Mold System Runs Two Separate Molds Simultaneously

Canon Virginia Inc. introduces a new Multi-Mold System, which runs two separate molds in one press simultaneously. NPE 2018 attendees could see the system in action as it ran in a customized Sumitomo (SHI) Demag press in Canon’s booth. Plastic material is injected into the first mold. The system then moves the first mold outside the machine chamber for cooling and moves the second mold in place for processing. Then the first mold returns in the machine and ejects its parts, while the second mold moves outside of the machine for part cooling. In addition, the retrieval robot can handle two types of parts with different shapes in cooperation with the system.

This system helps transform idle cooling time into productive time by shuttling a second mold into production. The user can program changing conditions like pressure, temperature, injection speed and clamp force as specified for each mold and the system controls the parameters automatically as the mold shuttles back and forth. The company says that the proprietary process accomplishes dual, multi-product molding by the same machine without error or loss of time, achieving reductions in cost, time and waste.