Unconventional Hot Runners

GATE MATE LITE hot runner nozzles from D-M-E are said to be the most economical choice for direct gating applications. Gate Mate Lite nozzles are suitable for thin-walled parts, direct part gating and high cavitation molding. The nozzles are available in 10 lengths, from 42 to 130 mm, with either point gate or thru-hole tip designs.

An advanced-design square coil heater and integrated thermocouple ensure an accurate temperature profile throughout the nozzle. Gate Mate Lite’s bodiless design leaves no witness marks on the finished part.

D-M-E of Canada Ltd. 800-387-6600

FOR DEMANDING MEDICAL, telecommunications, electronics and packaging applications Mold-Masters has developed Accu-Valve (patents pending), a cylindrical valve gate which provides optimal gate cosmetics with exceptional gate durability and gate protection.

The Accu-Valve provides precise pin alignment by eliminating the effect of manifold thermal expansion. Unlike conventional systems that have the valve pin located in the manifold system, this solution positions the pin in a bushing attached to the nozzle. By utilizing double alignment in the gate geometry, this gating solution ensures that the pin enters the gate at the exact centre point every time, resulting in exceptional gate vestige.

The design utilizes an uninterrupted flow path from manifold to gate. By employing this technology, weld lines or dead spots that may be caused by alignment devices guiding the pin within the nozzle are completely eliminated. This is particularly beneficial for delicate applications having small gate diameters. For this type of application, the pin remains perfectly centered between gate and nozzle, thereby eliminating any possibility of gate flash.

Mold-Masters Ltd.

905-877-0185

COMPARED WITH a conventional wire heater, the new UltraHeater nozzle from Husky Injection Molding Systems is moisture resistant and has 2.5 times faster response times. The UltraHeater is constructed with a unique film technology: layers of thin insulating material, printed on a stainless steel sleeve, encapsulate a thin conductive film heater. It is designed for continuous use at temperatures of up to 425C (800F).

The UltraHeater also offers a slimmer profile, allowing mold designers more flexibility with gate and cavity cooling. The UltraHeaters’ performance benefits apply to all applications, from commodity packaging to the most technical parts.

Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. 802-859-8000

TO SATISFY DEMAND from the cosmetics industry for products such as lipstick caps, J-Tech Hot Runner is distributing a new small-diameter hot runner nozzle. The Heitec Hot Runner Nozzle Series 01.03.06 has a body diameter of just 9 mm (0.3543 in.) and allows an installation bore in the injection mold of 10 mm (0.3937 in.)

The screw-in nozzle tip and the FeCu-Ni thermocouple as well as the 6 mm (0.2362 in.) diameter seal ring at the front of the nozzle are easily exchangeable. The 230V heater is solidly attached to the flow tube and a reflection tube around the heater-flow-tube assembly minimizes heat radiation to the mold. An additional seal between the nozzle and manifold eliminates leakage.

The nozzle is made for high end packaging, and its small dimensions make it suitable for many other applications. A variety of molds are operating successfully processing difficult materials in high pressure applications.

J-Tech Hot Runner Inc. 905-792-0249

Q-STAR IS A PC-BASED hot runner temperature control system capable of controlling up to 240 zones. Q-Star uses a modular design concept for ease of configuration, higher reliability and reduced possibility of down time. Each individual zone is controlled via controller cards with 15A output.

Q-Star is equipped with advanced self-diagnostic and fuzzy logic power control algorithms which help with maintaining the Q-Star controller and also can be used for mold diagnosis and quality control. All units come with high-speed RS 485 communication at 115,200 bps, hot swappable controller cards, over-current protection, SPC data, process counters (number of mold cycles), and circuitry to shut down the machine on critical failure.

When a new mold is setup, diagnostic routines can be performed detecting and displaying:

miswired power and thermocouples

open, reversed and shorted thermocouples

heater conditions

ground faults

controller status

open fuses.

Acetronic Industrial Controls Inc. 905-564-7227

WIDE PRODUCT RANGE: Hasco offers a wide variety of hot runner nozzles to suit the demanding requirements of today’s molding applications. Centre-to-centre distances as close as 0.630 in. can be achieved.

Several nozzle tip configurations are available, including tip materials that allow Hasco nozzles to process many filled and aggressive materials with ease. A common application for Hasco is point gating with 40% short glass filler.

Titanium is used to insulate both nozzle heaters and manifold heaters from the mold plates, thus preventing precious heat loss.

To facilitate mold construction, Hasco offers standard, replaceable gate inserts which can be easily designed into the mold. If gate geometries need to be changed during the mold design period, replacing a standard component can be very cost effective and favorable to maintaining short lead times.

Hasco Canada 800-387-9609

INTEGRATED HOT RUNNER technology from INCOE allows the molder to perform routine maintenance without removing the hot runner system from the molding machine. Any of the following can be performed in the machine:

Gate tip exchange

End cap exchange

Nozzle heater exchange

Nozzle thermocouple exchange

Manifold thermocouple exchange

Hot runner system completely exposed for thorough inspection.

As well, valve gate operational plumbing can be serviced without disassembly.

With conventional hot runner systems these operations generally require removal of the mold/hot runner system from the injection molding machine, which may result in a loss of production up to one or more shifts. The integrated system allows these same functions to be preformed in 1 to 2 hours.

Incoe Corp. 248-616-0220

GIVE IT A TRY. Gammaflux has introduced a new trial program that allows molders to try its hot runner temperature control systems risk-free. Called “The Gammaflux Challenge”, this program has been initiated to encourage molders to try out the Gammaflux controller of their choice for 2 weeks. After the trial, customers can decide whether they want to keep the controller or return it to Gammaflux with no obligation.

“Better hot runner temperature control can mean higher profits,” says Mike Brostedt, Gammaflux Director of Market Development. “It can improve finished part quality, save material by reducing scrap, and improve part weight consistency. This new program gives molders a great opportunity to see for themselves how our controllers can help achieve these goals.”

Gammaflux’s GLC controller features easy-to-use international icons and is a competitively-priced, durable, module-based controller. The TTC model provides state-of-the-art control for molds with higher numbers of control zones.

Control Solutions Inc.

905-458-8382