Case Study / Hot Runners
Sequence of ���ve nylon 6.6 parts illustrating the problem that APM encountered
with burning (far left) and how the problem was solved (far right) after installation of the Ion Series Controller.
became a question of ���How low can the temperature go?��� We
soon established a new temperature range of 430 to 440��F. The
lower temperatures increased our output of good parts by 10
to 15 percent and eliminated the labor involved in sorting out
parts that were burned.���
The controller connects directly to the hot runner, notes
Rainsford. ���You simply unwrap the controller, plug it into your
tool and flip the switch,��� he comments. ���It ramps up on its own
and gets you and up and running in no time.��� He adds that it is
so easy to use that newer employees won���t have to be trained.
���The user is always one click away from the main screen, no
matter where he or she is in the set-up,��� Rainsford notes. ���One
can���t really get ���lost��� in the program because it is easy to see
what is going on.���
Fast Heat���s Ion Series controller has also increased productivity
in other ways, according to Myers. The controller allows you to
save the mold parameters in a file recipe. And in the event of a
thermocouple failure in a zone, the slaving feature allows the
operator to operate two zones using one thermocouple.
���In the past, when a zone shut down, we would end up producing from 15 cavities instead of 16, making that much less product
during the typical three-day turnaround needed to replace the
defective unit,��� Myers says.
Installing a temperature controller on a hot runner system
protects the mold, reduces downtime and improves productivity.
Myers simply states the Ion Series benefit: ���It gives us more faith
in using hot runner systems.���
For more inFormation:
American Plastic Molding Corp. / (812) 752-7000
sales@apmc.com / apmc.com
Fast Heat Inc. / (630) 359-6300
srainsford@fastheat.com / fastheat.com
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18 MoldMaking Technology March 2013