Consumer products is a very broad industry, encompassing everything from appliances, electronic components, household goods and toys to more complex products used in automotive and aerospace functions. No matter the purpose, all injection molded consumer products must first begin with a quality built injection mold produced with quality steel. As design engineers are aware, a quality part begins with a quality tool. When designing a critical consumer product, involving an experienced mold builder early in the design phase of your project can reap big benefits in time saved developing superior products. An experienced mold designer can utilize CAD/CAM software and simulation designs alerting a product development engineer of critical areas that may succumb to underfill or breakage. Michiana Global Mold is experienced with manufacturing precision tools for numerous consumer product applications including electronics, high end business furniture, skylight frames, appliance parts and assemblies and critical automotive parts. We have vast experience producing plastic and rubber molds of any variation including:
We can provide you with early design consultation, expert mold construction and product sampling. Tool status reports are provided upon request keeping your project on schedule. Michiana Global Mold is a valuable addition to any supply chain, providing high performance, quality tools on time, and to your specification. Michiana Global Mold has been producing high performance plastic and rubber molds used in a multitude of industries including consumer products, electronics and automotive since 1964. Contact us today to learn about our multi-tool discount and for a free design consultation.
0 Comments
When designing plastic injection molds, there are several factors to take into consideration including the molding environment in which the tool will run. Of the utmost importance in mold design is the injection molding press specified for the production operation. Some presses have either a vertical or horizontal clamping system. A vertical clamping system is typically used for shuttle molds, also referred to as insert molds, and is used for molding plastic around an insert usually made of plastic or steel. The clamping system will open, allowing an operator to place an insert in the bottom half of the mold, prior to closing allowing plastic to flow around the insert. This process is used to put a plastic or rubber like coating around an object such as knives for example, or electrical wiring harnesses requiring a housing to fit around a wire assembly. Shuttle molds for vertical clamping presses will have at least two bottom (B) halves so that the molding is occurring on one side of the press while an operator is loading inserts on the open side. This allows for maximum production even when an operator is required. The typical injection mold will have a horizontal clamping system, opening on a horizontal plane and allowing parts to fall below into a bin or straight onto a conveyor belt when ejected. Some horizontal molding operations are fully automatic and do not require an operator, once the mold is set in the press and proper parameters are set. This is a very efficient method of molding, and several molders utilize this type of operation in a lights out automatic environment. This, of course, requires a quality crafted precision tool to ensure a consistent molding process. The placement of water fitting and hoses is also of equal importance, as these lines cannot be in the way of the mold operating in the press. The tonnage and clamping pressure of the press is needed when designing the mold, and the barrel capacity is required to ensure production requirements can be met. Download a FREE copy of our book “Design Considerations for Different Molds” for more information. Michiana Global Mold has over 500 years of combined experience designing and building precision custom molds for various industries. Contact us today to speak with one of our knowledgeable engineers for a free quotation on your mold building requirements. We can custom design molds for your applications, regardless of your molding environment. Thermoplastic resin is the most common type of polymer used in the injection molding process. There are several different types of thermoplastic resins with varying properties, including shrink rate, resistance to high temperatures, resistance to corrosives, elasticity, adhesion, finish such as polished or matte, and fatigue strength. These are all very important considerations when designing an injection mold to manufacture parts molded from thermoplastic resins. Shrink rate is extremely important, as the cavities in the tool would have to be adjusted for such shrink rate. Cooling rate is also very important to consider during mold design, and is important for ejection. The part must be completely set and solid prior to ejecting from the mold. When designing a tool for injection molding with thermoplastic resin, mold flow analysis may be helpful or even necessary to identify any critical areas in the part design. Mold flow analysis is a computer aided simulation that shows clearly how the material will flow, based on its own individual properties. By predicting these critical areas ahead of time, the mold designer can adjust for tight tolerances, problem areas for material flow and fill, and to identify the optimum location for gating. This is a valuable tool when designing precision molds for critical components, and is a useful tool to avoid costly mistakes and improving lead times. While mold flow analysis can be a valuable tool, the best knowledge of how particular thermoplastic resins flow comes from experience. Experienced mold designers are well aware of the specific properties of different polymers, using that knowledge to design the tool properly to mold the part to print. Michiana Global Mold has more than 500 years of combined experience designing and building injection molds for various industries. We utilize advanced technology combined with skilled journeyman moldmakers and vast resources to construct quality tools for injection molding of thermoplastic resins. Contact Michiana Global Mold today to speak with one of our skilled and experienced mold designers to learn how we can assist you with your injection mold requirement. We are an ISO9001:2015 Registered mold making company with vast experience constructing custom, precision injection molds for various industries. Constructing an injection mold for small electronic parts requires skill and experience, coupled with quality tools and equipment. Plastic injection molding of electronic components can be tricky with thin walls in tight spaces and intricate critical dimensions. Custom electronic parts are molded out of various materials including thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), polycarbonates (PC), polypropylene (PP), and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). When constructing the mold to make these types of parts and components, you need an experienced mold maker that knows the properties of the various types of polymers and how they will flow in your mold. We have the ability to provide mold-flow analysis, identifying any critical geometrical areas prior to cutting steel. Michiana Global Mold has the skill and the experience to provide a class A quality tool on time and within your budget. We specialize in highly complicated electronic part molds requiring a high level of skill and precision. Since precision, custom molds are our specialty, we can provide to you the most value for your investment. We understand the importance quality, timely mold production, to ensure that your project is up and running with quality parts and components when you need them. Our skilled moldmakers have been supplying quality tools for electronics parts and components for over 50 years, satisfying stringent quality requirements for various industries including Automotive, Consumer Electronics, and other various industries requiring precision electrical housings and electro-mechanical switches. Michiana Global Mold utilizes the latest technology with our CAD/CAM software and integration with our milling machines. Our highly skilled staff is comprised of a very experienced cross-functional team, providing exemplary service to each and every customer. Total Customer Satisfaction is our main goal. As an ISO9001:2015 Registered mold making company, we will add value to your supply chain with adherence to our Quality Policy, providing best in class quality tools, on time and in spec. Michiana Global Mold has the experience and the skilled staff to provide a quality tool, on time, and to your specification even in tight tolerance, critical areas. Contact us today to learn how we can work together to produce custom, precision electronic parts and components. Cold runner molds are often used for different plastic injection mold processes. Heated plastic is cooled before it passes from the nozzle to the cavity. Once it is through this part of the process, both the part and the material are ejected from the system. Compared with the hot runner mold process, cold runner molds area considerably cheaper and simpler alternative for smaller projects.
Components and Process The average cold runner system can have either two or three plate molds. In two plate systems, there is a parting line that divides the mold in two. Systems that have three plates have two of these lines so that the mold splits into three different sections once the part is ejected. Though more difficult, three plates offer more flexibility, as well as having more gates when directed by the final requirements. Things to Consider When you begin with cold runner molds, here are some additional things to consider:
|
Archives
August 2017
Categories
All
|