Molding Machine
 

The molding machine, what the heck is it, and how do we use it for the long term.
In reviewing tips I have written, I  often wrote how to do things and talked about aspects of machine, the operator and the mold(our factory) but not sure if I have directed any attention to the machine. The molding machine is that, a machine which when treated properly and maintained will perform to its ability for a period of time. It cannot do repeatedly that which it is not set up for nor does not have the capabilities for. The machine at its current state in the industry depends on impute from someone to be setup to operate in regards to the controls and settings. This fact leads to some variability in what we see as out put at times.

What is the machines’ function? It is to melt,  soften, or not the material so that we can than inject it into the mold under pressure (our form, a separate subject not part of the machine) and than to hold it there under pressure until such time that it will solidify and than repeat the operation. Basically we squirt a fluid like material into a closed container or form, where it solidifies or cross-links, becoming solid and than is ejected from the container / form while the machine has returned to a charged position ready to repeat its process.  Sorry for the repetition but it is a key feature.

 So that is it in a nut shell. The key to this function of the machine is that it has to repeat and be identical. In other words we want the process to be the same each and every time. Now if you have an older machine or have worked on older machines you may have issues but will agree that the machine function is what we have stated, the fact was that we could not monitor what was changing. Thus we could not verify that the machine was operating the same every time. With out repeatability we have nothing, and to that extent if we do not maintain our machine and or check its calibration from time to time how do we know we have the same process and or repeatability.  Repeatability, to repeat is a result; if the setup is the same it is not guaranteed that the results will be the same. By setup we mean the set points on the machine.

In looking at molding machines we now have many choices of suppliers and types, all with the same basic function but how they do it is a bit varied, (hydraulic vs. electric, horizontal vs. vertical) but all in all the same.

The machine is composed basically of the 3 C’s as some would say, Control, Carriage and clamp. These units may be all mounted to a large frame which may or may not contain other aspects of the machine so that it may function. These may be pumps, motors, tanks, or not dependent on the choice of operation for the machine, but we do need a base or frame to mount the Clamp mechanism and the carriage unit and in most cases today the control panels but not in all cases.

To be continued:

Thanks for the time.
 

Steven L Silvey
Silveys’ Plastic Consulting
360-882-3183
peipai@aol.com