Six Ways to Protect Your Mold on a Vertical Machine

Molds are delicate and expensive to repair, so protecting them is essential. Six areas to watch:

• Burrs. Prevent damage from wiping cloths, material impact, hands, sprue cutters and knives.
• Rust. Prevent water leaks, condensation, rain and fingerprints from causing corrosion.
• Missing parts. Make sure tie rods, washers and other components are in place before running.
• Closing on a part. Never clamp with a part or remnant still in the mold.
• Collisions. Watch for broken ejector pins or pins that have not fully retracted.
• Low-pressure protection. Avoid damage caused by setting mold protection pressure too high.

Broken or unretracted ejector pins, parts left in the mold and missing components account for most mold damage and happen frequently. Since mold repairs are costly, preventing these situations directly protects your production margins.