Mold Bolt Specifications From Supplier…

I received this question from a recent customer…

Jim
{Our supplier} cannot supply specification documentation that the mold clamp bolts they supply are Grade 8. This is one of the reasons why we are looking at other suppliers.
note: Jim included the name of the supplier, but it was omitted for the purpose of our blog.
My Response
Since these bolts are being used to hold down the mold, the bolt class specifications are not as critical as you might think. When used for mounting injection molds, the bolts are torqued to values siginifcantly lower than their maximum. Since the company you are purchasing from is reputable, you should be fine.
Additional Thoughts
The more important factor is to use a toque wrench to secure the bolts while minimizing any excessive loads. Using the appropriate torque values will be most important in manitaining the long term integrity of the bolts, nuts, and t-slots.
For more on torque values, please feel free to read:
-Andy

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