Stanford Manufacturing and LS Mtron collaborate on pair of specially designed molding machines featuring tie bar retraction
Press release submitted on behalf of LS Mtron and Stanford Manufacturing.
A young family business billing itself as “your modern injection molding partner” offers a clear example of how customized, state-of-the-art injection molding equipment makes all the difference in how competitive a manufacturer can be when serving industries with intensive standards.
Vowing a next-level customer service experience, Stanford Manufacturing in Clemmons, North Carolina, showcases how investing in customized injection molding machines right out of the gate can set a molder apart from the pack.
Boasting ISO 9001 and AS9100D certifications, Stanford manufactures according to the most stringent standards for aerospace, automotive and industrial applications, in addition to consumer parts.
“Our priority is to create quality products, but also to provide a great experience,” explained Stanford’s Business Development Director Jack Elliott. “That to me is modern manufacturing. “We like to brag about our customer service department because they’re some of the most well-versed individuals in our company.”
Stanford was launched in 2017 as one of several brands of the parent company, FourShare, and now employs 77 people. In 2019, Stanford earned its ISO9001 certification, marking its commitment to establishing a robust Quality Management System that adhered to international standards. In 2023, the company achieved AS9100D certification by implementing protocols tailored to the aerospace and defense sectors; this certification indicates a manufacturer is equipped to produce products for these industries in a safe and regulated manner.
Acquiring new IMMs built to adhere to those standards became a priority. When rearranging and augmenting its primary production facility, Stanford needed to design custom injection molding machines to work within a low ceiling height.
Adding tie bar retraction capability to allow for safe mold changes was one key part of the solution. Additionally, Stanford had to raise its IMMs off the floor to accommodate the molds; this required a high base option to drop the mold extension to the floor.
Determining that LS Mtron was one of few suppliers who could execute to its specifications, Stanford purchased custom-made 770T and 1200T molding machines to join its fleet, bringing its number of IMMs to 11. Both companies collaborated on designing the machines – right down to colors that match the sleek aesthetic of Stanford’s production facility. The production floor is cleaned daily for safety reasons and to be ready to show off for impromptu tours.
“They’ve gone above and beyond to create custom solutions for us that are tailored to our experience in our facility,” Elliott said.
Addressing unique needs
Designing the two new LS machines required plenty of back and forth, not just between Stanford and LS Mtron but between Stanford and its mold maker and end customer.
LS Mtron’s mechanical design engineer Sean Yoo “was able to bring up machine configurations on the computer in front Stanford’s team and go through options for machine height or how much the tie bar could retract,” explained Paul Caprio, president of sales for LS Mtron Injection Molding Machine USA.
Both machines required tie bar retraction capability, which allows operation in tighter quarters and adds a level of safety for operators. With the push of a button, the tie bar retracts from the machine in about 60 seconds to allow a mold to be installed. Typically, a mold is brought in over and between the tie bars with a forklift or overhead crane. That wasn’t possible with the Stanford facility’s low ceiling, so being able to remove one of the tie bars allows the mold to be inserted from a lower height.
Stanford’s new LS 770T machine is combination of a 660-ton IMM with a 770 body, Caprio added.
“Stanford ordered a 660, but we built it with the mechanics of the 770 for space reasons,” Caprio said. “After we installed it, they asked if we were able to convert it into a 770 with our software — so we did.”
Stanford molds a broad range of mostly polypropylene parts for industries including electronics and furniture. “We can make a product from the size of your pinky nail to a 23-gallon trash can,” Elliott said.
The company also produces watering systems for industrial batteries for fellow FourShare brand Battery Watering Technologies. Stanford molds floats for lead acid batteries used in forklifts, golf carts and similar applications. Paint Daddy, FourShare’s newest brand, also uses parts molded by Stanford, as does Xtreme Defense, which makes trash cans.
Symbiosis across a family of brands is something LS Mtron knows plenty about.
“Our machines are made for molders by molders,” explained Peter Gardner, president of LS Mtron Injection Molding Machine USA. “Our own family of companies, including LG Electronics and various LS companies are using these machines day in and day out within their factories – so we feel for the molder a little more and build the machine the way our customer needs it. We’re more apt to customize them because we customize them in our own factories.”
Up and running
Before the new machines arrived, Stanford’s engineering team spent weeks preparing by planning a new layout for its factory.
“Most of the time was spent in digital modeling, rendering what we could move around and how we could fit all the pieces in — and still meet quality and safety requirements for our operators,” Elliott noted.
Numerous moving parts had to be accounted for – especially for the 1200T, which required a concrete slab with reinforced steel rebar to be poured to support its weight. A concrete slab can’t be poured more than once, so there was no room for error.
Once the new layout was designed, the moving began. Equipment was rearranged around Stanford’s factory to make room for the new machines, and the arrangement had to be done in a way that upheld safety codes. “We need to have enough space between each machine to allow our machine operators to comfortably and safely do their job,” Elliott said. This includes space for machine maintenance, offloading parts and scrap materials, molds installation and more.
“The day the new machines arrived, the LS team arrived to help move them in and make sure they were perfectly functional for us,” Elliott said.
Stanford trained its operators onsite with the help of the LS team. After initial training, LS was available remotely to answer any questions that arose.
Managed by 16 machine operators working three shifts per day, Stanford’s LS Mtron machines are producing parts for the material handling sector.
Productive partnership
Stanford got off to a running start with LS Mtron by agreeing to purchase its two new IMMs about 30 days after meeting with the equipment supplier. About six months after the order, the machines were installed and running in December 2024.
A key component of LS Mtron’s flexibility is having its mechanical design engineer and software engineer in Chicago, which allows its R&D team to determine “what’s possible on a machine,” Gardner said. “Stanford started to get the feeling from us that we were very responsive” compared with other equipment suppliers.
In fact, when the Stanford team visited LS Mtron’s NPE 2024 booth (the largest for IMMs at the show) in Orlando a few months after putting in the order, “they said they felt really good about their decision,” Caprio recalled.
“Being responsive to our customers and always having someone available to pick up the phone is of the utmost importance to us,” Elliott concludes. “We’ve seen that reciprocated with LS Mtron. Their customer service has been impeccable. Just having LS team members at our site to help with every aspect of the installation and answer any question has been invaluable.”
WATCH: The LS Mtron tie bar retractor in action
WATCH: LS Mtron machines installed at Stanford Manufacturing
About LS Mtron Injection Molding Machines
LS Mtron is part of the LS Group, a South Korean-based conglomerate with over 25,000 employees, annual revenues of over $30 billion and profit of approximately $1 billion. LS Mtron Injection Molding Machines (LS IMM), a division of LS Mtron, was started in 1969 by South Korean tech giant LG Corporation, one of the world’s largest plastic molders. Founded initially to satisfy their own production needs for injection molded components used in their world-famous TVs, appliances, electronics, and other products, today LS IMM produces around 3,000 machines per year, not only for use by our network of LS-related and LG-founded companies but also for thousands of molders around the world.
Since 2021, the LS Group has invested $722 million in a number of its businesses in the U.S., demonstrating unwavering commitment to long-term growth and innovation.
Beginning with the development of Korea’s first injection molding machines, LS IMM prides itself on quality, service and fast deliveries. The combined strength of the LS family of companies allows us to solve many of the world’s supply-chain challenges.
Because of this, LS IMM can provide new custom molding machines to our customers in North America in just 100 days from casting to cargo, or even faster from our stocked inventory.