How to reduce production costs by improving the design of preform molds
一. Optimize mold structure design
1. Simplify the overall structure of the mold
2. Adopt standardized and universal design
二. Reasonable design of cooling system
1. Optimize the layout of cooling channels
2. Choose the right cooling method and material
三. Improve the design of the gate and runner system
1. Optimize the gate position and form
2. Balanced runner system design
四． Accurately design mold size and material selection
1. Accurately determine mold size
2. Reasonable selection of mold materials
We have professional optimization of preform mold design, which can effectively reduce the production cycle. Welcome to consult us!
一. Optimize mold structure design
1. Simplify the overall structure of the mold
Reduce the number of parts: Under the premise of meeting the requirements of preform molding, simplify the mold structure as much as possible and reduce unnecessary parts. For example, by rationally designing the demoulding mechanism and integrating multiple small push rods into a large push plate, not only the number of parts can be reduced, but also the complexity of assembly can be reduced. In this way, costs can be saved in terms of purchasing parts and assembly time. Moreover, the reduction in the number of parts also reduces the probability of mold failure and reduces maintenance costs.
Merge functional modules: For some modules with similar functions, they can be merged. For example, the cooling system and the support structure are rationally integrated so that the cooling pipe can enhance the overall rigidity of the mold while playing a cooling role. This design can reduce the material usage of the mold and simplify the processing and assembly process.
2. Adopt standardized and universal design
Use standard parts: Try to use standard parts in mold design, such as standard guide columns, ejector pins, gate sleeves, etc. The cost of standard parts is relatively low because they are mass-produced and the market supply is sufficient and easy to purchase. For example, the price of a standard mold guide column may be only 60% - 70% of that of a custom part. In addition, the quality and performance of standard parts are verified to ensure the stability of the mold and reduce the cost of repair and replacement due to part quality problems.
Universal design concept: Make part of the structure of the mold universal so that it can be reused in different preform mold designs. For example, a universal cavity module can be designed and applied to the production of multiple similar preforms by simply adjusting some details inside the module according to the specific size and shape of the preform. This not only improves design efficiency, but also reduces design costs because the overall structure of each new mold does not need to be redesigned.
二. Reasonable design of cooling system
1. Optimize the layout of cooling channels
Improve cooling efficiency: When designing cooling channels, they should be laid out according to the shape and wall thickness of the preform to ensure cooling uniformity and efficiency. For example, for preform molds with uneven wall thickness, the density of cooling channels can be appropriately increased in areas with thicker wall thickness or the cooling channels can be made closer to the cavity surface, which can speed up the cooling speed of the area and enable the various parts of the preform to be cooled synchronously. An efficient cooling system can shorten the molding cycle of the preform, thereby improving production efficiency and reducing the production cost of each unit product.
Reduce cooling medium consumption: Through reasonable channel design, the amount of cooling medium (such as water) can also be reduced. For example, the use of spiral cooling channels or optimized series-parallel hybrid cooling channel layout can make the cooling medium flow more reasonably in the mold, while ensuring the cooling effect, while reducing the circulation flow of the cooling medium. This not only saves water resources, but also reduces the energy consumption of equipment such as water pumps in the cooling system.
2. Choose the right cooling method and material
Cooling method selection: In addition to traditional water cooling, other cooling methods such as oil cooling or air cooling can also be considered. In some specific cases, air cooling may be a more economical option. For example, for small preform molds or molds that do not require a particularly high cooling speed, the equipment cost and operating cost of the air cooling system are relatively low. At the same time, the maintenance of the air cooling system is also relatively simple, and there is no need to worry about water leakage, scale and other problems like the water cooling system.
Cooling material optimization: In the selection of cooling pipe materials, cost and performance should be considered comprehensively. For example, copper pipes have good thermal conductivity, but the price is relatively high; while some plastic pipes have slightly poor thermal conductivity, but they are cheap and corrosion-resistant. If the working environment of the preform mold does not require extremely high thermal conductivity of the cooling pipe, you can choose a more affordable plastic pipe as the cooling pipe material to reduce material costs.
三. Improve the design of the gate and runner system
1. Optimize the gate position and form
Gate position determination: A reasonable gate position can improve the filling efficiency of the plastic melt and reduce defects. The flow of the plastic melt in the cavity is analyzed by simulation software, and the gate is set at the thicker part of the preform wall or at the balance point of the melt flow. For example, for a preform with a thick bottom wall, the gate is set at the center of the bottom, so that the melt can be evenly diffused around, reducing defects such as weld marks and bubbles, improving the quality of the preform, and reducing the scrap rate, thereby saving production costs.
Gate form selection: Select the appropriate gate form according to the characteristics of the preform. For example, the pinpoint gate is suitable for small preforms and preforms with high requirements for appearance quality. It can make the gate mark small and reduce the subsequent processing steps. The side gate is suitable for some preforms with more regular shapes. It is simple to process and has a low cost. Choosing a suitable gate form can reduce the processing cost of the mold and the post-processing cost of the preform while ensuring the quality of the preform.
2. Balanced runner system design
Application of runner balance principle: In multi-cavity preform molds, it is very important to ensure runner balance. Runner balance means that each cavity can be filled with plastic melt at the same time and evenly. By accurately calculating and designing the length, diameter and shape of the runner, the pressure loss of the melt in each runner is the same. For example, the use of equal-section runners and reasonable branch layout can avoid the problem of inconsistent preform quality caused by runner imbalance, reduce scrap rate, improve production efficiency, and thus reduce production costs.
Runner material and size optimization: In the selection of runner materials, its cost and performance should be considered. For some runners that do not require high precision, you can choose lower-cost materials. At the same time, the runner size should be reasonably determined according to the size of the preform and the flow rate of the plastic melt. A runner that is too large will waste materials and increase costs; a runner that is too small will cause excessive melt flow resistance and affect the quality of the preform.
四． Accurately design mold size and material selection
1. Accurately determine mold size
Avoid over-design: Accurately calculate the size of the mold according to the size of the preform and production requirements to avoid molds that are too large or too small. Oversized molds will increase material costs and processing costs, while oversized molds may not meet production requirements or cause preform quality problems. For example, when designing the template size of the mold, consider the arrangement of the preform and the demolding space, and reasonably determine the length, width, and height of the template so that the mold can meet production needs without wasting materials and space.
Consider the versatility and extensibility of the mold: When designing the mold size, its versatility and extensibility must also be considered. For example, design a mold structure that can adapt to different preform sizes through simple adjustments, so that when other sizes of preforms need to be produced in the future, only some parts need to be replaced or adjusted, without redesigning the entire mold, thus saving the design and manufacturing costs of new molds.
2. Reasonable selection of mold materials
Cost-effective material selection: Select cost-effective mold materials according to the working conditions and performance requirements of the mold. For example, for some preform molds with small production batches and not particularly high requirements for mold life, relatively low-priced mold steel can be selected. At the same time, the processing properties of the material should be considered, and selecting easy-to-process materials can reduce processing costs. For example, P20 steel is a pre-hardened plastic mold steel with good processing properties and moderate price, which is suitable for a variety of preform molds.
Material substitution and composite use: Explore the possibility of material substitution, or use composite materials to reduce costs. For example, in non-critical parts of the mold, some materials with slightly worse performance but cheaper prices can be used instead of expensive mold steel. In addition, for some parts that require special properties (such as high hardness and high toughness), surface coatings or composite materials can be used to form a layer of high-performance coating on the surface of the base material to meet the performance requirements while reducing the overall material cost.
Foshan Heyan Precision Mould Technology Co., Ltd.'s main business is preform moulds, bottle blowing moulds, bottle cap moulds and other products. It has a strong engineering, R&D, technology and sales team, advanced processing equipment and rich project experience. If you want to know more or have special needs, please call us at 13318345050, WeChat ID is the same.pet bottle mold
