Mold-Masters will showcase its new IRIS technologyMold-Masters will showcase its new IRIS technology

Mold-Masters, a supplier of hot runners and process controllers, will showcase its new IRIS technology in a live work cell (booth 4463). The company is partnering with other suppliers of plastics-processing technology to host live demonstrations.

The technology will produce HDPE closures in a 16-cavity mold supplied by F&S Tool Inc., incorporating Mold-Masters’ IRIS co-injection hot runner, an E-Multi secondary injection unit, and E-Drive servo driven valve-gate control, all integrated into a single control unit. Precise dosing, flow and pressure control are all achieved via integrated control of the two melt streams and the movement of the servo-actuated valve pins.

Using Mold-Masters new co-injection technology, the cap is molded with a 3-6% EVOH barrier encased in its center. This results in a cap that can be used directly, versus needing a secondary operation to insert or mold in a liner.

IMD (Brügg, Switzerland) provided testing equipment that has the ability to detect the presence, thickness, and location of clear barrier in all parts produced. Downstream equipment includes the IMDvista INOX Line for cooling, sorting and packing of the parts. PolyOne participated as the HDPE material supplier via its PolyOne Distribution business unit by recommending a material from Dow Chemical.

The IRIS technology will also be shown molding 0.5-mm thick dairy containers at JSW Plastics Machinery Inc. (booth 463). This system is integrated with a mold provided by Nypro. Co-Injection in thin-wall containers eliminates the need to use a multi-layer thermoformed structure. The benefit is that of a net shape part that’s produced with no web scrap. Simultaneous injection of 3-6% barrier in each cavity is achieved with balanced filling and unprecedented control of the melt streams, according to Mold-Masters.