you the advantage of machining efficiently and affordably. […]