Originally developed in the 1850s, compression molding was the method of choice for molding rubber. Interestingly enough, it is used to manufacture low and medium volumes of rubber items to date. A Hot Press Machine for Endless Rubber is vital to the molding process as it is used to form bulky parts. Compression molding dates back in time, and the process involves using a rubber compound to create a pre-form shaped like the end product but slightly bigger than the final shape. With the application of both pressure and heat in a unique combination, the thermoset rubber or the plastic resin is then molded into the desired shape.
A heated mold tool is used to shape the rubber/resin
material, and a press is used to clamp pressure onto it while driving its flow
inside the tool. This process instigates the thermostat characteristic of the
material, and vulcanization takes place. It can be defined as the permanent
chemical change that fixes the shape of the product. Once the vulcanization
process is done, someone needs to open the mold and extract the part kept away
for cooling. This process helps maintain the shape of the mold that produced
the item. Special care needs to be taken while working with the Hot Press
Machine as the part can tend to shrink while cooling down to reach its
intended size finally. The tool can even split, and the part can get de-molded
when the press is opened.
Applications of this technology are endless. One can produce many products such as machinery parts, gaskets, seals, wellington boots, chair feet, door stops etc. it can reproduce a single product many times over. However, this might not be applicable in many cases.
We Have Compiled A List Of Advantages That Will Convince You To Go For A Hot Press Machine For Endless Rubber.
Low-Cost Tooling
It is a well-known
fact that the process does not pertain to any transfer or injection cycle. This
part significantly lowers any infrastructural requirements compared to the
tools designed for the other methods of molding. There is not much needed in
the name of additional features, other than the specific cavity features that
help manufacture the molded parts. They have to replicate the required details
of the products very closely. Aluminum or lower grade steel can be used to make
the tools as a cost reduction method. However, note that the tool should
withstand the molding pressure that it might be subjected to.
Ideal for Small Production Cycles
It is safe to say
that compression molding is extremely cost-effective in producing small parts
because the capital cost is low for manufacturing mold tools and setting up the
press. The production run is simple. The capital cost of an injection mold tool
is high, and the cost of the tools it produces is low. When they both become
equal, a breakeven point is reached. Correctly assessing the cost-benefit
analysis should be a key consideration in developing a viable production solution
for your new product.
No Need for Sprues, Gates or Runners
There is no need to
use gates, runners or sprues in this type of molding. They are molding features
that get passed through by the materials in other production methods before
they enter the mold cavity. They can potentially consume more material as
expected, which pushes the cost to divert from the cosmetic needs of the parts.
Perfect for Large Parts
This molding form is perfectly suited for manufacturing large parts that need a whole lot of material for its production. The weight of the part in production has no upper limit, given the fact that the material directly gets loaded into the mold cavity. The only considerations are the tonnage and size of the press required to undertake the production process. Injection molding presses have a limit on the weight of the parts produced, and this is defined by the volume of the injection barrels filling the mold.
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