Published 11/20/2024

Recent Innovations in Mold Components and Hot Runners

In this most recent product roundup, MMT continues to offer a variety of innovative as well as tried-and-true technologies to benefit moldmakers.

Fiona Lawler

Associate Editor, MoldMaking Technology

Monthly Roundups

MMT publishes technology and industry-related roundups detailing recent product announcements for moldmakers. Did you miss these headlines?

Innovative Technology for Your Mold Shop at IMTS 2024: Part 2

Tried-and-True Plus New Technology to Level Up Your Mold Shop

Mechanical Solution Enables Simpler Extraction of Undercuts

Ermanno Balzi S.r.l’s AnglePro is a mechanical solution that enables the extraction of undercuts with a reduced extraction stroke compared to traditional systems. This result is made possible by a chain sliding system that, starting from a vertical push of the extraction plate, enables the movement of the extraction rod at angles up to 35°. Considering that maximum extraction angles of 12° are normally used with single-rod systems and up to 18° with double-rod systems, with its 35°, AnglePro can significantly reduce the ejection stroke, thereby decreasing the mold height and the opening required between the fixed and movable parts for the ejection of the molded part.

Plate Movement Product Sizing For Mold Tooling

The geometry of planned injection molded component defines the complexity and the amount of work involved in designing and producing the molding tool. At the design phase, one should look closely at the practicality of the molding tool and the complexity of the demolding process. Hasco America Inc., with its comprehensive range of latch locking units and two-stage ejectors, offers a variety of solutions specifically for the field of multi-stage demolding. Compared to latch locking units, which precisely control the movements of the mold plates by opening the mold, two-stage ejectors control the sequence of the ejection by splitting up the output movement into separate stages.

Expanded Hot Runner System Increases Manifold Sizes; Single Nozzle

DME Company’s EcoOne hot runner system, a configurable manifold and component system for time and cost-sensitive commodity applications, has been expanded to include a single drop nozzle (hot sprue bushing), a 16-drop system and larger manifolds (600mm × 600mm) to complement the initially released one, two, four and eight-drop system family. The company says EcoOne is a economical solution suitable for processing commodity resins for simple, cost-sensitive applications such as consumer goods, small home appliances, basic automotive components, electronic peripherals/accessories and more.

Hot Runner Controller Solutions Benefit Injection Molding

Fast Heat by Spark Industries’ hot runner controllers, MoldXChecker, CableXChecker and related solutions help make injection molding easier for the molder. From simple to complex resins and part geometries, these technologies open processing windows, maximize production uptime, reduce peak kW demand, integrate with injection molding machines and molding cells, protect hot runner tooling and enable IIoT-driven manufacturing. The Pulse hot runner controller is undergoing updates that are designed to be user-friendly and backward compatible.

Multi-Cavity Line Redefines Injection Molding Via Hot Runner Technology

Oerlikon HRSflow’s Multiflow HRS multi-cavity line is designed for the precise production of low shot weight parts, ranging from 0.5 to 120 grams. It is suitable for sectors such as thin-wall packaging, beverage and home, beauty and personal care, medical applications and technical components. The multi-cavity systems offer key advantages, including fast cycle times, high production volumes, consistent part-to-part weight and the ability to process various materials, including PCR compounds and biopolymers. Additional benefits include rapid color changes and good part finishes.

Conventional and Self-Lubricated Mold Components Offer Various Benefits to Moldmakers

SelfLube is a US manufacturer of bronze and steel components used in mold and stamping dies. Selflube makes over 10,000 standard part numbers to accommodate the different needs its customers might have. The company offers conventional components as well as self-lubricated components. These graphited parts enable less maintenance as they do not require any additional lubricates. Wear plates are used to guide and control linear motion when there are heavy forces to contend with.

Expanded Nozzle Series Improves Performance in Multi-Cavity and Hot Half Systems

Mastip Inc. announces the MX Nozzle Series, known for its high performance in multi-cavity and hot half systems, has expanded to include the recently released MX09 nozzle range. Having undergone rigorous testing using various materials and high injection pressures, the MX09 nozzle has improved reliability, temperature profile and thermal stability by incorporating an advanced micro coil heater along with a thermocouple design. With a minimum pitch of 20 mm, a pocket of 14 mm, a nut diameter of 7 mm and a range of extended tips available, the MX09 can fit into very tight spaces.

Mechanical System for Slides Enables a Decrease in Mold Size

CUMSA USA highlights its LS, the new long stroke for slides. It’s a mechanical system designed to expand slide travel up to 100 mm, therefore significantly decrease the mold size. Molds with long strokes present several challenges due to the complexity and precision required in their design and manufacturing. It’s well known that the longer the stroke is, the larger the mold will be. Moving big molds will ultimately be more complicated, as they require more time, effort and larger transportation machines. The LS system was created with mold reduction in mind, even in the event of longer strokes for larger molded parts.

Side Gate Hot Runner System Nozzles Improve Usability for Moldmakers

Side gate nozzles from Barnes Molding Solutions offer customers ease of use and reliability, even with challenging plastics.Toolmakers often hesitate, preferring inefficient cold runners or even placing cylindrical components sideways in the cavity. However, the side gate nozzle THS has proven that cosmetic injection points, easy assembly and consistent reliability can be smoothly combined even on difficult parts and with difficult materials. The homogeneous temperature profile is crucial because, especially with technical materials, the risk of freezing increases when the melt is first redirected to the side.

4-Drop Hot Runner Valve Gate System Offers Compact Design

Heitec Heisskanaltechnik, based in Burgwald, Germany and distributed in North America by Technoject Machinery Corp. of Bolton, Ontario, offers a newly designed, compact valve gate hot runner system. In the past, mold designers have struggled to place gate locations close to the center of the mold due to limited space available for the valve pin actuation above the manifold block. The only available solution was to move the gate locations much farther away from the centre, resulting in unnecessarily large mold bases.

Honing System Enhances Precision of Hot Runners in Injection Molding

Microcut AG highlights Swiss honing systems for the fine machining of bores in mold manufacturing. The company also provides subcontracting work of high precision for bores in the diameter range of 0.015 – 16.0 mm (0.0006″ – 0.63″). In terms of optimizing quality criteria, the company says it is achieves the first shot, no burr needed at the injection molded part. There is no pairing process necessary between needle and bore and therefore a longer service life of the mold.

Radial Springs to Center Floating Inserts for Alignment

Progressive Components introduces Radial Springs, which lift and center floating inserts to pre-align cores before a mold's cavity interlocks engage. Precise alignment is often required between the cavities and cores, such as with critical shutoffs or requirements for a consistent parting line match. Rather than rigidly bolting inserts to the mold base, stripper bolts enables the Radial Spring's pressure to reduce side forces and pressure on alignment locks. Previous design practices utilized disc springs to provide preload in the Z axis, but Progressive's new Radial Springs go a step further by positioning the core insert in the X and Y axis for minimal force to be experienced with the initial lock engagement.