by Laurie Harbour, Harbour Results, Inc. In October of 2013, Harbour Results, Inc. (HRI) and the Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA) collaborated on a study of automotive tooling. The initial goal for this benchmarking study was to analyze payment terms and sourcing practices within the industry, which are two very hot topics for tool suppliers. However, the … [Read more...] about Challenges for the Tooling Industry will Impact Processors
Molds/Tooling
Mold Cleaning Technologies Save Time, Money and Aggravation
by Steve Johnson, ToolingDocs As noted in "The Cleaning Culture for Molds" (Plastics Business Fall 2012), the most popular method of cleaning plastic injection molds remains rooted in the antiquated process of scrubbing tooling and plates, one piece at a time. Ask why and the answer will be some form of "This is the way we have always done it," "We cannot cost-justify … [Read more...] about Mold Cleaning Technologies Save Time, Money and Aggravation
Moving Beyond Traditional Mold Cleaning Methods
by Steve Johnson, ToolingDocs LLC In the majority of molding plants around the globe, more labor hours are spent cleaning mold plates and tooling (see chart) than any other repair stage. There are two reasons for this: (1) clean plates and tooling are critical to maximizing mold life and the quality of the product; and (2) the vast majority of molds still are being cleaned … [Read more...] about Moving Beyond Traditional Mold Cleaning Methods
Why Plastic Flows Better in Aluminum Injection Molds
by David Bank, Aluminum Injection Mold Co., Dave Klafhen, Advent Tool, Ron Smierciak, Alcoa Forged and Cast Products There have been numerous articles published regarding the cycle time advantage aluminum molds have over steel when configured with the same gate, part geometry and cooling channels, but there is little specific information available to demonstrate why this … [Read more...] about Why Plastic Flows Better in Aluminum Injection Molds
Water Leaks Lead to Unscheduled Mold Downtime
by Steve Johnson, ToolingDocs LLC As most mold maintenance audits reveal, both internal and external water leaks continue to be the front running causes of unscheduled mold downtime. Pitting – the simple act of electrons from one steel component migrating to another – wastes thousands of company dollars per year through excessive repair hours, additional tooling costs, press … [Read more...] about Water Leaks Lead to Unscheduled Mold Downtime