MTD Micro Molding Makes Major Investments

MTD Micro Molding has invested 10 percent of its annual revenue to internal R&D projects that explore micro-molding capabilities, helping customers achieve product breakthroughs. MTD has furthered that investment by hiring Patrick Haney, the company’s first R&D engineer. Haney, who brings knowledge of polymer behavior, will primarily focus on developing prototype equipment and investigating the polymer phenomena often found in processing bio-absorbable and high-performance engineering thermoplastics.

The gas chromatography system is analytical equipment that measures residual monomer and assists with material characterization, which supports R&D by looking at materials on a molecular level. When used in conjunction with DCS equipment for material characterization, MTD builds profiles for materials to analyze behavior. This provides an in-house suite of equipment for material characterization/science including molecular makeup (GC testing), thermal behavior (DSC testing), and viscosity and rheology behavior (IV testing).

MTD also owns a Mitsubishi MX600 oil wire EDM machine, which enables machining operators to use ultra-small wire ranging 0.0008"-0.001". MTD has also acquired a Mitsubishi six-axis robot, which enables functionality for in-line inspection and complex packaging schemes. Two Sodick molding machines have also increased production volume and speed.