Today’S Toggle Machines More User Friendly

Toggle clamp machines have been getting a bad rap that is no longer justified.

That, at least, is the view of a major manufacturer of toggle clamp machines, J.S.W. Plastics Machinery Inc. (64). According to the manufacturer, toggle clamp machines’ reputation for maintenance problems comes from some processors experiences with 10-or-20-year-old toggles that required premature epin and bushing replacements, clamp end rebuilds and often caused tool damage as a result of misalignment. New technologies have been able to eliminate these problems, says the company.

The most important of these developments is self-lubricating, oil-less bushings used by JSW and other manufacturers of toggle machines. Pockets in these bushings are impregnated with grease that seeps out at a controlled rate over time to insure continual lubrication. Much of the reason older toggles failed is that they were not adequately lubricated regularly, says JSW. Automatic lubrication ensures that the clamp unit stays well-built.

Take away the maintenance problem, and you are left with a machine that opens and closes molds faster, has more accurate low pressure mold protection and lower energy consumption in comparison to a hydraulic machine, the company claims.

All-electric machines built today have toggle clamping systems. In comparisons between today’s all-electric machines and hydraulic machines, JSW believes the toggle clamp should not be considered a deficiency.