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August 23, 2008

1 Min Read
Tunnel gates ease degating, maintenance

A new line of tunnel gates, also known as banana, cashew, or snail gates, are available as inserts machined from hardened mold steel. A split design allows gate detailing and service to the insert. Called the curved tunnel gate (CTG), the inserts are manufactured in two halves, and allow moldmakers to hide gate placement and provide automatic degating of the part and runner. The insert can accommodate A or B side locations, gating at a dimple, offset gating on a sloped parting line, gating on a feature, part edge gating, gating on a cored part wall, and other configurations.

For service, the insert can be extracted from the mold. To start, a socket head holding screw securing the two insert halves together is removed. Two pry slots are available to help separate the halves. Also, each dowel pin is located inline with a threaded hole that can be used as a jacking screw location. The inserts are machined from P-20 steel hardened to 28 to 32 Rockwell C. For high wear molds, a 58 Rockwell C gate area insert is available to help maintain tool life. Pricing for the inserts was unavailable as IMM went to press.

Cavity Balancing Systems
Kitchener, ON
Phone: (519) 571-0204
Fax: (519) 570-9824
http://www.raylen.com

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