Swivelling hot runner manifolds direct melt flow to new areas

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HASCO Hasenclever GmbH + Co KG

Meusburger Georg GmbH & Co. KG

MHS - Mold Hotrunner Solutions Inc.

System compared to watering hose for the garden

The process can be compared to running melt channels through a flexible hose, except that pressure inside the melt channel of an injection mould typically reaches between 10,000 and 20,000 psi, or upward of 1,400 bar. That’s roughly 600 times the pressure inside a car tire, or 1.3 times the pressure of the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean, according to the company. “This is the first and only technology that exists to keep liquid plastic flowing through flexible runners, let alone under such extreme processing conditions,” MHS said.

Uninterrupted melt transfers play a key role

MHS noted that one of the oldest challenges in tool design has been to find an uninterrupted path for the melt to flow from the machine barrel to the nozzle, despite moving plates and other dynamic mould components. Rheo-Pro Slide systems are said to offer the solution by creating continuous melt transfers that bridge gaps between opening and closing mould plates.

Bolting together manifolds in a static arrangement in order to move plastic around the mould is nothing new. “However, moving manifolds in a hot runner has never been done before,” the company said, adding that the process opens up a world of possibilities for injection moulders and mould designers.

Proof of concept with large, thin-wall parts

In large thin-wall parts, Rheo-Pro Slide manifolds overcome the challenge of flow path vs. wall thickness ratio, according to MHS. It said that by using cascade fill, very long flow paths can be realised, even in parts with extremely thin walls and large surface areas. A cascading injection sequence using multiple drops across the part can keep the melt pressure as well as the clamp force within limits. Having nozzles directly inside the slides of the mould is required in order for large parts with outside features and long sidewalls to fill completely and eject.

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