Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
FEBRUARY 2016
Rough Milling:
Speed vs. Power PG 14.
Measurement Right on the
Shop Floor PG 20.
Benefts of Using MultipleGate Nozzles PG 24.
A property of Gardner Business Media
VOLUME 19 / NUMBER 2
Publisher
Ryan Delahanty
Metalworking Group Publisher
Travis J Egan
Editorial Director
Christina M Fuges
Senior Editor
Cynthia Kustush
Managing Editor
El McKenzie
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Art Director
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Vic Baez
Advanced Manufacturing
Engineering Executive
GE Energy Management
Industrial Solutions
Hartford, Connecticut
victor baez@ge com
Dan Mishek
Managing Director and
Co-Owner
VistaTek
Stillwater, Minnesota
danny@vistatek com
Tim Bartz
VP of Operations
Mold Craft Inc
Willernie, Minnesota
thbartz@mold-craft com
Ralph Neufarth
Design Leader
iMFLUX (subsidiary of
Procter & Gamble)
Hamilton, Ohio
neufarth re@pg com
John Berg
Group Marketing Director
MGS Manufacturing Group
Germantown, Wisconsin
john berg@mgstech com
Tim Peterson
Vice President
Industrial Molds Group
Rockford, Illinois
tim peterson@industrialmolds com
Wayne M. Hertlein
Program Manager
Wilbert Plastics Services
Troy, Michigan
whertlein@wilbertinc com
Steve Rotman
President
Ameritech Die & Mold
Mooresville, North Carolina
srotman@amdiemold com
David Hirt
AIS/FVSS/Lighting New Model
Tooling/Feasibility Engineer
Automotive Components
Holdings LLC
Sandusky, Ohio
dhirt@ventraplastics com
Mike Walter
President
MET Plastics
Elk Grove Village, Illinois
mwalter@metplastics com
Mike Zacharias
President
Extreme Tool & Engineering
Wakefield, Michigan
mike zacharias@extremetool com
Self
Excellent Cylindricity
and Superb Surface Finish!
Machining Intelligently
HEADS
www.iscarmetals.com
CONTENTS
10
00
20
00
Features
24
00
Departments
14 Cutting Tools
Rough Milling: Speed vs. Power
A look at what works in rough milling applications with solid carbide
end mills.
20 Inspection/Measurement
Measurement Right on the Shop Floor
Portable, direct computer controlled coordinate measurement can
streamline processes and reduce inspection backlog for a better
bottom line.
24 Hot Runners
Multiple Impact
Incorporating multiple-gate nozzles means smaller molds, small presses,
a balanced fill rate, reduced residence time, temperature control and
design flexibility.
28 Process Cooling
Process Cooling Boosts Mold Effciency
Mold builders can optimize mold performance by taking advantage of
advanced process cooling technology.
6
6
8
10
34
36
38
42
44
46
55
55
56
ON THE COVER
Image courtesy of Iscar Metals Inc. This months cover shows a mold
base finishing application using the new evolution of Iscars Chatterfree
solid carbide end mill, a cutting tool designed for high-speed roughing
milling and finishing operations. High speed (trochoidal) rough milling is
a programming technique applying a small radial width of cut, and high
cutting speed and feed per tooth. This is a go-to technique for applications where a lack of rigidity exists and vibration becomes problematic.
This multi-flute end mill incorporates variable pitch/helix geometry to
increase productivity in material types commonly used for moldmaking,
such as alloyed steel, stainless steel and high-temperature alloys.
See related story on page 14.
Images above courtesy of (left to right) CGS North America, Fowler Precision and Osco Inc.
1. Emphasize This!
VIDEO ACCESS
2. Power of
Portability
3. Not Too
Hot to Handle
4. H2O Flow
PG. 20.
PG. 24.
PG. 28.
5. Check Your
Controls
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RUN FASTER with the new wear resistant DEXTM coating!
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HIGH ACCURACY great precision with an excellent nish!
QUALITY REGRINDS demand a factory-made regrind!
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Christina M. Fuges
Editorial Director
Follow @ MMTMag
THIS MONTH ON
moldmakingtechnology.com
DIGITAL EDITION:
Additive Manufacturing
SERIES: Finding,
Training & Retaining
Employees
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Be proactive Reduce mold size and complexity,
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Profle
Investing in Partnership
In 2009, when most other companies were battening down
their hatches against a recession, JMMS surged ahead with
substantial capital investments and hiring of top-level personnel that would aid in the advancement of a newfound business
strategy. Specifically, JMMS spent close to a million dollars to
purchase a new OKK HM1250S horizontal machining center
to expand its capacity for building very large molds for a good
customer. Then the company set out to develop close, longterm business relationships by creating three project manager
rolesone to work closely with thermoset customers, one
to manage thermoplastic, and the third for cultivating and
maintaining die cast customers. The result was a 40 percent
increase in sales, signaling that the new strategy was a solid
one, Martin says. Seven years later, it still is.
Today our customer list is a much tailored version of its
former status, Martin explains. Our business model comprises targeting companies that are engineering-driven. They
view JMMS as a dedicated partner, not just a supplier. This is a
world-class caliber of customers were working with.
Each customer now has a go-to guy with the expertise
required to get their projects done right. We hear all the time
how much they like having dedicated project managers that
can respond quickly to their needs. We see no weeping or
gnashing of teeth over problematic customers either. It works.
Since 2011, JMMS has added 10 new die cast customers,
three new thermoset customers and nine thermoplastic customers to its select list, which includes OEMs in the power
generation, automotive and light packaging industries.
These companies are looking for the whole package, not
By Cynthia Kustush
Not quite five years ago, JMMS Inc., of Easley, South Carolina,
was featured in this magazine after having earned our 2011
Leadtime Leader Award: Small Shop Honorable Mention.
I remember completing the entry form for the Leadtime
Leader Awards, says Rich Martin, business development manager. We put hours into it, going through files and more files.
It wasnt the entry form as much as it was the fact that wed
been in business for 25 years by then, and nobody had taken
the time to keep score.
Martin credits the Leadtime Leader entry process with giving the company that extra nudge it needed to begin getting
a comprehensive business growth plan in place that included
systems for tracking operations throughout the plant; budgeting and forecasting; and measuring competitive profiles, delivery times and efficiencies.
It became much clearer to us who we wanted to be when
we grew up, so to speak, Martin says.
This hybrid mold for a recycling bin is designed for faster cycling time.
The Particulars
JMMS Inc. was founded as JM Mold South in 1986 by David M.
Bowers. Today, it remains a family-owned company, run by Bowers
as president, with his children, David M. Bowers II as chief executive
offcer and Michelle Powell as chief operating offcer. Located within
a 20,000-square-foot facility in Easley, South Carolina, JMMS prides
itself on serving a blue chip list of customers with next-generation
tooling by investing in continuous improvement initiatives such as
training and quality assurance, as well as new capabilities like hybrid
tooling and working with alternative materials.
JMMS designs, engineers and builds plastics tooling as heavy as
30,000 pounds, including thermoplastic injection molds, thermoset
injection and compression/transfer molds, extrusion blow molds, and
low-pressure injection structural foam molds. Markets served include
appliances, automotive, consumer, electronics, lawn and garden, medical
technologies, power generation, power tools and returnable packaging.
The company also has expertise in die cast design and engineering,
as well as metals tooling, producing high- and low-pressure casting
dies for automotive OEMs and their Tier One suppliers. Maintenance
and repair services for die cast tooling are also offered.
These parts made from thermoset tooling represent some of the injection
and compression/transfer processes offered at JMMS.
moldmakingtechnology.com
By Cynthia Kustush
Accuracy is paramount when machining molds,
and as automated as machining has become, it
often still makes necessary an array of less-efficient
secondary operations and handwork to achieve
the geometry and surface finish required to meet
product design specifications. This is especially
true when a design calls for ribs and other tightdetail areas that a tool path must navigate.
Jason Alsleben, a mold designer and toolmaker
for Unique Tool Inc. in Hutchinson, Minnesota,
CGS CAM-Tool simplifes
was well-versed in the multi-step process for
the process of controlling
achieving accurate tool paths and proper surface
multiple tools at once by
using the faces not to
finishes when that became unnecessary with the
companys switch to CG CAM-Tool, part of the CG machine option. For example,
here, the user has assigned
Series of 3D CAD/
a unique color to each tool path
The tool paths are so
CAM systems for
needed to fnish a cavity insert
molds and dies
for a medical device part versus
precise and the surface
from CGS North
using just a tool boundary.
fnish is so good that
America Inc.
we can almost eliminate
Unique specializes in building
small, intricate molds for
the slow and costly EDM
medical applications such as
process, and as a result
over-molding electrical congood that we can almost eliminate the slow and costly EDM
process, and as a result reduce the hours it takes to build our
reduce the hours it takes nectors and fluid connectors.
The mold designs range from
molds by as much as a third.
to build our molds by
one to eight cavities, includas much as a third.
ing master unit die (MUD)
Accurate and Safe
units and small, self-contained
According to Gerry Byykkonen, Uniques technical sales reptools. For Alsleben, making
resentative at CGS, the CAM software creates toolpath points
the switch to CG CAM-Tool was a big step toward simplifydirectly on the surfaces to be machined versus using a not-soing machining operations.
exact triangulation mesh. When toolpath data is created using
We used another CAM system for several years, he says.
the true surfaces of the model, the software can generate
Surface finish was always an issue, and with small end mills,
many more points of contact between the cutting tool and the
tool breakage was common. Since we switched to CG CAMmodel, he says. This increased point data results in a smoother
Tool, having the ability to machine smaller details into our
tool path that follows the surfaces to be machined with greater
molds has reduced or often even eliminated the need to
accuracy.
machine electrodes and burn these details into our molds.
Other CAM products place the mesh over the entire part
The tool paths are so precise and the surface finish is so
and use this to create the tool paths, Byykkonen explains.
10
100 %
KSP plus
control
350
NSA
100
Automated
Palletizing System
kN Holding Force
A model (top) was created for this cavity insert (bottom) and used to wire
EDM in two directions. That same model was then used as a stock model in
CG CAM-Tool (middle) to save time. From the stock model, CG CAM-Tool can
tell that the top profle has been machined, so it does not waste time cutting
air. The fnal product is an effciently machined cavity insert for a lever.
12
Sharpening your
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Cutting Tools
Access video
at end of article.
Rough Milling:
14
for finishing operations. Roughing operations would be performed on another, better-suited milling machine (one with
more power, for example) and before the material was hardened/stress-relieved.
This approach of roughing on one machine and finishing
on another is a solid process, but it still begs the question:
Can we rough and finish on the same high-speed machine?
The simple answer is yes. However, to be productive in
terms of metal removal during the roughing phase requires a
different approach.
Multi-fute cutting tools can optimize material removal rates for milling operations that require extremely light radial engagement (usually less than 10 percent).
VIDEO
By Thomas Raun
should be increased to achieve the recommended chip thickness, or tool life will decrease. (If you operate CNC machinery and are not familiar with RCT, an Internet search on the
subject can get you moving in the right direction.)
For high-speed roughing, width of cut is usually set at somewhere between 5 and 10 percent of the cutting tool diameter.
This means a 0.50-inch end mill will be engaged 0.025 to 0.050
inch. This setting will impact RCT calculations as well. For
example, the average recommended feed rate for a 0.50-inch
tool is approximately 0.002 inch per tooth. For a 0.50-inch tool
operating at 0.025-inch width of cut, the feed would need to
be programmed at 0.0046 inch per tooth to accommodate for
RCT. RCT has a great impact on productivity when such small
radial engagements are used. In this example, the tool would
be operating 56 percent slower than it should be, and tool life
would most likely be negatively affected.
If workpiece geometry allows, depth of cut should be set to
the maximum possible depth (flute length) of the cutting tool
(up to 3D end mills). Light depths of cut using this approach
would result in very low metal removal rates and poor utilization of the solid carbide end mill.
CAM tool paths. Many CAM systems have developed tool
paths that enable precise control of tool motion. Simply
put, the tool path maintains constant control on the radial
engagement of the cutting tool, and this allows the cutting
parameters to be increased to the highest possible level (usually limited by what the machine tool and/or workpiece will
allow) without incurring a catastrophic cutting tool failure.
It is very challenging to consistently apply the high-speed
approach to roughing without access to modern CAM tool
paths that control engagement.
An additional consideration for optimizing high-speed
roughing are CAM systems with functionality to ease necessary calculations, such as CAM software that includes a
slider bar that dynamically populates speed and feed adjustments for a given width of cut. All the math is performed by
the software, so programmers can quickly and easily get a
machine up and running in an aggressive manner.
moldmakingtechnology.com
15
16
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Cutting Tools
Making a Decision
Material removal rate (MRR) is the main factor for determining whether to use the high-speed or power approach to
roughing. A quick and simple method for close estimation is
to multiply the width of cut by the depth of cut by the feed
rate (inches per minute). This formula for MRR will involve a
small amount of error, as it is a linear calculation that does not
account for all the motion/acceleration and deceleration of the
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18
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Inspection/Measurement
VIDEO
By Jeff Petersen
Access video
at end of article.
Measurement Right on
the Shop Floor
Portable, direct computer controlled coordinate
measurement can streamline processes and reduce
inspection backlog for a better bottom line.
20
means inspections happen more quickly compared with manual methods. In addition, with 360-degree rotation, parts can be
nested around the entire perimeter of the device for efficient
and repeatable group inspections.
2. Ease of use. Aside from speed and accuracy, another important feature of measuring equipment that ultimately helps with
the moldmakers bottom line is ease of use. A portable DCC
CMM is manufactured as a compact, self-contained unit, making it fundamentally different from conventional CMM technology, design and operation, as operators can take measurements
and run 3D programs with substantially less training.
For example, the programming process with a portable DCC
CMM is done by first teaching the device the program to be
written through manual inspection. The device then learns
the measurement program from that inspection and can take
over in its automated, or DCC, mode at repeatable speeds and
accuracies. In fact, with touchscreen, icon-driven operation
similar to a smartphone, operators with a very basic understanding of geometry can write complex 3D programs within a
couple of hours. Not only is program development simplified
so that more employees can be trained on the device, but once
a program is written, anyone can conduct inspections at the
same accuracy, speed and repeatability, eliminating measurement differences attributable to differing users.
The reduced time on training alone can translate into significant cost savings. Full training for a portable DCC CMM
requires no more than a day or two on-site, compared with
off-site training costs,
Rotary motion as the primary travel fees and other
axis on these devices, allows expenses associated
with other sophisticated
for a smaller footprint than
metrology devices.
CMMs often have their
a conventional CMM. The
own proprietary software
type of motion allows the
that requires updates and
measuring device to turn
licensing fees, particularly
for producing 3D meaaround in a circle while the
surements. Therefore,
part under inspection sits
another consideration
outside it.
that can lower training
time and further save
money is an open architecture software interface that gives moldmakers the ability to
continue using their existing, already-familiar metrology software instead of learning a completely new platform.
For companies that do not need to leverage more complex
or third-party 3D metrology software, and that also want to
conduct common geometric measurements (plane, sphere,
angle or cone), built-in geometric measurement software
enables them to take advantage of the DCC technology right
out of the box, without the need for a secondary computer.
Portable DCC CMMs also have icon-driven screens that
moldmakingtechnology.com
21
Inspection/Measurement
(typically less than 30 pounds and 24.4 inches (620 mm) tall)
means these devices can be shipped directly back to the manufacturer for service instead of requiring an in-house service call.
4. Total cost of ownership. Other considerations that contribute to a better bottom line for the moldmaker and the
devices total cost of ownership are initial equipment price,
upgrade costs and licensing fees. Because of its size and allin-one design, a portable device tends to be on the low end of
the cost range for DCC CMMs, making
it attractive to users who have tighter
tolerance requirements than manual
inspection can provide and a need to
conduct portable measurements. The
value of free hardware or software
upgrades, and no licensing fees also
should not be underestimated.
Additionally, because, as stated earlier, a portable DCC CMM is designed
to be ready to use directly out of the
box, all of the equipment, including
the probe and built-in software, are
installed ready for use without requiring lengthy calibrations. Together,
calibration setup and training time on
a conventional, non-portable CMM can
take eight weeks or longer before it is
up and running.
Time is money in todays world, and
portable DCC CMMs may help moldmakers meet their inspection needs
while saving both. For high-throughput
shops, or any application that requires
repeatability and flexibility, the faster
and more accurately parts can be measured, the better.
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22
CONTRIBUTOR
EOE M/F/D/V
Hot Runners
By Peter Rebholz
Multiple Impact
Incorporating multiple-gate
nozzles means smaller molds,
small presses, a balanced fill
rate, reduced residence time,
temperature control and
design flexibility.
24
its 1-inch minimum to 4-6 inches (depending on the application), which allows the use of more gates.
Here are three key benefits associated with independentgate-probe-style, multiple-gate nozzles:
1. Design flexibility. The fact that the diameter of the gate
probe can increase to any dimension ranging to 4 inches and
the number of gate locations also can increase presents new
mold opportunities that might not previously have been considered. Take, for example, a mold for a glass-filled nylon fan
This glass-flled nylon fan was produced from a single-cavity mold using a
multiple-gate-nozzle hot runner system with multiple gate probes.
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2. Processing advantages. Having a heater and thermocouple positioned directly at each gate provides the necessary
power and control needed to handle a wide range of resins, but
especially difficult resins such as nylon, Amodel, Ryton, polyesters and other high-heat resins. Without the heat source right
at the gate, these types of resins would likely freeze off or drool
due to the inconsistent heat from the one body heater to each
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26
Measuring Instruments
Osco Inc.
248-321-5230
prebholz@oscosystems.com
oscosystems.com
Process Cooling
By Al Fosco
Process Cooling
Boosts Mold Efficiency
Mold builders can optimize mold performance by taking
advantage of advanced process cooling technology.
28
Cooling Basics
Process cooling typically consumes 60 to 70 percent of a
molding cycle. Simply put, nothing else is happening in the
molding process while the mold cools. The ability to reduce
the amount of required cooling time therefore translates to
an exponential decrease in cycle time, which means improved
production for the molder and better profit margins.
What it boils down to for the molder is the need to maintain product quality from cycle to cycle and even cavity to
cavity while still meeting production goals. Validation is
mandatory in industries that require critical parts, such as
those used in medical, aerospace and other applications.
However, validation perhaps is equally important even in
less-critical applicationsbottle caps, for example,since the
ability to save just pennies on millions of parts still results in
substantial gains in profitability.
In a nutshell, the function of a process cooling system is
Pre-Cooling
Chamber
(operates only
when required)
This closed-loop fuid cooler design uses heat exchangers and an internationally patented pre-cooling chamber to cool water circulated to it from process
machines. The chamber pre-cools ambient air on hotter days before it enters
the units heat exchanger compartment. Cooled water is then re-circulated to a
facilitys process machines.
moldmakingtechnology.com
29
Process Cooling
www.topsolid.com
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Process Cooling
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LEARN MORE
Check out our online Supplier Directory
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33
UNDER THE
By Eric Hild
A single day in a tool welding shop is filled with a variety of
projects that demand immediate attention, from retrofitted
molds and inserts to damaged pins and slides. Some molds
arrive after being damaged in service, while others require an
engineering revision. Every job is hot, and that means each
one needs to be turned around as quickly and efficiently as
possible to keep customer downtime at a minimum. A tool
welder never knows the type of repair he or she will encounter on any given day, so preparation is essential. Asking the
following three questions for each job will help:
1. What is the damage? A direct line of communication
between the tool welder and mold builder is essential when
Fixing damaged edges is the most common mold repair.
repairing a mold. Both parties have to listen and be heard.
Each needs to be clear about what he is explaining and what
require a specific set of skills in torch position, amperage
he is understanding. Simply marking up an area to be welded
control and welding puddle control.
does not give the whole story. Ideally, the mold builder or
Every job is different to a tool welder, even if he or she
toolroom supervisor is present at the welding shop to explain
has previously worked on the same mold. There is always
the repair and answer any questions. However, due to time
something new that can be encountered, including cracks,
and distance, this is not always possible. Plus, molds are often
coatings, oils or even a detail on the mold thats blocking the
at the mercy of delivery by a shipping department, driver or
microscope. Also, the customer may have special requests,
mail service. In these situations, it is essential that the mold
such as asking that little to no heat be applied on the mold.
builder mark up the area to be welded and provide paperFulfilling this request is only possible through laser welding,
work with drawings and a contact name.
so the welder must be prepared to discuss all advantages and
I also recommend following up any written explanation
disadvantages. With all of these variables in play, the welder
with a phone call, unless the damage is clearly evident and
constantly relies on his or her experience to provide the best
potential for problems does not exist. Under a microscope,
possible outcome for the customer.
the welder may notice something that was missed previously,
3. Will welding fix the damage? Welding is not always the
such as damage thats not marked for welding and areas that
answer for achieving a successful mold repair, and sometimes
could potentially be damaged by welding. Other times the
tool welder might need clarification on the steel type or
size of the buildup, since the
customer is requesting a hard
or soft weld depending on
the area being welded. Also,
unforeseen problems, such as
cracks, can be encountered
during welding that will
require the repair to cease and
the customer to be contacted.
2. What is to be welded?
Obviously whats to be welded
determines task difficulty.
The most common repair is
fixing a damaged edge. Other
repairs include filling in subgates and gates, and restoring
A runner that is flled in during a tool repair will need to be
Here, laser welding is used to repair a pad and
re-machined after welding.
edges on an aluminum bronze mold.
broken details. These repairs
34
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35
KEEPING UP WITH
Clause
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
10.0
36
and definitions for all management system standards, including ISO 9001; TS 16949, 13485 and 14001; and OHSAS 18001.
The revision also adds new contextual requirements such as
records of confidentiality and intellectual property protection
on businesses. It also emphasizes the importance of understanding the internal and external context of the organizations with which a company has relationships, verifying and
validating process/product manufacturing flow, for example.
3.0 Terms and Definitions: The following terms have
been added to properly define the supply chain: supplier,
organization and customer. Prior to this revision, only the
company and customer relationships were recorded and
under control. The organization maintained records for customers in sales, accounting and auditing to ensure achievement of the organizations objectives in operational effectiveness and efficiency. Few suppliers (vendors) were providing
help with financial reporting and complying with laws, regulations and policies. Now, supplier performance metrics are
required as well.
A supply chain includes all activities, functions and facilities (directly or indirectly) in the flow and transformation
of goods and services from raw material to finished product
to end user delivery. These activities include procurement,
customer service, distribution, transportation, inventory
control with information systems, sales, planning, order
entry, receiving, shipping, inspection, purchasing, production
scheduling, master scheduling, warehouse management and
supplier management. The supply chain also encompasses all
interconnected relationships,
Examining and complying including the moldmaker,
molder, designer, materials,
with these frst three
sales channel, distribution,
warehousing, manufacturing,
revised clauses should
transportation and suppliers.
enable your company
ISO 9001:2015 now requires
to produce metrics on
an increased emphasis on
achieving value across the
problem areas, track
entire supply chain by offering
customer feedback
guidance on reducing total
and establish a changecost of ownership, producing
customer surveys, improvmanagement process.
ing suppliers performance
report cards, emphasizing
risk-based management across
all departments, and how to use corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) to identify risk levels (high, moderate
or low). CAPAs are improvements to a companys processes
that eliminate causes of non-conformities or other undesirable situations. Examples are putting in place a system that
provides notification and escalation of CAPA due dates and
building risk into the process to identify the biggest areas of
improvement.
Clause 3.0 requires certain documentation to be included
in a companys capability statement. For moldmaking, this
might include something along the lines of the following:
Milling Division: The company uses the most precise CNC
milling machinery available, and the milling department is
fully equipped to accept a wide range of applications from
small to large components with complex surfaces and contouring.
Lathe Division: The company uses multiple CNC lathes
with four-, five- and six-axis and bar-feeding capabilities.
Personnel participate in weekly planning meetings to decide
how work will be most efficiently distributed to ensure high
CONTRIBUTOR
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Permanent Extensions
Tax Relief for Families and Individuals
Child tax credit
American opportunity tax credit
Earned income tax credit
Deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary
school teachers
Parity for exclusion from income for employer-provided mass
transit and parking benefits
Deduction of state and local general sales taxes
Incentives for Charitable Giving
Special rule for contributions of capital gain real property
made for conservation purposes
Tax-free distributions from individual retirement plans for
charitable purposes
Charitable deduction for contributions of food inventory
Tax treatment of certain payments to controlling exempt
organizations
Basis adjustment to stock of S corporations making charitable
contributions to property
Incentives for Growth, Jobs, Investment and Innovation
Research credit
Employer wage credit for employees who are active duty
members of the uniformed services
15-year straight-line cost recovery for qualified leasehold
improvements, qualified restaurant property and qualified
retail improvement property
Increased expensing limitations and treatment of certain real
property as section 179 property
Treatment of certain dividends of regulated investment
companies
Exclusion of 100 percent of gain on certain small business stock
Reduction in S-corporation recognition period for built-in
gains tax
Subpart F exception for active financing income
Real Estate Investment
Temporary minimum low-income housing tax credit rates
for non-Federally subsidized buildings
Military housing allowance exclusion for determining whether
a tenant in certain counties is low-income
RIC-qualified investment entity treatment under FIRPTA
Extensions through 2019
New markets tax credit
Work opportunity tax credit
Bonus depreciation
Look-through treatment of payments between related controlled foreign corporations under foreign personal holding
company rules
40
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A P R O P E R T Y O F:
GARDNER BUSINESS
MOLDMAKING
42
Subindices
Dec.
Nov.
Change
Direction
Rate
Trend
New Orders
47.8
47.1
0.7
Contracting
Slower
Production
48.3
51.2
-2.9
Contracting
Growing
Backlog
37.1
39.4
-2.3
Contracting
Faster
13
Employment
47.2
51.1
-3.9
Contracting
Growing
Exports
45.9
45.1
0.8
Contracting
Slower
10
Supplier
Deliveries
47.8
51.2
-3.4
Shortening
Lengthening
Material
Prices
48.9
47.6
1.3
Decreasing
Less
Prices
Received
48.8
48.2
0.6
Decreasing
Less
Future
Expectations
69.3
66.9
2.4
Improving
More
49
MoldMaking
Business
Index
45.7
47.5
-1.8
Contracting
Faster
Spindle: Milling
Direction: V or H
# of Main Spindles:
Max. HP:
Top RPM:
Envelope:
Max. Table Length:
Max. Table Width:
Max. Part Weight:
Machine Type:
Machining Center
Drill/Tap
Boring Mill
SOURCE: Hwacheon
Milling Machine
techspex.com
END MARKET
12
10
10
-2
-2
-4
-4
-6
-6
n10
n11
Ja
n12
Ja
n13
Ja
n14
Ja
n15
Ja
n16
Ja
Ja
08
09
Ja
n-
07
n-
Ja
n-
n-
Ja
Ja
n-
Ja
n-
Ja
n-
n-
Ja
Ja
06
-12
04
-12
05
-10
03
-8
-10
02
-8
Food Production
12
TSI-Freight
Packaging is not an end product in and of itself. So, like a number of other
industries, you cannot just grab industrial production data for packaging to
see how the industry is performing. However, there are two major industries
that drive packaging demand: food and industrial (primarily shipping materials). So by tracking what is happening with the food and beverage, clothing and
footwear, and trucking industries, we can get a feel for what is happening in
the packaging industry.
Food and beverage spending was virtually flat for most of 2015, but with the
strong growth in income, food and beverage spending should see accelerating
growth in 2016. In turn, food and beverage spending leads food and beverage
production, which is already growing at nearly its fastest rate in eight years.
Food packaging seems poised for significant growth in 2016.
Primarily, institutional packaging consists of stretch film, and sheet and
tubing, but consumer and industrial product liners and shrink film also are
a significant part of institutional packaging. The Bureau of Transportation
Services freight index is virtually at its all-time high, nearly 20 percent higher
than in 2000 and roughly 10 percent higher than in 2007. However, despite this
all-time high, the rate of growth was relatively flat in 2014 and even decelerated
somewhat in 2015. The growth rate is still strong enough that this is a posi-
tive for packaging demand, but the fact that the growth rate is decelerating
indicates that institutional packaging is probably a weaker market than food
packaging going forward.
10
10
Steve Kline Jr., Director of Market Intelligence, Gardner Business Media Inc.
skline2@gardnerweb.com / gardnerweb.com/economics/blog
n15
n16
Ja
as it seems to have bottomed back in July 2015. And a number of the other
subindices also seem to indicate that the industry has reached a bottom and
is beginning to improve.
44
Ja
Ja
Ja
Ja
Ja
Ja
nJa
nJa
nJa
nJa
n14
-10
n13
-10
n12
-8
n11
-8
n10
-6
09
-4
-6
08
-4
07
0
-2
06
0
-2
Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, the normal cyclical
patterns have broken down, making it much more difficult to see the future
direction of the medical equipment industry. In the chart at right, note how
the regular ups and downs of medical equipment production (the blue line)
have become not so regular since 2010. What was once a lag time of six to 12
months between medical care spending and medical equipment production
seems to have become a two- to three-year lag time. And the complete market
cycle between peak growth rates in production every two years is nonexistent.
If my assumed correlation above is true, then medical equipment production should begin to grow at an accelerating rate sometime in 2016. It has been
about two years since the slowest rate of growth in medical care spending.
Therefore, we should expect the slowest rate of growth in medical equipment
production at any time, since the new lag time between spending and production seems to be two to three years. That is, the blue line on the chart should
stop going down and start going up at any time.
Our medical business index is providing some indication that this is
happening. The overall index seems to indicate that the medical equipment
industry has been contracting at a slower rate since the middle of 2015. The
new orders index grew in November and December for the first time since
May 2015. The production index grew in November and was flat in December,
info@fabricating.com
201-345-5229
www.fabricating.com
Product Focus
HOT RUNNERS
Hot Runner Manifold Design
Features Compression-Seated Nozzles
Thermoplay has developed a hot runner manifold that features balanced flow
channels and has nozzles seated to it by mechanical compression, enabling
them to be always centered within the mold cavity and reducing wear in the
coupling zone. The nozzle plate is conditioned to have the same temperature
as the mold (30C). This is unlike common injection system made up of an
unbalanced manifold with nozzles threaded on it. These nozzles are often free
flow and are heated by the heat transferred by conduction from the manifold.
In the Thermoplay design, an outer body is screwed externally on each
nozzle (so that it can be easily removed), which couples with the forming cavity. All nozzles are provided with plastic sealing zones to avoid plastics leakage
and to guarantee a high-quality injection point on the preform.
Other benefits include material uniformly distributed on the product and
even wall thickness; no strands at the injection point, color streaks or discoloring; tighter tolerances on the bottle neck; temperature detection close
to the injection point; uniform heat distribution on the whole nozzle length;
nozzle bushing replacement with nozzle drive and tightness; a complete selfstanding hot half, ready for installation and suitable to virtually any press
machine; and direct injection systems with a shutoff option.
Thermoplay S.p.A. / 39 125 800311 / thermoplay.com
Distributed in North America by
Alba Enterprises / 909-941-0600 / albaent.com
SISE offers several lines of hot runner temperature controllers, including the
World Series modular range, which controls five to 12 zones. Specially designed
for the North American and Asian markets, this temperature controller is a
microprocessor-based, single-zone unit compatible with virtually all standard
mainframes. It features a user-friendly click and rotate control button; two
red and green three-digit LED displays; and discrete indicators for a manual
mode, heating power and a soft-start mode.
All of the companys temperature controllers use self-tuning software
designed and developed by SISE that continuously recalculates the best settings for each zone, instantly responding to any changes in process parameters.
SISE Plastics Control Systems Inc. / 404-495-5968 /
sise-plastics.com
46
The Emerald hot runner system from PCS Co. is designed to be affordable
and reliable, and to meet demanding delivery requirements. Available in
configurations for eight drops or fewer, each system is designed, constructed
and heat tested to ensure proper performance, the company says. All systems
also are fully balanced with nozzle heaters and thermocouples designed for
easy maintenance.
PCS Co. / 586-294-7780 / pcs-company.com
moldmakingtechnology.com
47
Products
48
PUK U4
Keep mold
repair in-house
An alternative to expensive
laser welding
Easy to Use: pre-programmed
for most tool & die repairs
Mobile: take the U4 welder
right on the press site
Magnetic Base
attaches directly
to mold
Oldcastle, Ontario
Fountain Valley, California
Item# 830-0941
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1-800-265-4885
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Experienced personal service matters
YOUR SOURCE FOR QUALITY MOLD COMPONENTS FOR OVER 40 YEARS
moldmakingtechnology.com
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Slide modules
Fast calculation and planning with slide
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Z 1802 /. . . are available for the molding
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Products
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moldmakingtechnology.com
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Products
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Zeiss automated O-Select optical measuring system is designed to minimize operating errors,
enabling 2D measurements to be completed quickly and reproducibly. Measurements are initiated at the push of a button: the operator places the workpiece in the measuring field and
launches the program. Within seconds, the camera captures the contours, analyzes all characteristics and documents them in Zeiss PiWeb quality data management software.
The system is well-suited for a range of industries from automotive to electronics to
plastics, and is particularly suitable for checking the dimensional accuracy of distances, radii
or angles. Examples include punched and formed parts, and injection-molded and laser-cut
workpieces.
Zeiss Industrial Metrology / 800-327-9735 / zeiss.com
MOLDMAKING
MARKETPLACE
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ADVERTISERS INDEX
Additive Manufacturing
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Milacron
50
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47
50
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Back Cover
Molding 2016
25, Insert
18
National Tool
54
55
33
32
23
DMS
49
PCS Company
Edro Engineering
27
PFA Inc
Fabricating com
45
49
Progressive Components
Haimer USA
26
Renishaw Inc
51
SCHUNK Inc
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39
INCOE Corporation
17
Techspex, Inc
43
iWarriors
Machinemonster com
MC Machinery Systems, Inc
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TIP
INSPECTION/MEASUREMENT
By Dan Miller
Its hard to imagine quick, accurate mold measurement today
without the use of workpiece touch probes directly on the
machine tool to help moldmakers perform setup, measurement and inspection during a mold build. This is one way to
ensure a mold is in tolerance before it is removed from the
machine, but it is critical that users select the correct probe
type with the control features and options they need.
When it comes to inspection, most high-end controls have
standard probing cycles for workpiece measurement that will
allow users to update the tool offsets for length and radius, as
well as record the results to a file for printing. The inspection
program can be created on the machine, although most CAM
systems already support machine probing cycles and allow
users to verify the program for collisions. If an inspection
result is out of tolerance, the user can force the tool path to be
run again with updated tool data.
Before an inspection program using a probe can be run on a
machine, the user must first calibrate the probe. The calibration routine should be run first on a tooling ball located on
the mold. This can be part of the inspection program. He or
she should make sure the probe is in good working order, and
check for wear and minimal runout of the stylus. Also part
cleanliness should be ensured by incorporating a cleaning
program using high-pressure coolant, such as when a probe
blows compressed air through the spindle to finish cleaning
the probing point.
Many high-end controls also feature a number of measuring cycles for checking the geometry of the machined workpieces. This enables the user to recognize a workpiece, call
an appropriate part program, verify that all machining operations were conducted correctly, and detect and compensate
for tool wear. For example, some controls provide cycles for
a wide variety of applications in automatic mode, including
surface, hole, length, width, bolt pattern and vector. These
automatic measurement cycles are all valuable during mold
manufacture and inspection.
Crash protection is another important probe feature for
workpiece inspection. Touch probes should offer a large
deflection path and additional safety with rated breaking
points in the stylus or a connecting pin to the probe contact.
For expanded collision protection, users should consider a
mechanical adapter between the touch probe and the taper
56
Avoid Mold
Reload and Rework with
Machine Probes
Many high-end controls provide surface, hole, length, width, bolt pattern
and vector cycles in automatic mode. These automatic measurement cycles are
all valuable when making and inspecting molds.
shank. This will allow the touch probe to absorb the shock in
the event of a light collision against a fixture or workpiece. At
the same time, the integrated switch will deactivate the ready
signal and the control will stop the machine. The collision protection adapter also functions as a thermal decoupler that can
protect the touch probe from being heated by the spindle.
Probing on a machine with ready-to-use probing cycles can
be an important part of manufacturing a quality mold. It can
help reduce setup times, increase machine usage time and
improve the dimensional accuracy of the finished workpiece.
All of these factors impact a molds productivity and profitability by eliminating the need to reload and rework molds.
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New high precision and high cavity mold bases for medical
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