Abtec has been providing custom injection molds and supporting tooling for various industries worldwide for more than 40 years. As a trusted global partner, we leverage cutting-edge technologies and advanced mold-making processes to produce precision injection molds within the shortest period of time. We also offer preventive mold maintenance solutions to guarantee the optimal performance of your molds and tools.
What Is Injection Mold Maintenance?
Injection mold maintenance refers to the scheduled cleaning and repairs done to keep an injection mold in optimum working condition. Maintenance can be done routinely over the life of the mold or whenever a problem arises. Regular maintenance helps eliminate the risk of downtime due to part failures. Abtec Inc. provides life of the tool maintenance for tools built and run at Abtec Inc.
What Issues May Arise If Molds Are Not Maintained?
With time, molding processes wear a mold to compromise its quality and performance. Ideally, a fine layer of materials builds up, albeit slowly, on the mold surfaces and, if it is not removed, this deposit dents the tool. This results in a range of defects, including flashes that reduce efficiency.
What Are the Long-Term Benefits of Proper Injection Mold Maintenance?
You don’t have to wait until typical maintenance issues arise before undertaking appropriate maintenance on your injection molds. Undertaking regular preventive maintenance helps lower overall production costs while ensuring optimal performance of your equipment. The following are the long-term benefits of a properly maintained mold:
Better quality and longevity: High-quality equipment and tools are a costly investment. Continual mold maintenance guarantees better quality and longevity while reducing the total cost of ownership.
Prevents inefficiencies: Worn-out parts undeniably affect product quality. An effective way to avoid product imperfections and inefficiencies is to be diligent about performing preventive maintenance.
Cut costs: Failure to carry out mold maintenance results in significant repair or replacement costs. It is a lot cheaper to perform regular maintenance than to repair or replace a broken tool.
Common Defects of Molds from Poor Maintenance
Poor maintenance can result in a range of severe defects that affect the product’s safety, performance, and function. These defects include:
Burn marks
Burn marks on molds appear as black or rust-colored discoloration at the edge of a molded plastic part. Burn marks in injection-molded parts are caused by either trapped air or resin or overheating in the mold cavity during the injection.
Flash
Many manufacturers also refer to flash as “burrs” or “spew”. Flash refers to a condition with excess molding material appearing as a protrusion at the component’s edge. Such defect occurs because some materials flow out of the intended channels. They then enter the space that occurs between the tooling plate. Some may also flow in at the injection pin. Although it is a subtle defect, a flash may be an obvious defect is obvious on products and caused by improper exhaust system.
Injection Mold Design Services at Abtec
Abtec has been providing a range of custom injection mold tooling solutions that meet the needs of various industries and applications for more than a century! We have a well-equipped facility, highly experienced toolmakers, and engineers with expert skills to produce fabricating injection molds to suit our customers’ needs.
Abtec engineers work with a range of CAD formats, including CimatronE, Pro/E, SolidWorks, AutoCAD, and CADKEY. In addition, our mold fabrication processes also leverage the latest CNC machining technologies, including high-speed milling, wire EDM, and sinker EDM, to produce high-quality, economical molds in the shortest time possible. The types of molds available at Abtec include full chase molds, master unit die (MUD) molds, and more.
At Abtec, our tool designers understand all the steps to create and maintain quality molds that meet the stringent demands of your application while guaranteeing optimal performance. Contact us today for more info or to request a quote!