CLASS 103 MOLD SPECIFICATIONS

CAVITY AND CORES

CLASS 103 MOLD SPECIFICATIONS

Cycles: Under 500,000

Description: Medium production mold. This is a very popular mold for low to
medium production needs. Most common price range.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Up to 500,000 lifetime cycles is expected from this mold.

Prefer mold to run full automatic cycle and automatic part de-gating.

Mold shall produce acceptable parts at or below target estimated molding cycle as supplied by Tooling Engineer.

Mold shall be built to produce 1.33 Cpk quality parts minimum. Mold cavity dimensions must be held to within 15% of print tolerance to nominal. On all other print dimensions, mold cavity dimensions must be held to within 30% of print tolerance to nominal.

Approved shrink factors for the selected plastic molding material shall be supplied by Tooling Engineer and documented in writing.

Engineering shall supply IGES/CAD files for part dimensions, part prints, and approved title block upon release of purchase order.

Tooling Engineer shall supply molding machine platen layout and ejector KO pattern in writing.

Preliminary mold design shall be approved by Tooling Engineer prior to start of mold construction.

Detailed mold design shall be supplied to after tool approval. Final mold designs must be updated with all mold changes prior to mold approval.

Mold shall have approved vendor cycle counter.

All slides shall have wear plates with grease grooves. Slides shall have positive stops and locking details.

All screws, bolts, leader pins/bushings, ejector pins, ejector blades, etc. shall be standard stock items wherever possible.

MOLD BASE

Mold base steel hardness shall be 165 BHN minimum.

All steels moving against one another shall be of a dissimilar material and shall have a hardness differential of at least 4-7 Rockwell "C".

Straight parting line interlocks shall be on both sides of vertical and horizontal axis wherever possible.

Eye bolt holes shall be located on all four sides and both halves of the mold base minimum. Individual plates shall have eye bolt holes located on all four sides. Eye bolt hole thread size shall be stamped near lift hole.

Mold base must have 4 inch diameter locating ring and 1/2 inch spherical radius sprue bushing, unless otherwise specified by Tooling Engineer.

All mold base plates to be chamfered approximately 1/16 inch X 45 degrees.

Mold base to have off-set Leader Pin/Bushings and Return Pins.

Mold to have ample support pillars with minimum of 1/8 inch clearance on pillar diameter.

Pry bar slots shall be located on all mold base plates. Pry bar slots to be 7/8 inch wide minimum by 3/16 inch deep minimum. Pry bar slots may be placed on corner of plates at 45 degree angle only if no room for preferred locations.

Multiple dowel pins shall be installed between plates to insure proper alignment of plates.

Stamp "TOP" on top of the mold, minimum of 5/16 inch high.

Leader Pins and Leader Pin Bushing shall be long enough to engage at least 1/2 inch prior to any other mold components.

Mold base shall have clamp slots in both halves of mold. Preferred dimension of clamp slot is 13/16 inch high X 5/8 inch deep where possible, 7/8 or 1 3/8 off top and bottom of mold. Direct bolting holes may be implemented if necessary.

CAVITY AND CORES

All molding surfaces shall be made of hardened tool steel and heat treated to a minimum of 48 Rockwell "C" hardness.

All mold details such as slides, heel blocks, bigs, wedge blocks, etc. shall be made of hardened tool steel heat treated to a minimum of 48 Rockwell "C" hardness.

Hardened Stainless Steel cavities, cores, and core pins shall be used wherever possible if selected plastic resin is highly corosive.

Cavities, cores, core pins, and all other molding surfaces shall be flash chrome TIN plated wherever possible if selected plastic resin is highly abrasive. Tooling Engineer to specify type and thickness of plating.

Leader pins shall be long enough to engage at least 1/4 inch before core details engage cavities.

All core pins shall be full-through hardened.

Prefer undercuts formed with mechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic slides, lifters, etc. Exceptions must be approved by Tooling Engineer prior to start of mold construction.

All shut-off angles to be minimum of 3 degrees with a minimum 1/10 inch step, (assumes part design allows). Preferred shut-off angle is 5 degrees for all matching surfaces.

Excellent venting is required and shall be in accordance to plastic resin specifications. Last to fill areas must always have appropriate venting to insure ease of processing. Deep pockets must be vented wherever possible.

All cavity and core details to have steel type and hardness stamped into recessed pockets wherever possible.

COOLING

Water lines shall be in both mold halves and in cavities, cores, and slides whereever possible to allow for optimized molding cycles.

Water inlet and outlet locations shall be positioned so as not to interfere with molding machine tie bars and mold clamp slots.

All water inlets and outlets shall be stamped and identified on mold base. Identify inlets as "IN 1", "IN 2", etc. Identify outlets as "OUT 1", "OUT 2", etc. All water inlets and outlets must also be identified by their appropriate level on mold base.

All water inlets and outlets shall be fitted with approved vendor quick disconnect fittings.

Water inlets and outlets shall be recessed and installed below the mold base surface wherever possible.

Water lines shall be 7/16 inch diameter or larger wherever possible.

Bubblers and baffles shall be stainless steel or brass. Plastic bubblers and baffles are not acceptable.

Baffles shall be keyed in place and secured with a set screw wherever possible.

Spiral baffles shall be used wherever possible for turbulent flow.

Air and vacuum fittings shall be different from water fittings to prevent misconnection and for ease of installation.

Mold shall be designed with "O" ring installations such that "O" rings do not shear or become damaged during proper mold assembly.

EJECTION

Ejector plates shall run on guided bushings. Recommend four pins and bushings wherever possible.

Ejector plates shall have one off-set return pin.

Ejector plate travel must be sufficient for full part ejection and consistent molding cycle operation.

Ejector pins and sleeves shall be through hardened. Ejector sleeves shall be nitrided.

Ejector pins and sleeves shall be industry standard sizes wherever possible. All exceptions must be noted and approved by Tooling Engineer in writing.

Contoured ejector pins located flush with core surfaces must be keyed into place to maintain core contour alignment.

Cavity cores shall have ejector pin clearance of 1/64 inch larger than ejector pin diameter. Land distance shall be sized to optimize mold wear and fit characteristics.

Ejector pin clearance holes in "B" plate shall be 1/32 inch larger than ejector pin diameter wherever possible.

Ejector pin holes shall be 1/8 inch minimum from core side wall wherever possible.

Knock-out clearance holes shall be 1.25 inch diameter. Tapped holes for knock-out pins/adaptors shall be 1/2 inch-13 thread size. Knock-out adapters shall be flush with back half of mold.

Standard SPI knock-out patterns shall be used. Multiple KO is preferred. Tooling Engineer to provide mold supplier appropriate KO pattern to match molding machine configuration.

All ejector plates shall have return springs where mold design and mold operation allows. Springs shall be standard sizes and not cut to length. Springs shall have standard diameter counter holes wherever possible. Springs to be around return pins or have separate pins in the event breakage occurs.