Hot Runner Technologies Improve Injection Molding Process

At K 2019, HRSflow will present challenging applications of its FLEXflow hot runner technology with recent developments targeted to improve the injection molding process. These include examples for perfectly balanced Family Tools with extremely different part volumes, an extended cylinder range, the new SA series of nozzles for small shot weights, as well as HRScool, HRSflow’s innovative solution for hot runner injection molding in which water cooling of the associated actuators can be completely eliminated.

The company’s hot runner technology provides potential to improve the quality of the parts, to avoid cost for additional process tuning, to broaden the process window and to extend lifetime of the tool. Using servo driven valve gate technology to independently control stroke, timing and force of each individual pin, can overcome existing limitations in terms of close similarity in size, weight, wall section and volume, whilst ensuring all cavities are being filled simultaneously, preventing from overfeeding and flash formation. FLEXflow technology enables surfaces without any flow mark and an accurate control of deflection on each component. The mold is equipped with a twenty-one-nozzle, electrically-driven valve gate hot runner system including two angled nozzles.

The company will also showcase an extended portfolio of compact and small cylinders which includes a series of pneumatic cylinders that can be easily installed without removing the hot runner from the mold plate. The cylindfers do not require cooling for a wide range of polymers. The cylinders are available with or without end stroke, as damped version, also with end stroke, and with pressure sensor.

Further optimized products include compact hydraulic cylinders, requiring only small cut-outs in the tool. With improved material selection and design, they minimize the heat transfer from the manifold, reducing heating energy consumption. In addition to the basic design a dampened version is available. Further variants offer a microswitch for end position detection as well as an adjustable version to compensate the position of the needle by ±1 mm without mechanical reworking.

The company’s SA Series is its smallest series of screwed-in hot runner nozzles for very low shot weights, with a very compact cut-out, dedicated to process small technical components and designed to have optimal thermal conditions for high flexibility in processing engineering polymers, even with high fibre loads or high viscosities. Another highlight will be HRScool, which eliminates water cooling for the most common automotive applications. The design minimizes the heat transfer from the hot tool plate to the cylinder, while a highly thermally conductive cover maximizes heat dissipation from the cylinder to the cold clamping plate.

Visitors can experience the company’s hot runner technology during live presentations at partner booths.