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Case Study / Mold Maintenance and Repair 38 MoldMaking Technology —— MAY 2017 Test Rig Ensures Mold Cooling Channels Work at Peak Efficiency By Cynthia Kustush It's no secret among moldmakers that optimized mold cooling is essential for achieving faster cycle times and flawless, injection-molded parts. Toni Hansen, president of Aalbers Tool and Mold Inc. in Oldcastle, Ontario, Canada, says the company has understood the necessity for adequate cooling in all types of tooling. "We have installed balanced cooling into our tools based on mate- rial, mold flow physical data, thin steel conditions as well as lessons learned over the 35 years that we have been building injection molds for the automotive industry." Aalbers operates from a 100,000-square-foot facility that features three machining divisions, including a mold main- tenance and repair department where molds are restored to peak efficiency. This includes waterline work as required. Founded in 1982 by CEO Gary Aalbers, the company employs 180 and builds mostly very large, precision molds for the automotive industry. It is a direct supplier to both Ford and General Motors, and also serves a list of other well-known automakers. Types of tooling built include injection, com- pression, two-shot, vacuum-forming, hydroform and struc- tural foam molds. Customers' demands for ever shorter cycle times and higher quality parts fuels continual improvement of the com- pany's approach to optimal cooling, Hansen says, so when he heard about a piece of equipment called the System Cooling Test Rig from AST Technology (a division of Progressive Components), he says it seemed like an opportunity to advance the company's mold cooling know-how, thereby pro- viding the high-quality, profitable molds customers expect. The System Cooling Test Rig is now a valued instrument in Aalbers' repair and maintenance arsenal, he says. System-Driven Problem-Solving Downtime is the molder's profit-killing enemy, making it incumbent upon the moldmaker to fix issues quickly and efficiently so a mold can be placed back into production. According to Hansen, the test rig provides shop personnel with a convenient, time-saving process for identifying where a problem is lurking within a tool's water system, and this helps Aalbers ensure customers' molds are running in top condition with optimal cycle times. "The measurable differ- ence regarding a tool with poor cooling could be a delta of 10 seconds in cycle time," he explains. "This may seem slight, but over the course of one year or the life of a program, this could add up to a large amount of money, or the difference between profit or loss." It could incur higher tool mainte- nance and shortened tool life as well, he adds, and for him, any challenge that can be identified and resolved for the cus- tomer is urgent. "Customers respond well to innovation and forward thinking. We need to use any new technology we can and apply this technology to our process." Images courtesy of AST Technology. Since the addition of AST Technology's System Cooling Test Rig to its mold maintenance and repair arsenal, Aalbers Tool and Mold has a fast, efficient process for testing mold cooling circuits to ensure optimal performance. The company now also has a comprehensive database from which test results and reports can be referenced and printed for every mold it builds. AALBERS TOOL AND MOLD INC., OLDCASTLE, ONTARIO, CANADA PROBLEM: Testing and maintenance of mold cooling circuits was labor-intensive and at times inconvenient, and lacked documentation. SOLUTION: System Cooling Test Rig from AST Technology. RESULTS: Faster, more efficient testing and analysis of mold cooling circuits, with testing data stored for detailed reporting.