Large volume production system combines injection molding and automatic deflashing.

Combined injection molding and automatic deflashing are provided by one large volume, cost-saving system. For example, one operator can produce production parts (molding) and at the same time operate a die trimming machine. The unique aspect of this concept is that the injection molding press is producing a molded pad of parts with controlled flash to decrease handling time, part removal time, mold maintenance cost and part finishing costs.

Mapelli Rubber Technology (a division of Rutil), Fort Wayne Mold & Engineering, Burke Rubber and Altman Manufacturing have collaborated to offer the ability to produce large volumes of parts by injection molding a pad of parts, which is then fed through an Altman automatic finishing machine. This system will produce finished parts at the molding press, without moving to a cryogenic tumbling system, and without any added labor or loss of part quality.

Fort Wayne Mold & Engineering has produced a molded sheet of 2.52 parts in less than 90 seconds. When looking at the heat, operators can see a repeating pattern down the length of the heat of parts. The flash is a repeating pad of controlled thickness, which when trimmed will leave a minimum of material. The flash consists of interlocking rings. This allows the rubber to flow across the sheet, filling out completely. The injection spots are in the center of several parts, which break off when the pad is removed. This type of mold was designed by Fort Wayne Mold & Engineering, and could be expanded to fit customer parts. This system will produce literally millions of parts without stopping.

The Altman automatic finishing machine is an indexing trimming machine capable of finishing a heat as large as 32" square. The rubber is carried on a mylar sheet that is moved very accurately so that the spacing of the mylar sheet and that of the molded heat of parts match. The parts are lubricated with a soap and water solution prior to trimming. This allows the rubber to move slightly and prevents wear. After the molded parts are loaded in the tray of mylar, the tray is sent through the machine, removing all parts. In this example, the system is punching a long row of 11 and a short row of 10 parts at a time. The sheet requires 12 hits to remove all 252 parts, and they will be trimmed in less than 30 seconds while only using less than 10 seconds of the operator's time. The system could have been modified to run even faster, if needed. This heat of parts could have been trimmed in as little as 14 seconds. Altman Manufacturing designs the system to match needed production volumes. But if a customer molds on three or four injection presses at a time, and finishes in one Altman automatic finishing machine, their labor rate is cut by three or four to one.

In today's marketplace, the bottom line is cost, quality and time. This system said to be producing the lowest cost product in very little time. The process utilizes the highest quality of rubber and the finest molding technique, without the addition of extra labor.