The rubber, plastics and wood panel industries work with heated tooling when material is pressed directly between hot platens.

If a platen or heated tool is mounted to the press head, press table or beam without a layer of protective insulation, a considerable amount of heat is transferred to the press and the press heats up. In hydraulic presses, not only do the tables, beams and frames heat up, but so do the pistons and hydraulic fluid. This causes premature wear to packings in the entire system.

Overheated hydraulic fluid eventually damages packings and seals in the pumps, valves and filters. Extreme temperatures in the guide systems of any press will lead to a loss of lubricants, and subsequently, to excessive wear.

Insulation should be understood as an effective means to precisely control and manage heat in the molding process, improving the performance of the mold. Therefore, it is important to use great care when selecting the correct grades for every application.

When manufacturing thermoplastics parts and materials, thermal insulation offers great advantages. Experience has shown that flow characteristics are improved if cool and hot components are insulated effectively. It is advantageous to shield the heated mold from the press to reduce deflections. If work is done with a heated core, it is recommended that you separate the heated plates from the cooler tooling by means of insulation board.
Heat Conservation Pays Off Immediately

Installation of thermal insulation will result in energy savings between 50 and 75 percent, depending upon conditions. Thus, thermal insulation is economical. The cost of insulation is quickly amortized and paid off through lower production costs and improved quality.

How to Improve Press Tolerance
If accuracy and parallelism in a press need to be improved, compensation pads may help. They are placed between the hot platen and thermal insulation board, then cured in the press under heat and pressure. This compensates for unevenness and the press will show much better tolerances after treatment – eliminating shimming. Even presses that are decades old can be restored to present-day conditions and productivity requirements. New presses, too, can operate much more accurately with the help of compensation pads.