Polyshot's vacuum brazing services for conformal cooling systemsPolyshot's vacuum brazing services for conformal cooling systems
Mold manufacturers looking for ways to help their OEM and molder customers reduce cycle times and improve part quality increasingly are turning to conformal cooling. There are several methods of creating conformal cooling systems in molds, and Polyshot Corp. has introduced its vacuum brazing technology to moldmakers for fusing of multi-component mold cores and cavity assemblies for conformal cooling systems.
December 10, 2012
Mold manufacturers looking for ways to help their OEM and molder customers reduce cycle times and improve part quality increasingly are turning to conformal cooling. There are several methods of creating conformal cooling systems in molds, and Polyshot Corp. has introduced its vacuum brazing technology to moldmakers for fusing of multi-component mold cores and cavity assemblies for conformal cooling systems.
Cooling core plates: an exploded view of a mold core assembly for a consumer closure application. It is shown separated for clarification. Polyshot uses its exclusive plate fusion technology to braze the sections back into a one-piece assembly. Cooling core with flow channel in place after fusion. |
As a manufacturer of hot-runner systems, Polyshot has successfully translated its fusion technology for hot runners to injection molders who want the advantages of conformal cooling. Polyshot is offering its vacuum brazing services in response to growing customer demand, according to Doug Hepler, president of Polyshot. “Our unique technology has delivered great results for our hot runner business and is now gaining strong traction among moldmakers who seek an efficient and affordable method to create conformal cooling systems,” Hepler said.
The expansion of the unique fusion technology to conformal cooling has resulted in strong growth with more than half the business coming from overseas customers, according to Hepler. “We completely underestimated the demand for our vacuum brazing technology,” Hepler told PlasticsToday. “This portion of our brazing business has grown very rapidly, so about six months ago we carved out a separate business unit of the company just to handle the demand.”
For hot runners, Polyshot’s fusion technology fuses together two or more steel plates to create internal flow paths. Polyshot’s technology allows the creation of internal full round flow paths that allow generous sweeping curves and no hold-up areas. These internal flow paths withstand very high injection pressures and external forces while still maintaining the integrity of the brazed joint.
For conformal cooling systems, Polyshot’s vacuum brazing technology is a proprietary process which makes use of a high-temperature vacuum furnace. The mating surfaces are to be precision ground to a maximum flatness of 0.0005 inxhg (.012 mm), to their finished thicknesses. Rough cores and cavities with machined conformal cooling paths are then fused together by Polyshot in a stack which is typically one to six layers. Typical materials that are fused include H-13, 420 stainless steel, and S-7. Cores are shipped back to the customer in a "soft state," approximately 30 RC, and require additional post-brazing hardening at a local heat treat facility. The average turnaround time for the process is one-to-two weeks.
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