Mold tooling is a crucial part of the manufacturing industry. The process utilizes injections to create forms that are used in a variety of sectors. Usually, the molds are steel or aluminum. There are many details and challenges involved, and it can be very hazardous.
If you are interested in injection mold tooling, continue reading this article to get a brief overview.
The Parts of a Mold
- The part is formed in the mold core and cavity. They both sit on either side of the injection plate and determine the shape of the interior and exterior parts. The mold core forms the interior, and the cavity forms the exterior. Sometimes, very complex processes are involved in mold manufacturing that requires inserts to be placed inside the core to create a removable part.
- To remove the finished part, an ejector plate is installed in the mold. After the piece is finished, pins push the plate upwards in unison.
- The “A” and “B” plates hold the mold cavities and cores. The “B” plate sits on the bottom and contains the ejector mechanism to remove the finished part. The “A” plate closes onto the bottom and receives the injection.
- Clamp plates hold the entire rig together. Support pillars for the ejector plate are installed in the bottom plate, and the top plate receives the injection. To keep the plates cool, a water line is sometimes fed through them. This assists in cooling the parts but is not always necessary. Sometimes the opposite is required, and the mold needs to remain hot. In this case, steel rods are inserted into the plates to prevent the part from melting too fast.
Creating materials out of a mold is a complex process that requires a lot of engineering and temperature control. Chances are, you use something that was manufactured through mold tooling every day. It allows accurate, repeatable results to be possible and is a vital section of manufacturing.