Die spotting press intruduction helped mould maker to shorten total mold manufacturing lead-time - to 30 days for simpler tools and 60 to 65 days on larger, more complex tools.
'Die spotting press intruduction helped mould maker to shorten total mold manufacturing lead-time - to 30 days for simpler tools and 60 to 65 days on larger, more complex tools. ' Purchasing from a local die spotting press manufacturing company - CMTI - a 2500kN die spotting press at the end of last year proved to be a right investment decision taken by Dukheung Engineering's management. Before the introduction of the press, all molds designed and manufactured in Dukheung Engineering had to be sent out for spotting to a spotting service outsourcing company.

This not only cost the company much, but also, as the supplier was not using its presses only for our molds, it was consuming 4 - 5 days before the mold was back in house.

Now, apart from other advantages that 180 degree tilting bolster die spotting press gives, like i.e safe for mold working on it, Dukheung Engineering is able to deliver to its customers with tools at least 3 - 5 days faster than before.

The total lead-time Dukheung Engineering are able to achieve now for smaller and less complex shaped parts tooling was reduced to 30 days and for the largest in weight and demanding much work on it molds - 60 to 65 days.

Dukheung Engineering is a medium size, ISO9001/QS9000 certified Korean injection mold and die casting mold maker with an anual turnover close to US$3m.

The company specializes in tools for medium and large size parts with mold weight from 2 - 15 tons mainly for automotive, electronics sector.

Ongoing investment by UK mould and die maker in 'state-of-the-art' machine tools and software, to serve European automotive customers, approaches GBP 1 million, .
Mason Pinder Toolmakers has invested more than GBP 700,000 in 'state-of-the-art' machine tools at Doncaster to manufacture injection mould tooling for the European automotive industry. The two principal machine tools included in this investment, an ONA spark eroder and a Mecof 5-axis high speed milling machine, allow rapid precision machining of individual injection mould tools up to 25 tonnes in weight. This enables Mason Pinder to make tools and dies for vehicle bumpers, fascias, wheel arch liners and other trim parts up to 4 metres in length.

It also allows full envelope moulding tools for washing machines, widescreen TVs and other large consumer durables, and 'street furniture' such as wheelie bins.

The new capacity, allied to an automated factory management system, gives Mason Pinder capacity to lead European toolmakers.

The ONA, for instance, is claimed to be the largest in Europe and can machine two large tools simultaneously, using fully automatic control and tool changing.

'Over the last three years we have transformed our capability,' says Mason Pinder technical director Ken Barrass.

'Our 'direct to steel' automated factory management system allows us to cut lead times substantially, as well as enabling very rapid modifications to be built in, sometimes within hours rather than days.' In addition to the two large machines, Mason Pinder has also invested more than GBP 200,000 in the past two years to provide product design and improved tool design capability using 'state of the art' CAD/CAM software.

Toolcraft Plastics of Swindon reduced tooling costs by two-thirds with simple yet ingenious idea of splitting the cylinder of Golf-Tech's golf ball server into two parts.
Toolcraft Plastics of Swindon reduced tooling costs by two-thirds with simple yet ingenious idea of splitting the cylinder of Golf-Tech's golf ball server into two parts. Completing design so that each half was identical and interlocks then comes from standard engineering design techniques. Moulding as originally conceived would have needed withdrawing parts of the tool slowing the moulding operation as well as adding draft angles to the design, in addition to the larger tool.

The half cylinder is now accommodated by a standard bolster with minimum complexity of mould and the production runs are doubled.

Tool and die maker has broken its own record for by providing a specialist closures company with modifications to a large multi-impression tool for plastic cap moulds within a day and a half.
FSG Tool and Die broke its own record for Dragon Plastics, providing the specialist closures company with modifications to a large multi-impression tool for plastic cap moulds within a day and a half. Dragon Plastics, based in Pontypridd, has been doing business with its neighbour, FSG, for many years, during which time it has purchased several complete suites of tooling and had much maintenance work carried out by the company - but even Dragon was impressed by the super-fast turn-around time FSG delivered for the latest tool modifications. Dragon Plastics MD, Ian Parker, explains, 'Although we are a relatively small company our technical and manufacturing skills mean that we compete with the best in the world for the production of plastic moulded child-resistant closures.

Our product range, which is continuously being developed, also includes child-resistant tamper evident closures and an award-winning child-resistant drop dispenser product.

This type of packaging, usually for the pharmaceutical and potentially hazardous goods markets, demands highly complex tooling which is innovative in terms of both design and production, but, in such a fast-moving market, product delivery times are vital too, so the ability of FSG to respond so rapidly was really valuable to us.' The two Welsh companies share more than a common location; they are both committed to a strategy of investing in the most advanced technology, providing their staff with the tools to deliver cost-effective innovative solutions to some of the world's most demanding customers.

Easy-to-maintain mould temperature controllers have fast and accurate heat-up time and can accurately maintain programmed temperatures.
Sandretto UK has sold four temperature control units to plastics processor, Tamworth-based FTW. FTW, formed in 1986, now employs over 40 people in tool making; injection moulding, assembly, printing and welding, and project management. The Sandretto UK-supplied mould temperature controllers include benefits such as easy-access maintenace, thanks to the design of the stainless steel cover.

The units can be stacked on top of each other to save space with the addition of a adapter plate to secure them.

Due to the design of the heating chamber, the controllers have fast and accurate heat-up time and can accurately maintain programmed temperatures over long periods of operation.

Chris Whitlam, National Sales Manager for Ancillaries and Automation notes that 'a heater is also about cooling capacity.

Our controllers have a range of cooling capacities that can be added to by the use of additional heat exchangers.

Sandretto UK supplies two main ranges; the JWP lines - systems that deploy a pressure vessel to heat water up to 150 and also the JWD that has a leak stopper facility.

By offering a range of direct and indirect cooling options, oil heaters with microprocessor control offer water heating to 90degC or oil heating to 150degC.
Wittmann is set to build sales of its Tempro Plus and Tempro Primus mould temperature controllers to plastics processors by offering a range of direct and indirect cooling options. A new range of oil heaters allows the company to offer a temperature of up to 250degC. Wittmann's Tempro Basic 90 now offers water heating to 90degC or oil heating to 150degC.

Included as standard are low-watt density incoloy heat and air-purging for mould changes.

Wittmann's new Tempro direct 120 now offers direct water-based cooling for temperatures up to 120 C.

The controller is fitted with a self-optimising microprocessor control (+/- 1 C) for temperatures up to 120degC.

Pump action with pressure of up to 6 bar guarantees a high flow of process water.

The direct cooling route offers a short preheating time and a high cooling capacity.

The Tempro Plus 250 - for highest temperature operation - now comes with a magnetically coupled pump without seal, thus pre-empting any wear and tear seal problems.

Double level controls - refill warning, automatic switch-off apply - and the controller has heating capacity of 12kW.

Meanwhile Wittmann's Tempro Primus controller introduced last year continues to do well with plastics processors who are primarily seeking value-for-money equipment.

The TP Primus comes with 6kW heating capacity and a pump capacity of 60 litres at 3.8 bar pressure.

The new Primus enhancements include: a new heating element, an improved and quieter submersible element, a leak stopper and evacuating function; alarm contact and acoustic alarm; operating hours counter; a self optimising microprocessor controller (+/-1degC), and service interval display.

Additional manual filling to allow the addition of water treatment has also been factored in.

The unit is encased in a new design that allows more modular and therefore cheaper production.

Wittmann's new Tempro Primus has effectively phased out the company's Tempro Basic 90 in standard version.

The Basic with additional equipment will still be available at the same price, and the Wittmann TP Basic 140 is still available in all units.

The Wittmann Group currently employs 580 employees and enjoys a revenue of some 120 million euros.

Tooling for plastic components normally represents a high percentage of the parts costs. However, a novel key design allows different parts to be made independently within the same tool.

Tooling for plastic components normally represents a high percentage of the parts costs. However, using a novel key design to allow different parts to be made independently within the same tool, Toolcraft Plastics are able to offer substantial economies. The key not only enables different parts to be moulded, but by careful design, parts can also be made independently using differing materials.

The multi-part tool costs less than two individual tools and also enables a quick change-over in production, saving time and hence costs.

In parts for a small instrument case, the mounting piece, which also provides thermal insulation, is made in white ABS, whereas the lens, available in different colours, is moulded in Polycarbonate, yet both were made from the same tool.

The latest version of an off-the-shelf laser weld solution for adding metal onto worn or damaged mould tools has a novel swivelling optic that allows the beam to be tilted in 2 axes.

The latest version of the StarWeld Tool Integral from Rofin-Baasel UK offers an off-the-shelf solution for adding metal onto worn or damaged mould tools. Capable of welding tool steels, stainless steel, titanium, copper and aluminium, the StarWeld Tool Integral offers several key benefits to the toolroom: - a unique swivelling optic allows the beam to be tilted in 2 axes to apply the beam at an angle to the workpiece for welding vertical edges and hard to access surfaces - an optional fine-welding capability allows very fine spot sizes to be achieved (less than 100 micron) for very fine precision welding - the system is fully integrated with minimum floor space, no external chiller is required and it is easily transported and installed - the unique software front end with display of peak pulse power and energy density helps the operator achierve the best results quickly - the fixed height of the stereo microscope means there is no need to change posture when moving the tool up and down - the access doors can be fully opened and as an option the laser rail can be retracted for direct loading of the machine by an overhead crane. The StarWeld Tool family is now more capable and flexible than ever.

Capillary extrusion rheometer is a powerful floor-standing instrument designed to measure the flow of materials such as molten plastics to aid die design.
Magna Projects and Instruments' Eta 2100 capillary extrusion rheometer is a powerful floor-standing instrument designed to measure the flow of materials such as molten plastics, doughs, pastes, rubbers, foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc, under the duress of conditions likely to be found in processing. Models within the range are capable of reaching material pressures as high as 2100 bar (30,000 psi) at temperatures of up to 450degC. Since the viscosity of most materials is not constant but changes with the speed of processing, the Eta 2100 uses a state-of-the-art servo drive system to control the speed of extrusion over a very wide range.

The whole system is computer controlled by Magna's RheoTenax software suite, which has been especially written to be user friendly and provide a wide range of manual and automatic control options, and an advanced analysis and presentation package.

The instrument - a very highly instrumented and controlled piston-driven extrusion machine - is useful for formulation development, materials research, troubleshooting, quality control, generation of data for mould or die design software.

The extruded product may be tested using other techniques in order to link processing behaviour with, for example, mechanical properties.

Accessories are available to measure swelling after extrusion (die swell), viscous heating, effect of hydrostatic pressure on viscosity, etc.

The Eta 2100 is complemented by Magna's benchtop MiniCER capillary rheometers, for applications which do not require the high pressures etc of the Eta 2100.

Magna's products are designed on a modular basis so that modifications to suit specific applications may be made easily and cost-effectively.

By using a Trumpf PowerWeld HL124P, Worksop-based Moeller Manufacturing has created a win-win situation that pleases both their customers and their financial director. They supply a wide range of rotary switches on short delivery times with a minimum of stockholding. In this lean environment tooling must therefore always be ready to use, and premature wear, or accidental damage to a key injection moulding tool can play havoc with typical end-product delivery times of only 2 or 3 days.

With their PowerWeld, Moeller are always now only minutes away from being able to use any tool - even if it needs repairing first ! The Trumpf PowerWeld machine range has been specifically developed to enable mould tools to be repaired with a previously unattainable speed and quality.

PowerWeld is a self-contained, small footprint machine that uses an NdYAG laser to repair mould tool edges by the controlled micro-deposition of a filler material.

Not only is it fast, precise and predictable, but it is 'minimally intrusive' and therefore will not thermally distort delicate tooling elements or metallurgically alter the parent metal.

According to Moeller's MD David Howell, installation and integration were quick and easy - as was the training in this new technology.

He states:- 'Our existing TIG welders picked it up in '5-minutes' and they like it - because its much easier to use.' The in-built fume extraction and particulate filtration create a clean working environment, and adjustable chair and armrest lead to fatigue-free operation.

The work is viewed through a 25x magnification stereo-microscope, enabling precise targeting of the worn or damaged area of the tool.

The work-piece can easily be moved by small, precise amounts because the work-table surface is air-cushioned; movement is controlled by either joy-stick or CNC, the latter providing a unidirectional, controlled straight-line feed.

Process parameters can be selected by a display and keypad, and can be saved for use on repeat operations.

Apart from the speed, precision, and overall predictability of the operation, one of the biggest benefits to Moeller has been is the virtual elimination of follow-on hand-work or dressing.

According to David Howell:- 'Subsequent dressing takes only 'a couple of minutes' with a diamond file - in fact the total time to repair a 50mm long worn tool edge is no more than 5 minutes!' Instead of hours - or even days; Moeller are now only minutes away from being able to use any tool, even if it needs refurbishing first - a win-win situation that surely satisfies both the FD and the customer.

Capillary extrusion rheometer is a powerful floor-standing instrument designed to measure the flow of materials such as molten plastics to aid die design.
Magna Projects and Instruments' Eta 2100 capillary extrusion rheometer is a powerful floor-standing instrument designed to measure the flow of materials such as molten plastics, doughs, pastes, rubbers, foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc, under the duress of conditions likely to be found in processing. Models within the range are capable of reaching material pressures as high as 2100 bar (30,000 psi) at temperatures of up to 450degC. Since the viscosity of most materials is not constant but changes with the speed of processing, the Eta 2100 uses a state-of-the-art servo drive system to control the speed of extrusion over a very wide range.

The whole system is computer controlled by Magna's RheoTenax software suite, which has been especially written to be user friendly and provide a wide range of manual and automatic control options, and an advanced analysis and presentation package.

The instrument - a very highly instrumented and controlled piston-driven extrusion machine - is useful for formulation development, materials research, troubleshooting, quality control, generation of data for mould or die design software.

The extruded product may be tested using other techniques in order to link processing behaviour with, for example, mechanical properties.

Accessories are available to measure swelling after extrusion (die swell), viscous heating, effect of hydrostatic pressure on viscosity, etc.

The Eta 2100 is complemented by Magna's benchtop MiniCER capillary rheometers, for applications which do not require the high pressures etc of the Eta 2100.

Magna's products are designed on a modular basis so that modifications to suit specific applications may be made easily and cost-effectively.

Laser welding repair of large plastics injection mould tools in-situ also allows a wide variety of metals to be added to tools including tool steels, stainless steels, aluminium and copper.
Rofin-Baasel UK launch the new system for repair of plastics injection mould tools, the StarWeld Tool Open. The StarWeld Tool Open offers the benefit of being able to weld larger and heavier tools which could not fit inside the enclosure of the StarWeld Tool Integral. Bringing the laser to the workpiece overcomes the size and weight restrictions of fitting the tools inside the enclosure of the system.

Available with laser sources from 40W to 250W the StarWeld Tool Open allows a wide variety of metals to be added to tools including tool steels, stainless steels, aluminium and copper.

The focus head of the laser system is mounted on a small XYZ assembly to allow fine positioning and welding under joystick control.

Coarse positioning is achieved using the horizontal and vertical support arms.

The welding head offers motorised beam diameter adjustment and the head is mounted on ball and socket locking mechanism to apply any angular approach required.

Viewing of the weld area is by a small LCD monitor with high resolution and crosswire targeting.

Build up welding to repair damaged surfaces and edges using wires in the range of 0.25 to 0.5mm diameter allows fine welding with low heat input and the addition of the same material as the original tool means that after remachining and polishing the welded repair is invisible.

Multi-couplings control the centralised supply of hydraulics to the valve gate cylinders and operation of the sequential injection nozzles on injection moulding machines.
Moulds used for plastics injection are becoming more complex as manufacturers develop the process technology to produce thinner, larger and more intricate products. This new technology frequently requires a sequential injection process to be used, ensuring that each segment of the mould is supplied with material at the required flow rate and temperature. St„ubli, specialists in quick release connections, have introduced a range of multi couplings specifically designed for this type of application.

The new mutli-couplings are designated by Staubli as SPC 203 and SPC 205; and are designed for flow rates up to 2.85 litre/mn and up to 8 litre/mn respectively.

They control the centralised supply of hydraulics to the valve gate cylinders and operation of the sequential injection nozzles on the injection moulding machine.

An example of performance is the nozzle opening time working with a cylinder of volume 19.5cm3; this is 0.4 secs with an SPC 203 and 0.15 secs with an SPC 205.

SPC multi-couplings were developed by Staubli specifically to address the need for quick and accurate changes of sequential valve gate connections.

They build on the experience of custom designed multi-couplings provided for injection moulding customers in the past.

Making hydraulic connections during mould changeovers can take up to 20 minutes when individual couplings are used, even longer if threaded connections are involved.

This time is reduced to less than 1 minute with the new SPC multi-couplings.

An additional benefit is the guaranteed connection accuracy, eliminating any confusion on which lines need to be connected.

Space is normally at a premium on mould surfaces so the small footprint permits flexibility in mounting the tool side plate on any available location on the mould and the press side is easier to handle.

There are three options available on each model depending on the number of circuits to be supplied, either 2, 4 or 6, the plate fixed to the mould will have the corresponding 4, 8 or 12 plugs.

Each connector is of non-spill clean break design preventing any pollution to the working environment and the circuits.

Connection is only possible in one position preventing misconnection and additional safety options include a keying system to prevent any connection errors where several plates are used with the same mould tool.

Staubli is an international family owned group founded over 100 years ago in Switzerland employing 3500 world-wide.

The Couplings Division manufacturing facilities are located in France, Germany and Italy, with offices across Europe, North and South America and the Far East; the UK base is in Telford.