Plastic injection molding may be the most utilized industrial process in the world. And no matter what the end product - whether a drug vial or a car door handle - the plastic injection molding process is more or less the same. Plastic, in the form of granules or pellets, is fed into a hopper, heated, than "injected" or rammed into a mold containing a cavity which is the exact shape of the part to be made.
Like their counterparts all over the world, plastic injection molding companies in Illinois learned long ago that if you line up more than one mold in a series on the same given press, you can increase your productivity by increasing the number of cavities. This series of interconnected single face molds is known as a "stack mold." Each mold in the stack has the same dimensions and surface area as its neighbor so it fits within the same tie bar spacing.
Although it depends on many factors, productivity usually goes up in proportion to the number of molds in the stack. For instance, a manufacturer can double output per run by doubling the number of cavities on the same press.
There are numerous different types of stack molds, but some common elements include:
* A high level of production runs on fewer presses
* Several cores and cavities
* Indexable cores, to injection-mold multiple materials
* Have the ability to perform multiple operations in the same molding cycle
Generally speaking, a stack mold has a stationary "A" half, and at least two "B", or moveable halves. They are similar to rotary molds that have been in use for many years, but in many cases are vertical rather than horizontal. This means that the moveable cores rotate about a vertical axis, rather than a horizontal. Also, the stack mold is very compact and has a much smaller footprint than other types of molds.
Stack molds can be very pricey. This is why a high volume is necessary to compensate for their expense. Not to worry; in pharmaceutical or cosmetics molding, the break-even point is quickly reached. Auto and medical products are also frequently made with the help of stack molds.
Considering the tremendous amount of engineering and mold manufacturing involved, the expense is understandable. Designing and building a stack mold is not for beginners, or mold makers who cut corners! Plastic injection molding is not easy, and stack molding is on an entirely new level of expertise.
Like their counterparts all over the world, plastic injection molding companies in Illinois learned long ago that if you line up more than one mold in a series on the same given press, you can increase your productivity by increasing the number of cavities. This series of interconnected single face molds is known as a "stack mold." Each mold in the stack has the same dimensions and surface area as its neighbor so it fits within the same tie bar spacing.
Although it depends on many factors, productivity usually goes up in proportion to the number of molds in the stack. For instance, a manufacturer can double output per run by doubling the number of cavities on the same press.
There are numerous different types of stack molds, but some common elements include:
* A high level of production runs on fewer presses
* Several cores and cavities
* Indexable cores, to injection-mold multiple materials
* Have the ability to perform multiple operations in the same molding cycle
Generally speaking, a stack mold has a stationary "A" half, and at least two "B", or moveable halves. They are similar to rotary molds that have been in use for many years, but in many cases are vertical rather than horizontal. This means that the moveable cores rotate about a vertical axis, rather than a horizontal. Also, the stack mold is very compact and has a much smaller footprint than other types of molds.
Stack molds can be very pricey. This is why a high volume is necessary to compensate for their expense. Not to worry; in pharmaceutical or cosmetics molding, the break-even point is quickly reached. Auto and medical products are also frequently made with the help of stack molds.
Considering the tremendous amount of engineering and mold manufacturing involved, the expense is understandable. Designing and building a stack mold is not for beginners, or mold makers who cut corners! Plastic injection molding is not easy, and stack molding is on an entirely new level of expertise.
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