Published 3/20/2023

PTXPO 2023 Preview: Unlocking Your Next Solution for Mold Maintenance, Repair and Surface Treatment

PTXPO 2023 houses exhibitors that are ready to provide services and solutions for mold maintenance, repair and surface treatment challenges.

MMT Staff

And thank you to our sponsors — Canon Virginia, Hasco, Maguire and Novatec!

Mold Maintenance/Repair

Get to Know Alliance Specialties and Laser Sales

Moldmaking is important to Alliance because it is the foundation for everything it does — developing deep-rooted relationships and making a difference. Alliance’s team are moldmakers who don’t build molds, but rather partner with moldmakers to be the solution that they need, for the things that they don't have the time or the desire to do.

Photo Credit: Alliance Specialties and Laser

Alliance is always learning how it can best serve the industry, and it has done this through clearly understanding what it is as a company. Over the years, Alliance has developed the process and ability to be a one-stop destination/hub to handle every mold-related issue when it comes to finishing and repair — polishing, mold repair and maintenance, laser welding and engraving, as well as hot runner repair. This dedication to serving the industry has led Alliance to create its U.S.-made fiber laser welding and engraving systems built specifically for mold builders and toolrooms.

At Booth 1426, Alliance and its team will be putting their full selves on display with a focus on who the company is and how they make a difference. Stop by to take part in live Manufacturing Alliance Podcast interviews and games throughout the week or learn more about Alliance’s newest laser welding and engraving systems. Solutions specialists will be on hand to discuss any challenges or stresses you are facing.

Get to Know Bales Metal Surface Solutions

This year will be a milestone year for Bales Metal Surface Solutions as it celebrates 45 years serving the moldmaking industry. Whether it is polishing or an engineered coating, the moldmaking industry is a large percentage of the work Bales does in-house. The technical team understands the challenges and demands that this niche industry faces to complete work on time and produce a quality product.

Photo Credit: Bales Metal Surface Solutions

Staying devoted to the continuous improvement of its processes and services is important to Bales. To keep up with the changes in resins, the company offers solutions to protect the base material and extend the life of the mold. It has also focused on developing a website that offers online research and consulting with ease, such as a coating comparison tool guide, short videos explaining services, a simple request-a-quote page, case studies and an option to schedule a Bales Mold Doctor session offering support and resources.

Visit Booth 1520 to meet the Bales technical team. Rich Wozniak and Rich O'Brien will be on hand to answer any questions and offer the right solution for any sticking, abrasion or corrosion issues.

Each day, they will be raffling off a Bales Mold Finishing Guide.

Get to Know Custom Etch Inc.

Custom Etch specializes in innovative textures for the moldmaking industry. Molds that require the company’s services are normally in their final states, and as a result, all necessary measures are taken into consideration, with customer specifications and expectations fully executed. Custom Etch always strives to be the best in the industry regarding quality, lead time and cost.

Photo Credit: Custom Etch

Custom Etch’s texturing capabilities can be achieved with the traditional chemical etching process or five-axis laser technology. The company is capable of creating any texture needs, either by traditional textures or even digital watermark textures. Support and collaboration with moldmaking leaders keep the company on the newest/latest technology advancements.

Learn more at Booth 809 about the company’s texturing offerings, including Custom Etch’s Innovated Digital Watermarks, which can provide brand protection, recyclability and traceability. All market segments will be showcased. Samples from chemical etching and laser technology will be on display for viewing. Custom Etch will also have many Digital Watermark Textures samples to show and give away. Stop by and say hi to Don Melonio, owner and Chad Hase, director, for details.

**Find Custom Etch in the Injection & Blow Molding Pavilion

Get to Know Fisa North America

Over the past 25 years, Fisa North America has innovated its ultrasonic cleaning equipment and process to be more sustainable and eco-friendly for moldmaking end users. From water recycling features to water-based detergents, the company is always listening to its customers to bring what they need to clean and properly maintain molds through their rigorous lifespan.

Photo Credit: Fisa North America

Find Regional Salesman Fabio Leon at Booth 1421 demonstrating Fisa’s ultrasonic mold cleaning technology with the help of the company’s demo tank, which not only demonstrates different ultrasonic cleaning technologies used for different applications, but also shows what makes Fisa’s technology unique to the industry.

Get to Know Precision Laser Technology

In the last 25 years, Precision Laser Technology (PLT) has exposed manufacturers to the advantages of lasers within their mold building operations. Initially, lasers were a solution for cleaner and faster milling /EDM cavity IDs and logos. Over time, however, lasers have supplanted TIG for welding repairs, acid for texturing and scribing tools for mold specs and traceability. Today, every mold shop utilizes lasers in some capacity, and they continue to be a vital component to U.S. manufacturing.

Photo Credit: Precision Laser Technology

In Booth 1419, PLT will be educating and connecting with customers about its laser services offerings. Its booth theme, “Supporting Global Mold Builders with Proven Laser Solutions,” emphasizes PLT’s ability to meet the service needs of mold building consistently.

Get to Know RUD Ketten Rieger & Dietz GmbH u. Co. KG

Mold handling has never been so easy as with RUD Ketten’s mold handling solutions for turning, opening and closing molds. The customer, and especially the worker, are always their main focus. With its products Tecdos TM, Tecdos TMB, Tecdos TS and Tecdos TSB, RUD helps its customers to work ergonomically, protect the health of their employees and save time in handling molds.

The innovation process started with the RUD Tecdos TM turning table, making it the company’s most meaningful innovation for the moldmaking industry. The Tecdos TM supports the maintenance and repair of molds and tools up to 140,000 pounds. The machine turns, rotates and tilts molds in a matter of seconds, at the touch of a button.

RUD Ketten invites attendees to Booth 1528 to meet and connect with the team, start good conversations and inspire each other.

Photo Credit: RUD Ketten Rieger & Dietz GmbH u. Co. KG

Get to Know Slide Products

Visit Booth 1627 to meet the Slide Products’ team of experts with more than 100 years of field experience and insight into the needs of mold builders and molders when it comes to mold care. The team will be sharing best practice documents and product recommendations with free samples. You can also schedule a Top Tier Service on-site visit so an expert can see your problems firsthand and offer product recommendations and process improvements. Slide’s sales team is made up of five industry veterans with more than 100 years of experience between them, and that’s who you’ll see working in the booth. Slide Products will be displaying its mold cleaners, rust preventives, mold releases and MRO products, and will have free samples of many of the products available at the booth for customers to take with them.

Slide’s complete line of mold care products — mold cleaners, rust preventives, ejector pin grease and MRO formulations — have helped to improve the performance and profitability of moldmakers. For 70 years, Slide has listened to its moldmaking customers and expanded its product line to include solutions designed to address their specific needs, and moldmakers themselves have relied on Slide Products for fast cleaning, rust protection and the reliably smooth processing that comes with having the right formulation for the job. Without moldmaking, Slide says it wouldn't have much of a business.

Slide Products is among the first in the industry to eliminate the usage of chlorinated solvents — substances such as trichloroethylene (TCE) that are known to cause cancer — in all of its formulations, long before stricter regulations were implemented.

Photo Credit: Slide Products

Get to Know St. Paul Engraving

As a service company to the moldmaking industry, customer success is St. Paul Engraving’s success. Moldmaking is a cornerstone in American manufacturing and an essential part of our economy. As the push continues to bring back American-made products, moldmaking will continue to grow and evolve. St. Paul Engraving will evolve with them, providing new and innovative solutions for texturing, engraving, micro machining and mold repair. Together, we’ll adapt, we’ll innovate and we’ll lead the way forward.

St. Paul Engravings’ commitment to provide new and innovative solutions to better serve customers has led to the investment in process development to exceed industry standards and automate its services. The evolution of five-axis laser technology for mold texturing has transformed a once labor-intensive manual process into a repeatable, highly accurate, chemical-free application. This minimizes human error and the limitations of chemical etching while enabling new and nearly limitless design possibilities. In most cases, molds can be laser textured without removing EMD, and the process is automated, enabling 24/7 run capabilities. This has led to faster turnaround while increasing quality to better serve the moldmaking industry.

Photo Credit: St. Paul Engraving

At Booth 1437, St. Paul Engraving will showcase its evolving laser technology and how automation is transforming its process and the industry. Bryan O’Neill, vice president, and John Seiberlich, president, can provide an in-depth look at the company’s services and process. A limited number of custom-engraved SPE tumblers will also be available (must be a moldmaker to receive).

Get to Know Wisconsin Engraving

Visit Booth 1324, a place where mold builders and their customers can come to help alleviate their bottlenecks. In the booth, Wisconsin Engraving is featuring its most knowledgeable employees, people who represent 25 plus years of engraving and texturing experience along with 10 plus years of five-axis laser texturing/ablation experience, to answer questions and highlight its new and proven technologies.

Moldmakers are Wisconsin Engraving’s life blood. Constant technological innovations have been sought after to support the company’s mold building customers. This includes innovations, enhancements and investment in new engraving techniques, along with five-axis laser texturing/ablation machines.