MUKNOKNO S=qáéë=Ñçê=pÉííáåÖ=r é=~å=fåàÉÅíáçå=j çäÇáåÖ=j ~ÅÜáåÉ

NLUåÉï ëKíÜçã ~ëåÉíKÅçã Lfj qLOMMPLMVLNNLS| íáéë| Ñçê| ëÉííL

HOME|

PRODUCT NEWS|COMPANY NEWS|INDUSTRY NEWS|ADVERTISE|SUBMIT PRESS RELEASE

Dec 8, 2012

IMT Home | Green & Clean | Associations & Government

Advertisement

6 Tips for Setting Up an Injection Molding Machineby Katrina C. Arabe | September 11th, 2003

Email | Print | Post Comment Share

Sign Up | Log In | ThomasNet Home | Promote Your Business

Search News

Related StoriesThe Benefits ofMetal InjectionMolding

5 Rules ofProblem-FreeInjection Molding

Total AutomationHits EPS BeadMolding

An inefficient mold changeover process will cost you. You may increase machine downtime or even lose your profit marginon the job. Find out how to avoid the most common mistakes:

Mold set-ups are an unavoidable part of injection molding. During this process, the molding machine is

shut down for a period of time while the mold is changed. Oftentimes, however, set-ups are poorlyhandled, and as a result, machines sit idle far longer than they have to. What’s more, an error-prone set-up can lead to sluggish cycles, high scrap rates, tool damage, flawed parts, rework, an unsteady processand delayed product delivery. Shops could even erase their entire profit margin on the job as a result ofa flubbed mold changeover process.

So how do you avoid all these negatives? Minnesota-based Donnelly Custom Manufacturing believesthat the answer lies in focusing on refining the mold set-up process instead of doing it perfunctorily. And

so far the company’s approach has yielded impressive results: it has halved mold-change times over the last two years—ahuge plus for the firm because of its focus on short-run manufacturing, where an additional 10 minutes setting up could wipeout the profit on a run shorter than 2 hours.

Here are some tips from Donnelly on how you can steer clear of common mold set-up mistakes and perfect the changeoverprocess:

Pointer #1Pre-stage the next mold to reduce idling.

Instead of waiting for the molding machine to finish its current run, let the changeover crew perform some of its duties whilethe press is still in production. In particular, the crew should pre-stage the next mold set-up while the press is still working

on the previous mold. A set-up cart is especially handy for this purpose. It should hold all of the tools that the team is going

MUKNOKNO S=qáéë=Ñçê=pÉííáåÖ=r é=~å=fåàÉÅíáçå=j çäÇáåÖ=j ~ÅÜáåÉ

OLUåÉï ëKíÜçã ~ëåÉíKÅçã Lfj qLOMMPLMVLNNLS| íáéë| Ñçê| ëÉííL

to need to remove the previous mold and to set up the new one, including torque wrenches, impact wrenches, mold clampsand bolts, nozzles, cleaners, etc. A crew member should check that all the necessary tools are in the cart.

The crew should also schedule and stage material before the molding machine completes its last cycle. Neglecting to do this

could cause a press to stay inactive for a much longer period than the rest of the changeover activities put together. Forexample, many materials need to be pre-dried for 2 to 6 hours before processing. Pre-staging alone helped Donnelly cut itsaverage changeover time by as much as 33%.

Pointer #2Clearly label and organize molds.

Molders can avoid wasting time on locating and retrieving molds by organizing storage. First, they should store andinventory molds so that they are easy to find. And second, they should make sure that they position the storage close to thepress for quick and easy retrieval. Donnelly accomplishes both of these goals through “mold grandstands,” storage

structures that look like bleachers in high school gyms. Standing adjacent to the press, these grandstands hold clearlynumbered molds, which is each assigned a spot on a certain rack. The molds that are most often run are placed in the mostaccessible areas. An overhead crane conveys the molds. While small- and medium-size molds are kept in two separate

grandstands, the larger molds are placed on a vertical racking system close to the large molding machines.

Pointer #3Develop a checklist.

Without an established process for mold changeovers, molders may prolong the set-up process as well as introduce other

inefficiencies to their operation. It’s key to create a checklist detailing the tools and procedures for mold attachment to thepress to eliminate the possibility of missteps. At Donnelly, these checklists help production supervisors ensure that each

scheduled mold set-up is performed on time. In addition, these lists allow personnel to evaluate and analyze every

changeover and pinpoint areas for improvement. In fact, Donnelly went as far as writing an instruction manual for each of itsmolds, including the inspection of job runs for any signs of process problems.

Pointer #4

Train more people.

Mold set-ups can also take longer simply because not enough people in the shop know how to conduct a mold changeover.Even small molding shops sometimes have several machines simultaneously requiring a changeover, yet many molders

continue to have only one or two specialists. To prevent situations in which presses are allowed to stay idle because

specialists are too busy to get to them, shops should train press operators to perform mold changeovers. Donnelly, forexample, has provided changeover training to 40% of its hourly personnel. This has allowed set-ups to be performed on

schedule and with greater speed as press operators are able to assist in all steps of the process. Furthermore, Donnelly hasfound that two-person teams are particularly effective, regardless of the size of the press. Team members have

predetermined duties and work on each side of the molding machine.

Pointer #5

Communicate constantly.

Regular communication is key because of the unpredictability of production schedules, which could change without notice,leaving molders rushing to work out last-minute details right before a press has to be set up. To avoid this situation, molders

should hold production meetings everyday. At Donnelly, cross-functional teams convene daily to review the schedule, talkabout concerns and evaluate priorities and resources. These constant discussions help to pre-empt and reduce unexpected

problems throughout the operation, including mold set-ups. Moreover, these meetings allow for the exchange of ideas,

which paves the way for process improvements.

Pointer #6Don’t forget maintenance.

Molders often make the mistake of neglecting equipment maintenance. This oversight can lead to equipment problems—

from a busted ejector pin, to a damaged bolt hole on a platen, to a threadbare check ring—all of which could protract theprocess of setting up a mold.

MUKNOKNO S=qáéë=Ñçê=pÉííáåÖ=r é=~å=fåàÉÅíáçå=j çäÇáåÖ=j ~ÅÜáåÉ

PLUåÉï ëKíÜçã ~ëåÉíKÅçã Lfj qLOMMPLMVLNNLS| íáéë| Ñçê| ëÉííL

Share

You can

easily printon

magnets!

If you are aprinter you

can easilyprint onmagnets! As

amanufacturerof flexible

magneticmaterials,MagnumMagnetics

has differentoptions foryou and

yourcustomers.We have

magnets thatwill work forDigital,

Controls forHarshEnvironments

DivelbissCorporation

provides nearly40 yearsexperience in

the design andmanufacture ofOEM controlsfor mobile,

industrial, rail,and electro-hydraulic

applicationsdemandingreliable, long

lastingoperation.

ModelHS52:

UL &ATEX

Rated

ExplosionProof

HollowShaft

Encoder

BEISensors’rugged

ModelHS52 iscapable of

operatingdirectly inDivision 1and Zone

1hazardousareas

withoutthe use ofan Intrinsic

SafetyBarrier.The

Safety

Switches forExplosive

EnvironmentsIEC Ex /ATEX-rated

keyed safetyinterlocks,emergency

cable-pullswitches,coded-magnetsensors,

positive-breaklimit switches,and E-stop

buttons formachineguarding/control

applications. Allare cCSAus -certified.

Email | Print | Post Comment | Follow Discussion | Recommend | Recommended (0)

Advertisement

BALMITHMay 16,

2006

Veryinteresting.

An an

injectionmoulder, i

am

continuingto searchfor

Lessons Learned

By sticking to these guidelines, Donnelly is able to execute many changeovers for smaller presses in under 30 minutes and

for its biggest presses in less than 2 hours. And by following these tips, your company can certainly benefit as well.

Source: Avoid Common Mold Set-Up MistakesDave Lamb and Brad Andrist

Plastics Technology, July 2003

http://www.plasticstechnology.com/articles/200307ts1.html

MUKNOKNO S=qáéë=Ñçê=pÉííáåÖ=r é=~å=fåàÉÅíáçå=j çäÇáåÖ=j ~ÅÜáåÉ

QLUåÉï ëKíÜçã ~ëåÉíKÅçã Lfj qLOMMPLMVLNNLS| íáéë| Ñçê| ëÉííL

Visit MagnumMagnetics

Visit Divelbiss

www.beisensors.com

Visit Learn MoreOffset,

Flexo, Inkjetand Screen.

encoder is

fitted witha uniqueflexibleshaft bore

design thatallows forrigid

mounting.

Comments:improvment, of how to manage my work shop. You as professional, how can you help me to sort out of the wood. isupposed that your years of experience can help me.

Thanks & RegardsBALMITH from MAURITIUS

Reply to this comment

Balmith

May 16, 2006

Very interesting. As an injection moulder, i am continuing to search for improvment, of how to manage my workshop. You as professional how can you help me to sort out of the wood. i supposed that your years of experiencecan help me.

Thanks & Regards

BALMITH from MAURITIUS

Reply to this comment

See More Comments

Leave a Comment:

Your Comment:

Tell us what you think?

* Name:

* Email:

URL:

[ Different Image ]

MUKNOKNO S=qáéë=Ñçê=pÉííáåÖ=r é=~å=fåàÉÅíáçå=j çäÇáåÖ=j ~ÅÜáåÉ

RLUåÉï ëKíÜçã ~ëåÉíKÅçã Lfj qLOMMPLMVLNNLS| íáéë| Ñçê| ëÉííL

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.

Start Your FreeSubscription toIndustry Market Trends.

Your Email Address

Keep youroperations competitive.

Get a Free Subscriptionto Product News Alerts.

Your Email Address

Advertisement

Recent Stories Most Popular

Light Friday: Pixar’s Autonomous Lamp Brought to Life

American and Chinese Consumers Prefer “Made in the U.S.A.”

MUKNOKNO S=qáéë=Ñçê=pÉííáåÖ=r é=~å=fåàÉÅíáçå=j çäÇáåÖ=j ~ÅÜáåÉ

SLUåÉï ëKíÜçã ~ëåÉíKÅçã Lfj qLOMMPLMVLNNLS| íáéë| Ñçê| ëÉííL

Worth a Look: The Car of the Future

U.S. Manufacturing Shrinks in November

Weekly Industry Crib Sheet: Treasury Dept. Declines to Name China a Currency Manipulator

Featured Product News

Hazardous Location Enclosure Coolers are UL Classified.

View More Product News

4/10

Browse IMT by Date

Archives by Year

Light Friday Crib Sheet Worth A Look

Light Friday: Pixar’s Autonomous Lamp Brought to Life

Light Friday: Debunking Common Brain Myths

Light Friday: Homeless Planet Discovered Drifting through Space

Light Friday: Illustrated Guide to 50 Years of 007's Cars

Light Friday: How to Diagnose a Zombie

Also Featured in IMT

Expert’s Corner

Expert’s Corner: How Much Do ManufacturersValue State Competitiveness?

Do competitiveness rankings ofstates’ tax and spend policiesinfluence manufacturers indetermining where to locate or

expand their operations? The answer is yes,writes GovPro.com’s Michael Keating.

Dose of Funclick to enlarge

MUKNOKNO S=qáéë=Ñçê=pÉííáåÖ=r é=~å=fåàÉÅíáçå=j çäÇáåÖ=j ~ÅÜáåÉ

TLUåÉï ëKíÜçã ~ëåÉíKÅçã Lfj qLOMMPLMVLNNLS| íáéë| Ñçê| ëÉííL

Cartoon by Andertoons

Sites We Like

Harvard Business Review

IEEE Spectrum

Lifehacker

Popular Science

Shopfloor

Contact Us

SectionsPress Releases

Products in the News | Company News | Mergers & Acquisitions | People in the News | Literature & Websites

Resources

News Delivery Options | Browse Categories | Browse Companies | Mobile Edition

PR Resources | Licensing | Advertising | How to Write an effective Press Release | Trade Associations | Small

Business Support | MEP

Home | My ThomasNet News® | Industry Market Trends® | Submit Release | Advertise | Contact News | About Us

Brought to you by Thomasnet.com Browse ThomasNet Directory

News provided by ThomasNet News® (TNN). TNN is a comprehensive source of new and timelyproduct information in the industrial marketplace. TNN supplies new product information to the web

sites, e-marketplaces and print publications that serve the industrial marketplace. For press release

submissions please go to http://news.thomasnet.com/submitpr.html. BY ACCESSING,BROWSING AND/OR USING THIS WEB SITE AND/OR ANY WEB SITES PROVIDED

MUKNOKNO S=qáéë=Ñçê=pÉííáåÖ=r é=~å=fåàÉÅíáçå=j çäÇáåÖ=j ~ÅÜáåÉ

ULUåÉï ëKíÜçã ~ëåÉíKÅçã Lfj qLOMMPLMVLNNLS| íáéë| Ñçê| ëÉííL

BY ProductNews.com, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF USE

AGREEMENT.

Copyright © 2012 Thomas Publishing Company

Terms of Use - Privacy Policy

Thank you for commenting close

Your comment has been received and held for approvalby the blog owner.

close

Error close

Please enter a valid email address