OEMs, supplier programs, and other customers needing injection molding services often ask how they can find ways to improve the long-term health of their injection molding program.
The easiest way is by performing mold maintenance services. Molds, when properly cared for, can last several injection molding cycles and with routine maintenance operations. Preventative maintenance services also play a pivotal role in keeping molds healthy.
Triad Plastic Technologies dives into how mold maintenance services improve the long term health of an injection molding program and key operations performed by engineers and mold technicians.
The Importance of Mold Maintenance
Of the list of important items in an injection molding program, the health and stability of the mold rank among the top. When manufacturers and customers discuss and agree upon a preventative and routine mold maintenance plan, responses to mold issues become proactive instead of reactive.
When mold maintenance services are ignored, it can lead to numerous defects in both the mold and in injection molded parts including:
- Flash and dimensional inconsistencies
- Longer cycle and lead times
- Surface defects
- Inefficient cooling
- Early component wear
- Unplanned production downtime
The injection molding process is rough on unmaintained mold because of the high pressures, tough materials, and thermal cycling. These defects in molds and in injection molded components can be avoided through preventative and scheduled maintenance.
Specific Mold Maintenance Services
Understanding the importance of injection mold maintenance leads to the formation of a preventative maintenance plan that can be performed as part of the manufacturing process. When the injection molding process has concluded and the mold is removed from the service line, engineers can take it to a maintenance area and begin some of these operations to extend mold service life and extend your injection molding program.
While it might seem like an obvious maintenance solution, molds should be properly cleaned and inspected after every production run. Inspections include looking for any excessive wear marks on the mold, deformities, and improper cooling marks. Cleaning includes surface treatments of mold cavities, cores, vents, cooling channels, and ejector systems.
There are also basic preventative maintenance operations that can be performed. Proper lubrication, measurement of critical dimensions to ensure there aren’t any changes, cooling system verification, and replacement of wear items before failure.
Another mold maintenance service to consider is also cooling system maintenance services. Cooling is vital for maintaining cycle times and part consistency. Cooling channels can foster scale buildup, blockages, and even restrictions that hurt cooling performance.
When these cooling channels are routinely cleaned and inspected, there’s better heat transfer and production efficiency.
Benefits for Long Term Injection Molding Programs
All of these mold maintenance services are aimed at bettering the health of a long term injection molding program, and that means there are inherit benefits from having a maintenance plan.
The first benefit is the extended tool life. When tools and molds are properly taken care of, they are going to last longer which means an injection molding program is going to survive more cycles. Cleaner molds means more consistent and high-quality parts, which impacts not only parts, but their impact in their application and their impact on the open market.
Lastly, lead times can be on time and in some cases, even reduced through mold maintenance services.
Partner with Triad Plastic Technologies for High-Quality Mold Maintenance Services
Triad Plastic Technologies is one of the nation’s leading custom injection molding manufacturers with a devoted specialty of investing in the most modern technology available. Located in Reno, Nevada, our team of technicians, engineers, and executives have worked together for our customers since 1988.
Mold maintenance services are part of what makes Triad unique. Our team of dedicated engineers perform preventative and routine maintenance that keeps your mold healthy and ready for operation over several production runs.
Are you experiencing issues with your current molds? Contact Triad Plastic Technologies today for more information about our mold maintenance services and let’s take your mold from scuffed to operational.