2019 Technology Review: Mold Components

Components Catalog Reveals Extended Components Lines

Progressive Components introduces its new v12 Catalog. New product advantages include a variety of standard mold base components to complement its existing line, new cooling products that are readily machined and reach throughout cores previously not feasible, expanded through-hardened pins for large automotive and appliance tools, advancements in mold maintenance and monitoring technology and new alignment lock configurations.

According to Progressive Components, the catalog provides new standardized options for plate sequencing and more economically feasible routing cooling. The catalog also provides options for eliminating custom per-mold machining with new ejection and alignment standards. The company is also advancing its mold maintenance and monitoring technology. With the debut of the V12 Catalog in May 2018, Progressive Components has the largest and most comprehensive product line offering in their company’s history.

Latch Function on Stamp Prevents Movement on Arrow Inserts

To prevent unintended movement of the arrow insert, Meusburger now offers stamps with a latching function, which the company says ensure higher process reliability during the injection molding process and prevent parts from being marked incorrectly. The latching of the arrow insert into defined positions guarantees that the arrow remains in a fixed position. The main body of the stamp also remains at the same height as the arrow insert, and therefore is named “with fixed height.” The company says that users can easily remove the stamp at the split line face because of a withdrawal thread in the main body. Made of stainless steel 1.4112 with a hardness of 52 HRC, the stamp can be used at temperatures up to 340°C. Meusburger says that because of the low installation height, the stamp also is well-suited for installation in very thin molding plates. The new stamp is available in different variations: month (E 2420 R), year (E 2424 R), 0-9 (E 2422 R) and a blank main body for individual configuration (E 2429 R). The diameters range from 4 to 12 mm. The CAD data is available in the Meusburger web shop.

Undercut Release Component’s 3D Ball Adapter Prevents Binding

PCS Co. launched the ProLifter, a standard undercut release component. PCS Co. says that the ProLifter is unique in that it is self-aligning and compensates for any misalignment from cumulative manufacturing tolerances and compound angles. The ProLifter consists of a three-piece assembly with an optional fourth piece.

Product pieces include the bar or rod, the adapter ball assembly and a guide shoe. PCS Co.’s optional piece for the ProLifter is a keeper key, which is designed for use with a rod. Five assembly sizes are available, including ¼, 3/8, ½, ¾ and 1". The 3D ball construction on the ProLifter eliminates excessive wear and binding.

Lifters Simplify Release of Small Undercuts in Molds

Cumsa USA offers new lifters from the Smart Worm family for the release of small undercuts. The company says that this new component is ideal for releasing small undercuts and that it comes in two versions. Cumsa offers the Smart Worm Pin (WP) or the simple version, which is capable of fitting small clips with short ejection strokes (ranging to 30 or 60 mm). Cumsa also offers the Smart Worm Lifter (WL), which is a long version to help simplify the release of small undercuts for large molds that require more ejection strokes (ranging to 125 mm). The WL is compatible with Cumsa DR lifters.

Cumsa offers both Smart Worms in different sizes—the WP in Ø6 and Ø8 mm and the WL in Ø8 and Ø12 mm. Cumsa says that the advantage of the Smart Worms is that they do not need any mechanism in the ejector plates. Their bendable core (ranging to six degrees) makes it possible to release the undercuts simply by pushing up from the ejector plates.

Cutting Sprue Bushing Removes Need for Secondary Operation

DMS adds Almo’s cutting sprue bushing to its range of edge gate cutting components. The cutting sprue bushing enables feeding plastic components near the mold’s center, virtually eliminating cold runners into a runnerless cold feed and trimming the gate as the mold opens, removing the need for secondary operation. It also provides a large edge gate area to reduce injection pressure and improve the packing and quality of the final plastic product.

Centering Sleeve Saves Space for Flexible Mold Design

HASCO offers the centering sleeve Z21/, which can be deployed flexibly to precisely align the plates on injection molds as they are joined together. With its space-saving positioning above the screw connection, facilitated by a 15-degree lead-in chamfer, the centering sleeve allows plates to be centered in relation to one another and offers flexibility in mold design. The centering sleeve is equipped with an integrated pull-out thread for dismantling, is versatile in use and suitable for maximum service temperatures of up to 200°C.

Clamp Elements are Versatile for Small-Batch Parts Production

The clamping elements of Erowa’s CleverClamp system are specifically tailored to the manufacturing of one-off and small-batch parts. The company says that they are simple to handle and serve a wide variety of applications while decreasing set-up times, increasing machining times and improving productivity. The basic rails of the CleverClamp system are calibrated to fit the Erowa UPC and Erowa MTS production tooling systems. The wide range of clamping elements can be quickly positioned on the serrated base rails and can be used either horizontally or vertically. The base rails provide the flexibility to attach workpieces of varying shapes and sizes in a limited amount of space. An added feature of the CleverClamp system is that it can be universally automated. This increases customer’s machine use by making use of marginal and night hours when the CleverClamp system is combined with an Erowa automation solution.

Supplier Can Accommodate Special Configurations for Customers

Bernal Bearings, LLC specializes in oil-less sleeve/flanged bushings, thrust washers, PTFE bushings, guide components, wear plates/strips for the mold and die industry and general machinery industries worldwide. The company can generally accommodate any size or special configuration customers might need.