Stack It Up! The Value of Stack Molding
Plastic injection molding is arguably the most common manufacturing method on the planet. And no matter what product comes out in the end -- whether a pill container or a car interior panel -- the plastic injection molding process is approximately the same every time. Plastic, in the form of granules or pellets, is dropped into a hopper, melted, then "injected" or rammed into a mold containing a cavity which is the exact shape of the part to be manufactured.
Like other plastic injection molding companies all over the planet, Illinois plastic injection molding companies found out many years ago that if you put together multiple molds in a row on a typical press, you can mushroom your output by stacking up more cavities. This network of face molds is known by the term "stack mold." Each mold in the stack has the same outline and rough size as the mold next in line, so they all fit precisely within the same tie bar module.
While there are caveats, output typically goes up in relation to the amount of molds in the stack. Just to give an example, a plastics company can roughly double their output per run by increasing the number of cavities on the same press by 100%.
There are numerous different types of stack molds, but some common elements include:
* A high level of production runs on fewer presses
* Many cores and cavites
* Indexable cores, to injection-mold multiple materials
* Having the capability to perform several operations in the same molding cycle
A short primer: a stack mold has a stationary "A" half, and at least two "B" or moving halves. They are similar to rotary molds that have been around for decades but usually are vertical rather than horizontal. This results in moving cores that rotate about a vertical axis, as opposed to a horizontal one. Moreover, the stack mold is very small as compared to other mold types.
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 other plastic injection molding companies all over the planet, Illinois plastic injection molding companies found out many years ago that if you put together multiple molds in a row on a typical press, you can mushroom your output by stacking up more cavities. This network of face molds is known by the term "stack mold." Each mold in the stack has the same outline and rough size as the mold next in line, so they all fit precisely within the same tie bar module.
While there are caveats, output typically goes up in relation to the amount of molds in the stack. Just to give an example, a plastics company can roughly double their output per run by increasing the number of cavities on the same press by 100%.
There are numerous different types of stack molds, but some common elements include:
* A high level of production runs on fewer presses
* Many cores and cavites
* Indexable cores, to injection-mold multiple materials
* Having the capability to perform several operations in the same molding cycle
A short primer: a stack mold has a stationary "A" half, and at least two "B" or moving halves. They are similar to rotary molds that have been around for decades but usually are vertical rather than horizontal. This results in moving cores that rotate about a vertical axis, as opposed to a horizontal one. Moreover, the stack mold is very small as compared to other mold types.
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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