Mold black box collects data, prevents tampering

When a mold is guaranteed under the condition that parameters such as temperature, shot number, and cycle time are adhered to, there has been no way to check these parameters in the event of a dispute. Männer?s MoldMind, which will be released at K 2004, is a ?black box? that can be mounted on all types of molds to record such data.

A piezo contact is used to record the number of shots and thermal sensors measure the temperature at two separate points on the hot runner and mold. The LCD display shows the status of the mold and the total number of shots, as well as sources of error or prolonged downtime. Data is collected and stored and can be transferred to a PC for analysis in an Excel spreadsheet.

The power source for MoldMind is a battery with a life corresponding to the average life span of a mold. It records all modifications made to its configuration since activation, as well as all error messages, and stores this information for use in its own event data statistics. This process of logging events excludes the possibility of data tampering and special passwords are required to access the stored data. If multiple molds have been equipped with MoldMind, it is possible to create a tool database with the collected information.?KH

Männer International LP , Norcross, GA
(770) 449-1820
www.maenner-group.com