Essential mould components New slide design results in cost reduction per unit and simplifies installation

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Since the early days of the moulding industry, many mechanical solutions have been developed to help release undercuts during the ejection process. As a result of the technological evolution, machinery, or materials, many mechanisms have become redundant. However, there is one mechanism which has lasted through many changes with almost no redesign: the slide.

Slides are robust mould components with precision guiding. They are mostly used in the parting line to form complex geometries or external undercuts. The slide plays a crucial role when the mould is closed, pushed forward, blocked into moulding position and the opening pulled back to release the part.

The slide is basically composed of three separate elements, two of them being the sliding base and the moving element, located on the core side. The third one is the angled pin on the cavity side, that by its length and angle determines the stroke of the moving element.

Traditional slides are dependable and solid, nevertheless they are not free from difficulties and limitations. On one hand the angled pin takes a lot of tension depending on its angle, length and strokes. Slides with long strokes can be very challenging to adjust. The longer the stroke the harder it is to adjust them. On the other hand, the robust guiding of the moving element takes up a lot of space, resulting in a larger mould.

Considering the need for improved quality, lower costs, and shorter production times, Cumsa wanted to think outside of the box. The engineers went through several redesigns , trials and ran tests using different materials and working temperatures. The result of their efforts was a new slide design that,a according to the company, will bring proven advantages to the users. The new slide has a floating insert, free to move in both a horizontal and vertical way. The floating insert just requires a simple lateral adjustment cone to self-center to the moulding position.

There are many examples in the mechanical industry where a cone is used as a self-centering system with high precision. So, Cumsa wondered: Why not use it in a slide? The experts found a way to simplify the adjustment into the mould, reducing the tooling, drilling, and cutting down on the space needed.

The housing for the entire system is done with all-round clearance. This means it can be machined quickly and without the need for precision, since it only requires accuracy in the area that comes in contact with the plastic. This quicker and simpler installation can bring savings of up to 30 percent in machining time.

Also, keeping in mind the new realities and demands of the industry, these new slides are using turcite as a sliding base material with magnetic hold. One of the advantages turcite is that does not require any type of lubrication and guarantees its durability. Such features make these slides suitable to use in moulds for the medical, pharmaceutical industries, or any cleanroom environment.

The company estimates that the new slides achieve overall cost savings of 50 percent per unit compared to current systems. Theses savings result from the reductions of housing, milling, faster assembly, tuning and the smaller space required for its installation.

At launch, this product will come in six standard sizes that can accommodate a range of different strokes. The new slides offer design flexibility and time savings. They offer an ideal solution for designers to simplify designs, easy installation for mould builders and easy maintenance for moulders.

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