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Remedy For A Walking Machine

In a recent trade show, an attendee asked me this unique question…
Attendee
What would cause my machines to ‘walk’? The floor is level, but a couple of my machines will still move.
Note: For those new to the industry, a ‘walking machine’ physically moves away from the original position where it was installed. This movement may be as little as a couple millimeters or as much as a few inches.
My Response
First, always level the machine by placing the level on the tie bars. Always make sure you check all 4 tie bars. Many people make the mistake of levelling the machine by the base of the platens. Some of the best systems use a rotating laser with a group of sensors placed on the tie bars to measure the tie bars relative to each other. 
Second, check the parallelism of the platens. This can be easily measured both when the mold is open as well as when the mold is closed. The best way to check this is to have an expert come in and use a computer assisted system which can accurately measure the parallelism, twist, linearity of the platens at rest, under tonnage, as well as during platen movement.
Third, check the lubrication system. Any busted or leaking seals, as well as blocked lubrication lines may cause abrupt movement of the platen. This is often evidenced by a series of rings or streaks on the tie bars. You may also feel a vibration when touching the machine as the mold opens and closes.
Additional Thoughts
Over time, ANY awkward platen movement that is not linear and level may cause the machine to ‘walk’. This can become very costly as it can often cause tie bar strain, platen twist, and uneven clamping. You must implement a routine schedule for checking the levelness, parallelism, and lubricaion of the machine, since any of these can cripple or ruin your molding machines.
-Andy

Are Trade Shows Good For Your Employees?

Over the years, I have seen a significant decrease in production workers at trade shows such as the most recent NPE. For those who may never think to send their employees to trade shows, I would like to provide a few resons why it can be helpful to you.
The Plastics Industry
Most employees think of themselves as just an employee at a company that makes cases, bottles, buckets, cases, bags, pellets, etc. As a result, they approach their job with the zeal of a clerk. Sadly, most people working in the plastics industy never realize there is a plastics industry!!!
Industry Appreciation
Although employees may not learn skills that will directly relate to their job, they will realize that they are a part of a much larger industry. Giving a person the opportunity to meet representatives from material, machine, and equipment suppliers…  provides a great appreciation of the plastics industry.
Accepting Responsibility
This is not the time to wine and dine your employees with excess. The atmosphere can be fun and friendly, but it should also remain professional. Always delegate some responsibility to your employees… It keeps their focus and may give you a whole new perspective.
Let’s suppose you are evaluating a few different machines for purchase… You may ask your technicians to evaluate the controls while you concentrate on the specifications and costs. In your review, one brand of machine may have the best cost and specifications, but your technicians find the machine controls confusing, thus anticipating push-back from their fellow employees. With their feedback, you may choose a machine with similar benefits, but with the added benefit of your technicians returning to the plant with rave reviews… resulting in a sense of excitement and anticipation for the new machine. This small insight such as this can easily return the investment of the trip.
Increasing Morale
Ultimately, such activities foster a sense of appreciation and good will for your company. If you open your employees’ eyes to the plastics industry and give them a participatory role, they will be grateful for the opportunity.
-Andy

Water Condensation and Mold Sweat

In a recent e-mail, I received this question regarding mold sweat…
Altaf B
When we set the water chiller temperature at 10ºC or less, we get water condensation on the mold cavities. Could you help us avoid this condition?

My Response
Mold sweat is condensation which appears on the mold. Water condenses on the mold surface when the mold temperature is lower than the dewpoint of the air.
The dewpoint is the temperature at which water precipitates out of the air in tiny droplets. This vapor can collect on the surfaces of the mold. To reduce condensation, the mold temperature can be increased, or the dewpoint or temperature of the surrounding air can be decreased. 
Another way to decrease the dewpoint is to control the climate in the molding area. Blowing dehumidified air at the mold reduces the dewpoint…which lowers the possibility of condensation.
Additional Thoughts
In reality, it’s always advantageous to control the temperature and humidity in the molding environment. Not only does this help prevent mold sweat… this also reduces material and process variations as well as improve the overall working environment for your employees.
-Andy

Is P-20 An Adequate Steel For Glass-Filled Nylon?

In a recent e-mail, I received this question regarding tool steel…
Kevin W.
Is P-20 an acceptable steel material to hold up to 60,000 annual volume for 10 years. The material is 15% glass fill nylon with 25% talc fill?
My Response
By itself, P-20 lacks the wear resistance to produce half a million cycles using a glass-filled material. A coating of titanium nitride on both the core and cavity should prevent wear on the P-20. Additionally, this coating is gold in appearance… so wear will be easy to identify when more coating is necessary.
Since the gate is a high shear location, it typically receives the most wear. I strongly recommend using a hardened gate insert to avoid welding and repairs in this area. Likewise, if you are using a hot runner gate, you should use a hardened drop rather than machining the gate into the P-20 cavity block.
The biggest caveat to this recommendation is thin wall molding. If the part has thin walls, or requires high injection pressures… P-20 is not likely to maintain its structural integrity for 600,000+ cycles.
Additional Thoughts
Without knowing more about the application and your tool steel supplier, it is hard to recommend a specific tool steel. Depending on availability and price, there are often multiple steels that will suit your application. A good supplier should be able to review your application with you and recommend a metal that will meet your specific needs.
-Andy

12 – The Elements of Great Managing

Recently, I have read a great book entitled ’12 – The Elements of Great Managing’ by Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter. In this book, the authors discuss the twelve simple concepts managers use to create quality employee experiences. I highly recommend that any manager adds this book to their summer reading list.

In this book, there is a great amount of relevant information but I wanted to mention the twelfth element – which is to provide ‘Opportunities to Learn and Grow’. As you know… people resist change. In this book, the authors make the argument that they feel that monotony is even worse than change – talk about a catch-22!
I bring this up because, any manager needs to create an atmosphere where their employees can learn and grow. Don’t just give your employees educational opportunities, but also familiarize them with the jobs of others and those around them.
In actuality, if you treat your employees professionally… they will act professionally. Adversely, if you treat your employees like mindless drones… you will not get the best out of your workforce. Always keep this in mind when you move forward with your workforce development initiatives.
-Andy

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