Press conversion delivers significant cost savings in equipment and processes.

Industry experts estimate that there are 75,000 or more compression and transfer presses in operation in the United States. Of these, approximately 30%, or 22,500 presses, are in excellent working condition. These presses represent a significant cost-saving opportunity for businesses struggling with the decision of whether to add new equipment or convert their existing equipment to the task at hand. Businesses operating a compression or transfer press, but needing an injection press, can reduce their cost by 50% or more by converting existing equipment, rather than replacing it.

Adapting a screw/ram injection unit to an existing press is a service that Hydratecs Injection Equipment (H.I.E.) has been offering for the last 30 years.

In the past, most conversions consisted of adding an injection unit to an altered top bolster. Some bolsters were sold, or had the structural integrity to be used. However, if the existing bolster was inadequate, a replacement bolster was provided.

In addition, an operator control panel was added and the injection unit was connected to the customer's existing hydraulic system. Further modifications were required if the hydraulic system was water-soluble. In those cases, only the injection ram could be connected to the existing hydraulic system and a small oil hydraulic power unit was added to operate the screw motor. Existing steam or electric platens were altered and used. Existing molds were adapted for injection or replaced altogether.

Those coversions were said to cost about 30% of a comparable new injection press and offered the same reduction in cure times. In most cases, cure times were reduced to about 25% of the original cure times.

With the innovation of jack cylinders, prefill systems and complete hydraulic systems, these converted presses achieved faster open and closing speeds, further reducing total cycle times, and realizing a savings in production costs. These options increased the project cost, but offered customers a press that was comparable to a completely new injection press. The result is said to have been a converted injection press at half the cost of a new one.

Conversions are still quite common for presses 350 tons and larger with shot sizes from five pounds through 105 pounds. Depending on the shot size and tonnage, converting a compression or transfer press to injection delivers significant value when compared to the purchase of a new unit.

H.I.E. is said to have been instrumental in the alterations of existing molds to injection. Using existing molds is also said to be an additional cost savings.

These modern day conversions are said to offer the same sophistication as completely new presses. Depending on the customer's requirements and budget, these conversions also can be supplied as a simpler system. For the customer, the decision to convert an existing press translates straight back to their bottom line.

Customers struggling with a project that does not justify the cost of a new injection press and mold would do well to consider converting an existing press and altering a mold to maintain their competitive edge in the marketplace.

Virtually every type and brand of compression and transfer press has been converted in the past 30 years, ranging in style and including slab-side and strain rod, barrel style, corner post and window frame. Some conversions have also included shuttle and exiting platen systems.

Most conversions have been vertical, but H.I.E. has also converted a number of horizontal presses.

More recently, in the past 15 years, H.I.E. has added the service of updating old style rubber injection presses, along with adapting some plastic presses to rubber.

H.I.E. also offers a complete line of new injection molding presses ranging from 75 tons to 2,000 tons with shot sizes ranging from 1/2 pound through 105 pounds. In addition, special injection systems and conversions with shot sizes starting at 2.7 pounds through 105 pounds are offered.

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