Technologies for Maintaining, Repairing and Surface Treating Your Molds

Photo Credit, clockwise from top left: Progressive Components, Mold Surface Textures, PCS Company and Boride Engineered Abrasives

Mold maintenance, repair and surface treatment is crucial to keeping molds healthy, functioning and performing at their best. Regular maintenance prevents wear and tear, reducing the likelihood of defects in manufactured parts and minimizes downtime. Repairing molds promptly safeguards against potential flaws, sustaining accuracy and reduces production interruptions. Surface treatment techniques like polishing or coatings improve mold durability, reduce friction and enhance part release, contributing to higher quality finished products and increased operational efficiency in the long term. These practices collectively preserve mold integrity, ensuring reliable and consistent performance throughout their lifecycle.

This technology roundup covers everything from laser repair and mold protection coatings to in-house maintenance services and education tools to learn the best practices behind taking care of injection molds. Every month, MoldMaking Technology’s roundups aim to streamline the process of discovering new product, process or service solutions to keep you in the loop of new developments that may be the perfect fit for your moldmaking operations.

To check out tech roundups from months prior, please browse the “New Tech” section of the MoldMaking Technology website, or look up “Technology Roundup” in the homepage Search bar. For more information on a product featured below, click on the title link for the respective product.

MRST

Photo Credit: Rocklin Manufacturing Co.

Portable, Low-Heat, Non-Arcing Resistance Welder for Mold Repair

Rocklin Manufacturing Co.’s MoldMender Micro Welder is a compact, handheld device that delivers simple and cost-effective mold and die repair in-house through a low heat, non-arcing welding process, ensuring controlled, localized repairs.

Photo Credit: Boride Engineered Abrasives

Polishing Stone Results in Smooth Surface Finish for Tool Steels, EDM

The AS-9 Plus from Boride Engineered Abrasives is engineered to produce the same fast, smooth cutting action customers have come to expect from the AS-9, but with optimized finishing capabilities. According to the company, its premium aluminum oxide grain composition sets the AS-9 Plus apart, producing wider scratches on the mold surface and resulting in a smoother, more brilliant finish.

Intuitive, Maintenance-Free Laser Welder for Mold Repair

For mold builders, Gesswein showcases the SWA Fiber series of Sisma’s top-of-the-line laser welder, offering maximum working range to perform repairs and modifications on molds of any size, large or small. Powered by newly advanced technology, the solution’s fiber laser source offers greater energy efficiency for high productivity and reduced shop downtime.

Photo Credit: Beaumont Technologies Inc.

Mold Maintenance Training Courses Teach Mold Management, Upkeep

Beaumont Technologies’ AIM Institute is creating a new Mold Maintenance Center of Excellence that provides comprehensive education and training for anyone in the injection molding industry who is responsible for mold maintenance, management and upkeep.

Photo Credit: Progressive Components

Monitor Tool Wirelessly Tracks Mold Activity

The CVe Monitor RT from Progressive Components enables users to view the tool’s cycle count and other data on the device, provides Bluetooth access to information using the ProFile app and, with additional hardware, can send real-time data to the ProFile app in the cloud for global access.

Photo Credit: PCS Company

Intelligent Mold Cleaners Support Proper Mold Maintenance

PCS Company is partnering with Poland’s Fado Group to distribute the company’s intelligent CoolingCare Systems mold channel cleaning equipment in North America. CoolingCare Systems are Industry 4.0-compliant cleaning solutions that enable operators to connect a mold to the system and define the cooling channels to be cleaned. Offered in two- and six-channel options, CoolingCare Systems feature intelligent tutorial, cleaning and maintenance functions.

Rust Preventatives Ensure Complete Mold Protection

Mold Shield Rust Preventive Spray (42910P) from Slide Products is a distinctive dry formula that protects against fingerprint acids and seals out condensation. This non-silicone, non-wax spray can armor molds for up to two years. It delivers a non-penetrating mist into ejector pin sleeves, slides, cams and other moving parts while displacing water condensation and unwanted residue.

Photo Credit: Mold Surface Textures

In-House Surface Treatment Services for Molds, Embossing Rolls

Keeping pace with the needs of the texturing industry, Mold Surface Textures (MST) added its first five-axis GF S 1000 U laser texturing machine two years ago, enabling it to lay 3D textures on molds and rolls.

Photo Credit: Blue Wave Ultrasonic

Blow-Off Station Adds to Ultrasonic Cleaning Effectiveness

Blue Wave Ultrasonics manufactures ultrasonic cleaning systems and user-friendly detergents specifically designed for cleaning injection mold tooling. These systems provide a powerful, microscopic scrubbing action that effectively removes outgassing residues, release agents and grime from even intricate, hard-to-reach areas such as details, ejector pin holes and vent channels, all without abrasives that can damage molding surfaces.Blue Wave continues its customer-forward innovation with the release of an integrated Blow-Off Station as part of the company’s Three Stage Clean, Rinse and Rust Inhibit cleaning systems.

Photo Credit: High-Tech Laser & Polishing

Mold Welding, Polishing and Engraving Services Meet High Demands, Craftsmanship

High-Tech Laser & Polishing has been supporting mold builders and molders since 1985 with multiple services that include mold polishing, laser engraving/texturing, laser cutting and laser welding. The company’s polishing department offers finishes from mirror diamond, paper, stone and blasted according to SPI industry standards. Many of the company’s projects require its polishers to work under a microscope for small, detailed jobs, such as the diamond mirror polished cavity seen above.