MiG deal brings moldmaking technology to Malaysia

The Malaysian government''s purchase of MiG-29 Fulcrum air-superiority fighters from Russia has provided a boost for that country''s moldmaking industry. As part of the deal, Russia''s Unitechform Co. (Moscow) set up a joint venture with Ancom Energy & Services Sdn Bhd (Kuala Lumpur) that was scheduled to commence fabrication of nickel mold inserts via a Russian-developed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process.

AES Mayak Sdn Bhd (Selangor) has set up a 23,000-sq-ft plant in Port Klang, Malaysia, for production of 600 inserts annually. "We have invested around $1 million in the factory and ancillary equipment such as CNC machinery and lathes, and the Russians are providing the CVD technology and equipment," says AES Mayak Operations Manager Tham Weng Keong. AES Mayak unveiled the technology at the recent M-Plas Show in Kuala Lumpur.

In the CVD process (see diagram), nickel is deposited onto a master mold CNC machined from aluminum or cast iron at a rate of .5 mm/hr. The process employs nickel tetracarbonyl gas synthesized from nickel powder and carbon monoxide, and the master mold is held at a temperature of around 250C during deposition. The master mold is coated with a standard mold release agent prior to deposition.

Tham estimates CVD nickel inserts have double the life of machined inserts, and they are 20% cheaper to boot. Productivity is enhanced through the ability to manufacture multiple mold inserts simultaneously.

AES Mayak will supply mold inserts to Asian markets. "Depending on the level of sales, we may even source additional inserts from parent company Unitechform," adds Tham. Other suppliers of similar services include CVD Mfg. Inc., based in Toronto, ON.

Stephen Moore [email protected]