At the K, Mold-Masters® Announces German Capacity Increase, introduces New Controller & Nozzle

GEORGETOWN, Ontario, Canada (AUGUST, 2001) – At the Kunstoffe International Trade Fair for Plastics and Rubber (the “K” Show), 25 October - 1 November 1, 2001 in Düsseldorf, Germany, Mold-Masters Limited is announcing a new manufacturing expansion within Germany; new capabilities for its on-line Merlin® Hot-Runner Wizard; and two new products: a high capability multi-zone heat controller and an ultra-small, 1-piece cartridge heater nozzle. At the “K,” Mold-Masters® can be found in Hall 1, Stand 1 A 09.

Expansion of Baden-Baden Manufacturing Site

In a major site expansion, Mold-Masters® is adding 33% more manufacturing space to its Baden-Baden, Germany, manufacturing facility. In addition, engineering and production planning areas will be increased by 25%. The expansion includes significant investment in new manufacturing machinery and ancillary equipment, enhancing the company’s infrastructure for rapid design and delivery of systems to customers in the EU and Near East. It is the third expansion of the Baden-Baden facility since its inception in 1989.

New, Smaller Temperature Controller

A new multi-zone temperature controller, Temp-Master® Multi-Zone TMMZ, will be available in October 2001. Two models will initially be offered: one up to 24 zones and the second up to 84 zones. Each zone is capable of a 16 ampere (A) load – 60% greater than the 10 A ceiling typically found in competitors’ products. Design innovations include a new compact footprint, and a single-board design that provides precision thermal control for hot-runner systems while it facilitates maintenance and upgrades. Redundant safety systems protect heater circuits even if the primary, digital circuitry goes down.

On-line Merlin Hot-Runner Wizard Now Includes Dura®, all of MIM-Dura®; No Longer Confined to English

Worldwide, 24-hour-a-day Web-access to Mold-Masters® designs via the Merlin® Hot-Runner Wizard has now been enhanced by the addition of the entire Dura® product line and the availability of additional MIM-Dura® components. Previously, a subset of MIM-Dura components had been available; the new range of offerings greatly increases the nozzle and manifold choices available for on-line design. Further, until now, the Merlin® Wizard has focused primarily on the MIM-Speed™ program, which delivers standard hot-runner systems in 5 working days and hot-halves in 10. The new Merlin® Wizard adds designs for conventional engineering, manufacturing, and delivery cycles as well, providing easy access for customers to configure their systems in their own timeframe.

In addition, the Merlin® Wizard will now have German language capability, helping to remove possible language barriers between Mold-Masters® capabilities and German-speaking engineering needs. Future plans include a gradual rollout in other languages, slated to begin with other EU language communities, and moving from there around the world.

New 15-mm Pitch Nozzle Brings Compounds to Difficult-to-Reach Gates

Mold-Masters® will unveil a new, 1-piece Cartridge Heater Nozzle that in essence turns the melt channel into a heater. With a nozzle diameter <10 mm and minimal gate vestige, it is ideal for small, high-appearance, or specialized products with core diameters >15 mm, such as lipstick caps, medical products, and container caps. The nozzle is also well suited for high-cavitation tooling or tooling that requires more than conventional internal components, such as high-rate cooling channels or insert or mechanical components. Because the heater, tip and melt channel are integral, the new nozzle provides better thermal control and requires less maintenance than conventional, multi-piece heater/channel assemblies with screw-on tips. With its 15-mm center-to-center pitch, it is the ideal solution for even the tightest gating locations.

Reader enquiries