Beaumont Offers New In-mold Rheological Control Technology

Erie, PA — Today's traditional injection molding know-how limits processors to one dimensional linear control of the melt after the polymer leaves the injection nozzle. Understanding that there are non-uniform three dimensional viscosity changes that occur to the melt as it flows through the mold, Beaumont Technologies, Inc. (BTI) will introduce new technologies that will enable processors to better control and take advantage of these rheological changes...all without ever having to take the mold out of the press. Best described as a 3d-Molding technology, it will be the featured new product in their booth # 11224 (East Hall) at NPE.

The new product does not yet have a specific name, but this latest advancement in melt-management, which is based around the firm's popular MeltFlipper ® technology, is a major step forward for the injection molding industry. The rheological control units will be offered to customers through a variety of standard insert sizes and melt-management designs. Custom designs will also be offered for unique applications.

The basic premise of 3d-Molding technologies is to allow processors not only to dynamically optimize mold balance from cavity to cavity, but also as dynamically change and control the actual filling pattern within a given cavity...all without changing gate locations, part geometries, process conditions, or having to take the mold out of the press. Much like standard MeltFlipper technology, these latest advancements are applicable in all cavity ranges and all molding materials, including single cavity molds and LCP materials.

The new technologies can, among other things, provide an unprecedented level of control within the mold and cavities to:

• provide a universal mold balance,
• reduce scrap rates,
• reduce mold startup and qualification times,
• provide a much wider process window,
• create stronger weld lines (to eliminate part breakage issues) or move weld lines to non-cosmetic areas,
• eliminate filling problems in areas such as thin wall sections,
• eliminate short shot issues and gas trap locations, and
• solve cosmetic problems, including "glass-migration" by
• manipulating the arrangement of glass fibers in the polymer.

As a result of using rheological control technologies, users can optimize each mold for the particular product being produced and account for viscosity variations created naturally by different machine nozzles, material lot changes and sprue bushings...thus creating a more universally adaptable mold from machine to machine.

Ongoing molding demonstrations will be held at the BTI booth #11224 during the NPE show to highlight the rheological control technology. It will also be demonstrated/proven on a 1944 Van Dorn hand operated injection molding machine. The purpose of doing this is to readily prove to processors that any type of injection molding machine - old or new - can produce higher quality parts more efficiently by controlling the rheology of the melt within the mold.

SOURCE: Beaumont Technologies, Inc.