M.R. Mold & Engineering Corp.

Customer Testimonials...........

2012-01-06T07:28:00.000-08:00

"It has been a pleasure to work with this Company, Ialways had received help on any matter Ihave had, I want to thanks the quick andgreat attention Brian, Margaret and all people involved had with us on yourresponse."

"Great customer servicefrom Rick, Mike and Brian on these projects. I appreciated the fact that someconcerns about filling the long parts were shared and mold flow analysis wassuggested. I like suppliers who do morethan just making it to the print. Thanksfor outstanding support. With MR Mold,it’s easy to connect/communicate with everyone at all times and getting answersin timely fashion."

"MR mold did exactly what they said they would whenthey said they would. We look forward to the mold trials at your facility"

"You folds still do a great job of taking care of all the project needs. I especially like the way you consider what the mold does for us in our production environment. Your commitment doesn't end when the mold hits the pallet."

"It has been my experience for many years now that Rick, Jim, Brian & the entire MR MoldTEAM always work well with our Engineers on projects & deliver tooling 100%to spec, and of the very highest quality workmanship & functionality. I’ve particularly enjoyed the benefitsrealized thru efforts of Rick & Mike Coleman to enable the design to beconcurrently engineered with their outside design contractor, Dan Butcher, thruuse of online meetings. In those same many years, I have NOT EVER been dissatisfied with either the Tooling delivered, orwith MR Mold & Engineering attention to & assistance with any reworkrequirements or functional details following tool delivery."

Rick Finnie, M.R. Mold, makes Plastics Today headlines..............

2011-11-16T05:18:00.000-08:00

Do you have a challenging part and mold design project?

Don't know where the optimum gate location is for the part?

Experiencing filling or warpage issues on an existing part?

Rick Finnie of M.R. Mold & Engineering enlisted the mold simulation expertise of Torsten Kruse of Kruse Analysis, Inc. on a particularly tough project. Click here to read the Plastics Today article entitled "Injection molding simulation software makes for better parts, process".

M.R. Mold & Engineering exhibits at NPE 2012

2011-11-06T14:08:00.000-08:00

With more than 2,000 companies exhibiting at NPE2012 and 75,000 attendees from 120 countries, take time now to Map Your Show. While planning out your show floor strategy, include M.R. Mold & Engineering, Booth 4393, located between Halls B&C, under the catwalk.

NPE’s interactive online show map is designed to help you maximize your ROI during NPE week to navigate the 1 million square feet of running machinery, technology exhibits, interactive displays, networking events and business sessions.

M.R. Mold & Engineering presents "Getting Into Liquid Silicone - How to Choose the Right Mold Maker" at Molding 2012

2011-11-06T14:04:00.000-08:00

The 22nd International Conference & Exhibit Molding 2012 will focus on important innovations in manufacturing technologies to enable intelligent molders and manufacturers to stay ahead and prosper. Industry leaders will present the latest developments in various injection molding processes, hardware and controls. Additionally, issues and opportunities of medical molding, energy management, and 'green molding' will be discussed. These conferences are widely recognized by injection molders, manufacturers, and plastics suppliers as the most important forum for technical information and business connections.

Rick Finnie will speak on "Getting into Liquid Silicone - How to Choose the Right Mold Maker".

Click here for more information and registration on the conference.

Silicone Elastomers 2011 - Cold Runner System Advantages

2011-11-06T13:38:00.000-08:00

Today in the elastomer industry, we are all facing the challenge of our customers wanting cost to market reduced with lower pieces prices, shortened cycle times and using green technology. This presentation will give an overview of how a cold runner system help to achieve these results with elastomer molds.

Read more from this white paper...

UWM speaker panel expands....... Rick Finnie, M.R. Mold keynote speaker

2011-10-26T11:42:00.000-07:00

The panel of presenters has been expanded for the UWM class to include Torsten Kruse of Kruse Analysis. Torsten is a SigmaSoft "Expert" and will demonstrate how mold flow analysis works to solve issues before they become manufacturing problems.

Through moldflow simulation, an evaluation of gate size and location, identification of potential air traps, enhancement of wall thickness to achieve uniform filling, determination of clamp force and injection pressure requirements can be achieved, along with many other critical issues that impact part moldabitity.

Torsten will present via a GoTo meeting on Thursday morning.

Silicone Elastomers Technology and Fabrication - Discount Deadline Approaching!

2011-09-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

November 30, December 1 and 2

University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

Get a comprehensive overview of silicone elastomers, including basic silicone chemistry, types of silicone elastomers, manufacturing processes, fabrication techniques, problem solving, and application areas. Emphasis is on liquid injection molding (LIM/LSR) with detailed information in the areas of material selection, dispensing methods, injection

molding process, tool design, and bonding alternatives. This course is presented by a panel of experts in the silicones field, and time is allotted for discussion of specific projects of interest.

Speakers: Rick Finnie, M.R. Mold & Engineering

Bob Pellitier, Fluid Automation, Inc.

Juergen Giesow, Arburg GmbH

John Timmerman, Starlim North America Corporation

Mel Toub, Momentive Performance Materials

Who should Attend

Both entry-level and experienced rubber technologists, rubber chemists, process engineers, laboratory managers, supervisors, technicians, shop foreman, quality assurance managers and engineers, technical sales perso nnel, and rubber producers and users.

Registration

To register call 414-227-3200 or visit sce-rubber.uwm.edu

Early Bird: $990 (register before Oct. 15) Don’t Miss Out!

Fee: $1190

CEUs: 2.0

Program No. 4830-8312

Rick Finnie of M.R. Mold & Engineering Teaches at UWM Silicone Class

2011-08-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

SILICONE ELASTOMERS TECHNOLOGY AND FABRICATION
Wed-Fri, Nov. 30- Dec 2 from 8am-4:30pm at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

Instructors:
Mel Toub, Momentive Performance Materials
John Timmerman, Starlim North America
Rick Finnie, M.R. Mold & Engineering Corp.
Juergen Giesow, Arburg GmbH
Bob Pelletier, Fluid Automation, Inc.

This 3 day class will be held at the School of Continuing Education
Business, Engineering & Technology
161 W. Wisconsin Ave. Ste. 6000
Milwaukee, WI 53203-2602

REGISTRATION
Phone Mon.-Fri., 8am-5pm Central
800-222-3623 (toll free)
414-227-3200 (local)

Online: sce-registration.uwm.edu
Session #4830-8312
Fee: $1190
$200 early enrollment discount by 10/16/11

M.R. Mold & Engineering Welcomes Two New Employees

2011-07-14T12:37:00.000-07:00

M.R. Mold & Engineering’s niche in the liquid silicone medical market has sustained M.R. Mold through the past several years of industry ups and downs. Today, the specialty of building tight tolerance flash less molds has necessitated that M.R. Mold & Engineering expand its workforce to 24 employees to help handle the workload created by the volume or current projects.

M.R. Mold & Engineering is pleased to welcome two new people to the M.R. Mold team, a veteran of moldmaking for the past 27 years, and a moldmaking Journeyman of over eight years. These two individuals bring a wealth of knowledge and a combined 35+ years of experience to the table, enabling the company to continue to serve customers with the quality and precision that has made M.R. Mold & Engineering a lead in the liquid silicone medical market.

M.R. Mold continues to interview qualified individuals, including apprentices, to add to their team. Please visit the website at www.mrmold.com, or call Geri Anderson at 630-853-1264.

M.R. Mold speaks at Penn State's 3rd Injection Molding Conference

2011-05-23T06:53:00.000-07:00

Rick Finnie, president, M.R. Mold & Engineering will be speaking at Penn State’s 3rd Injection Molding Conference June 13-15 in Erie, PA on cold runner systems. The conference will focus on medical molding, LSR molding and sustainability. Presentations will be given by industry experts on today’s technology and include a hands-on experience in Penn State’s technology laboratories.

Cost is $425 for SPE members; $485 for non-members. Single day participation fees are also available. Visit http://www.cvent.com/events/penn-state-2011-injection-molding-conference/event-summary-c07284beff334312b00a896182d30d53.aspx for details on the conference and registration information.

M.R. Mold show cases technology at MD&M East

2011-05-17T14:20:00.000-07:00

M.R. Mold & Engineering Corp, in conjunction with Alba Enterprises, Inc. will showcase their products at MD&M East, June 7-9 in New York, Booth #620. M.R. Mold has built a single cavity LSR duckbill mold which will run fully automatic in Alba’s Babyplast micro-precision injection molding machine, show casing M.R. Mold’s ability to design and build molds for intricate molding projects. Alba’s Babyplast has a bench top foot print and offers shot capacities from 4 cc to 15 cc for long and short production runs and prototyping.

For a preview, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzL1WPiRaPk&feature=email

For complimentary admission to MD&M East, use Promo Code XG.

Rick Finnie, President of M.R. Mold & Engineering speaks at Penn State's Third Injection Molding Conference

2011-05-02T05:49:00.000-07:00

The 3rd Injection Molding Conference will be held at the Penn State Behrend, Erie, PA in the 160,000 square foot state-of-the-art Burke Center, formerly the REDC.

This year's conference will focus on medical molding, LSR molding, and sustainability and will follow the same successful format as in prior years:

■morning technical presentations given by industry experts that focus on the latest and greatest technology in use today; and
■afternoon sessions that will offer hands-on tutorials by the Penn State faculty in our plastics research and instructional labs

For more information, visit:

http://www.cvent.com/events/penn-state-2011-injection-molding-conference/event-summary-c07284beff334312b00a896182d30d53.aspx.

John Bozzelli hosts Scientific Molding Seminar at M.R. Mold & Engineering

2011-04-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

John Bozzelli taught a LIM class on Scientific Molding at M.R Mold & Engineering April 12-14. This informative class explained scientific Molding through the use of data to determine process parameters.

After graphing the viscosity curve, the class could determine appropriate fill time and what machine settings enabled us to hold fill time to +/-0.04 sec. The class learned what variables need to be kept constant to produce consistent parts. Flow rate, controlling viscosity, balancing multi-cavity molds plus some tricks of the trade are only a few of the factors that make a major difference in profitable production. At the molding machine in M.R. Mold’s Technology Center, John taught us how to maximize our process by using Delta P, fill time control, intensification ratio, and other data based (scientific) procedures. Using an Engel 100 ton hydraulic machine and M.R. Mold’s 4-cavity cupcake mold, the class witnessed how a properly setup machine adjusted for viscosity changes on the fly during first stage. They also requested and were shown the influence of regeneration on processing.

At the machine, the class watched fill time and pressure at transfer to monitor silicone viscosity and note viscosity changes due to color, lot variations and barrel temperature. Dr. Deming’s principals of SPC were demonstrated and shown to provide data on process variations. The class was also treated to novel applications of infrared thermography to silicone molding and part temperature.

M.R. Mold Hosts LSR Workshop in Conjunction with SPE

2011-02-23T07:20:00.000-08:00

From the ART of designing a part to the actual quality fabrication of the PART, Vincent Malave, Rick Ziebell, Torsten Kruse and Rick Finnie took 68 attendees through the process of how to get there. M.R. Mold & Engineering hosted a liquid silicone rubber workshop in conjunction with the Southern California chapter of SPE in their Tech Center in Brea, CA. The main focus of the workshop was a liquid silicone suction cup mold built by M.R. Mold & Engineering. The workshop encompassed how the silicone was chosen for this project using its physical properties, a flow analysis of the part design and the design of the mold itself. The workshop concluded by running the suction cup mold in M.R. Mold’s Tech Center.

Vincent Malave, a Southern West Coast Technical Salesperson for NuSil Technology, LLC. since 2001, spoke on how being fuel resistance, bio-compatibility, and able to remain elastomeric over a broad temperature range makes silicone an ideal material candidate for liquid injection molding applications.

Rick Ziebell, a graduate of chemical and materials engineering from California Polytechnic University with more than twenty-five years of experience in the rubber and plastic industry, gave participants a better understanding of the dynamic physical properties of silicone rubber. Rick taught the class how to take into account two crucial behaviors of silicone, “shear and heat thinning” and “cross-linking” in the injection molding process.

Torsten Kruse is a highly regarded industry expert in injection molding. He gave us incredible insight into how Sigma software can help us project the best way to accomplish mold filling and part curing, along with visualizing mold temperatures inside the mold over an entire cycle. Torsten explained how state-of-the-art simulation considers every technical detail of the injection molding process and its ability to solve problems before the mold is built.

Rick Finnie, president and owner of M.R. Mold & Engineering, explained how, after the product development is complete and a material has been selected, a mold must be built to produce the desired component. Care must be taken with the mold development to ensure the appropriate method of production is chosen. Critical factors include parting lines and gate location, as well as which process is the best application were discussed.

This event raised approximately $7500.00 for SPE's education fund.

PolyOne Technicians Receive "Hands On" Training at M.R. Mold

2011-02-12T19:04:00.000-08:00

In an effort to continue the education process of their technical experts, PolyOne sent 6 people to M.R. Mold on Friday, February 11 to get “hands on” training. The day began by disassembling the barrel and nozzle from the molding machine. PolyOne techs cleaned the barrel and screw and watched the reassembly process and the steps involved in changing a pail kit on the pumping unit. The mold was heated and parts were produced. The cause for defective parts were looked at and discussed in depth in order to give PolyOne technicians the information they need to help customers troubleshoot their molding process.

TLARGI field trip at M.R. Mold & Engineering

2011-02-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

Rick Finnie was instrumental in teaching a hands-on field trip for the Los Angeles Rubber Group, Inc. (TLARGI) annually held Basic Rubber Technology Course on Friday, January 28 (more information is available at TLARGI.org.). Rick Ziebell, Technical Manager at R.D. Abbott Company, Inc., is one of the instructors for this 20 week class. Students were introduced to injection molding in M.R. Mold’s Technology Center and a plant tour of M.R. Mold’s mold making facility. The objective of the evening’s event was to show the students each type of machine, giving them a better understanding of their purpose and answer questions in regards to LSR technology.

M.R. Mold picks its booth for NPE 2012

2011-01-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

M.R. Mold & Engineering selected booth 4393 in the West Hall on Friday, January 14, 2011. M.R. Mold will exhibit in a 10x20 booth at the NPE event scheduled for the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida April 1-5, 2012.

M.R. Mold Sponsors Molding 2011, San Diego, CA

2011-01-03T13:31:00.000-08:00

ECM's Molding 2011 Conference & Exhibit will focus on important innovations in manufacturing technologies. Industry leaders will present the latest developments in various injection molding processes, including issues and opportunities of medical molding, energy management, and 'green' molding.

The conference will be held March 7-9 2011, at the Crowne Plaza at Mission Valley, San Diego, CA.

View the entire conference agenda on the Conference webpage. Click here to Register for this conference.

Scientific Molding Seminar at M.R. Mold

2010-12-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

LIMS/LSR
Process Optimization
Via
Scientific Molding

At-the-Press Training & The Universal Setup Sheet

Instructor: John Bozzelli
April 12 - 14, 2011 Los Angeles, CA
Starts 8:30 AM April 12

Benefits for you and your shop:
Obtain a basic understanding of silicone resins
Gain a mastery of the true processing variables.
Optimize the silicone thermoset molding process based on data, scientifically!
Set up your machine to accommodate most viscosity changes, i.e. lot changes, colors, etc.
Of the multitude of parameters that can be monitored, learn the six most important
Learn how to detect bad parts before hours of wasted production!
Document the process so that it can be repeated!
Learn what Infrared Thermography can do for good/bad part determinations
Get your processors to agree on processing strategies, minimize the tweaking and shift variations

Abstract: The course provides scientific molding technology and strategies specific to molding silicone thermoset resins. We will cover data based process optimization with at-the-press training to set up and properly document the process for FDA validation. Learn to think like the silicone. The process will be documented with a "Universal" set-up sheet. This seminar focus is on developing a production capable process that will replicate identical parts on any appropriate machine, electric or hydraulic. We document the necessary variables to establish a "Production Process". The resulting setup sheet will work for a given mold on any appropriate press.

Where: M.R. Mold & Eng. Corp., 2700 E. Imperial Hwy. Unit C, Brea, CA 92821, 714-996-5511. Hotel: To be arranged. You are responsible for your own travel and hotel reservations. Injection Molding Solutions will not be held responsible for cancelation fees.

Who should attend: Anyone interested in learning silicone molding or developing a process that can be validated to FDA standards and not tied to a single press/plant. Designers, Processors, Project Engineers, Quality Control, Process Technicians, Validation Team, Machine Suppliers, Plant Owners and Production Management will benefit from this training. Stop the bickering and frustration, get everyone on the same page for consistent processing for quality parts. Enrollment is limited.

M.R. Mold adds another Engel to its Tech Center

2010-11-11T13:30:00.001-08:00

A second 55 ton Engel has been purchased, making it the fourth molding machine in M.R. Mold’s Technology Center. The Tech Center is now home to two 55 ton Engel’s, 100 ton Engel and 110 Negri Bossi. We now have the capability of molding both silicone and plastic.

M.R. Mold preparing for ISO 9001 certification

2010-11-11T13:29:00.001-08:00

Steps have been put in place to move towards ISO 9001 certification. Many customers have been encouraging M.R. Mold to move toward certification in an effort to help their quality process. Stay tune for updates.

Upcoming Course on Silicone Elastomers Technology and Fabrication

2010-09-10T14:39:00.000-07:00

The University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee is presenting a course on Silicone Elastomers Technology and Fabrication Monday through Wednesday, November 15-17, 2010 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This informative class is being led by industry leaders such as Mel Toub of Momentive Silicone, John Timmerman of Starlim North America, Rick Finnie of M.R. Mold & Engineering, Juergen Giesow of Arburg and Bob Pelletier of Fluid Automation. The cost of the 3 day course is $1090. More information about registration will be listed soon.

See the course syllabus and registration form online here... (584KB PDF)

Sincerely,
M.R. Mold Staff

How to Specify Molds for Silicone

2010-05-24T14:08:00.000-07:00

International Silicone Conference 2010

Presented by Rick Finnie
M.R. Mold & Engineering

How to Specify Molds for Silicone

Good communication between the mold buyer and the mold maker is imperative. It is vitally important that the buyer furnish the mold makers with all the necessary specifications to build a mold that fits all the pertinent requirements of the buyer’s facilities and operating procedures. These are items such as mold type, number of cavities, and automation requirements. It is critical that each mold maker receive identical information from which to quote. Without this communication, the quotations will not be realistic and will require renegotiation. A practical method of communication is a Mold Request for Quotation (RFQ) form, or simply a mold data sheet. (see Exhibits A & B) The buyer completes the form in such a way as to convey to the mold makers the complete scope of the tool build. Communication can be in any form. Regardless of the method, the quotation requirements need to be distributed in the same way, with the same details, to the selected vendors chosen to quote the mold.

3D part models are an excellent way of conveying the size and shape of the molded part. However, 2D drawings are still required. 2D drawings contain information that can’t be seen in a part model. 2D drawings have information such as material, tolerances, surface finish, engraving, and special notes.

The Society of Plastics Industry (SPI) has established standards for mold classification. While these standards are obviously for the plastics industry, the standards are useful for the silicone industry as well. The following classifications are based on the number of cycles the mold is expected to run. When a buyer selects a classification, the mold builders will immediately understand the scope of the project.

CLASS 101 MOLD

Cycles: One million or more
Description: Built for extremely high production. This is the highest priced mold and is made with only the
highest quality materials.
CLASS 102 MOLD

Cycles: No exceeding one million
Description: Medium to high production mold, good for abrasive materials and/or parts requiring cost
tolerances. This is a high quality, fairly high priced mold.

CLASS 103 MOLD

Cycles: Under 500,000
Description: Medium production mold. This is a very popular mold for low to medium production needs.
Most common price range.

CLASS 104 MOLD

Cycles: Under 100,000
Description: Low production mold. Used only for limited production preferably with non-abrasive materials.
Low to moderate price range.

CLASS 105 MOLD

Cycles: Not exceeding 500
Description: Prototype only. This mold will be constructed in the least expensive manner possible to produce
a very limited quantity of prototype parts.

Buyers need to assess the entire scope of the project. Specific questions need to be answered.

• What material will be used?
• Will the production process be high or low volume?
• Will inserts be needed?
• Are there any special requirements such as secondary operations?
• Does the tool need to be automated?

Other significant items to address are:

• What, if any, are the critical tolerances?
• Are there critical wall thicknesses?
• Is there a critical sealing surface?
• How critical is flash?
• What is the parting line mismatch tolerance?
• Is a surface finish required?

When deciding what type of mold needs to be built, volume is the key. Are you making a thousand parts, ten thousand parts, or millions of parts? It is conceivable that if expected yearly volumes are so high, more than one production mold might need to be built. The number of cavities within the mold is based on the volume of production, your targeted part price and the clamp tonnage of your molding machine.

The need for prototyping should always be assessed. There are at least 3 reasons for building prototype tooling.

• Test the part design, material, surface finish, etc.
• Test the method of manufacture, parting line locations, gate locations, etc.
• Test for automation - where do parts stick, part removal, method of automation, etc.

Prototype molds should mimic the production mold as much as possible.

When specifying a mold the buyer should determine which direction their company will take when approaching the project and what molding process will best fit the specifics. Based on the prospective volume, an SPI classification is given to the mold. Consider the simplicity or complexity of the part. Can the mold run full automatic or do the parts need to be removed manually by an operator.

When considering the method of manufacture, the parting line locations and gate locations are critical. Consider the part design to determine what half of the mold the part will stay in. The gate location(s) must be in a place that allows the part to fill properly and air to escape through venting. With complex parts, a flow analysis might be considered. This will eliminate unwanted defects. Gate and parting line locations need to be designed in such a manner that the last place to fill will be at a parting line. (The types of gates and placement of parting lines will be discussed later in this paper.) Also when considering the method of manufacture, consider how the part will be removed from the mold. Can the process be done fully automatic with a mold sweep, an air blow or a robot; or will an operator remove the parts manually?

There are many types of molds to consider. The simplest and least expensive mold to build is a compression mold. This type of mold might be used for simplistic part designs and low volume production. A transfer mold with pot and piston allows the mold to fill the part where needed and fill multiple cavities without preparing multiple pieces of rubber. Transfer with cold pot has the same benefits of the pot and piston mold except for the fact that the pot is cold and it reduces waste. When using a bottomless pot transfer mold, the pot and pistons can be removed and reused on another mold, thus saving you money. A transfer press is a molding machine that has a hydraulic ram for transferring material into the mold. An injection mold is the preferred method of molding. It’s cleaner, more efficient way to mold product. With an injection mold you have more control over the molding process and the ability to automate the mold. The cold runner injection mold is the ideal method for any high volume production job. With a cold runner, you eliminate the need to remove the runner from the mold and therefore, eliminate the waste of the runner system.

Choose the appropriate size molding machine. It is of the utmost importance that the machine size is conveyed in the RFQ. In order to determine what size machine is needed for a project, multiply the square inches of the molding area by 2-4 tons, for a suggested clamp tonnage of the machine. All information on custom mounting and/or universal bases needs to be communicated in the RFQ. If you intend to purchase a machine for a particular project, stating the make and model in the RFQ is very helpful. You might also consider a “turn-key” application when purchasing a molding machine. Having the machine shipped to the mold maker for set up and initial mold trials saves valuable time when the equipment arrives at your facility ready for production.

There are a number of different types of steel available for the purpose of building molds. Royalloy is a mold base steel. It’s based on 420SS (pre-hard 30RC) and is the preferred base material. Royalloy steel machines well, is stable and does not rust. #2 base steel (4130 pre-hard, 30RC) would be a second choice for mold bases. P-20 pre-hard cavity steel (32-35RC) is commonly used for prototype, low and medium volume production molds. 420SS (52-54RC) is commonly used for cavity and core material. It is the most common steel used for high volume production molds. S-7 shock resistant steel (54-56RC) is used in extreme applications for its robustness. M-2 steel (60-62RC) is typically used for core pins. For molds that require a high volume of production and abrasion resistant qualities, 440SS (56-58RC) and Elmax (56-58RC) are required.

Another key element in the quoting process is the mold style, or type of mold, the mold maker will build. The 2 plate design is the simplest of all and would be typical of simple parts such as o-rings. A 3 plate mold with a runner system is designed for a part that requires a pin point gate. This type of mold has a parting line for the runner system and a parting line for the part. The runner system is needed in order to feed multiple pin point gates. This runner system requires a parting line so that you can remove the runner from the mold. Sometimes the part itself requires multiple parting lines. The multiple parting lines allow for part removal and allow air to escape from the cavity. For this scenario a 3 plate mold needs to be built. A combination of both 3 plate designs, the 4 plate design and runner system is needed when the part itself requires 2 parting lines and a third parting line is required for the runner system. Parting line selection is critical in some product and procedures. They determine where the air can escape and where the part will remain when the mold opens. Parting lines will form a seam on the molded part so care has to be taken in sealing applications.

There are a number of ways to handle the center plate of a mold. The following are a few examples:

the center plate Hydraulic mechanisms,
as part frame mounted to the machine is being operated by the of the molding machine are to hold the center plate.
knockouts of the molding used here to control the center machine plate.

The correct selection of gate style and gate location is often critical. Gates determine where the material will enter the cavity and occasionally leave a minor blemish on the part. Care must be taken in sealing and cosmetic situations. Additionally, the gate determines where the last place to fill will be located. The last place to fill is the area where air can become entrapped. A parting line needs to be present at this location to allow the air to escape through a vent.

EDGE GATE PINPOINT GATE

An edge gate is the simplest and least expensive, The pinpoint gate is superior to the edge, however, is not always the best location to fill the gate in that you can inject the material at part. Typically edge gates fill from the parting line exactly the location you want it to enter which is where you need venting. the mold, driving the air out to the parting line.

SUB GATE RING GATE

A sub gate gives you the advantage of filling the The advantage of using a ring gate is that the part away from the parting line. A sub gate material fills around the perimeter of the part automatically shears off when the mold opens. and tears off cleanly, leaving little or no remnant of the gate on the part. This type of gate is typically used to fill cylindrical parts uniformly.

GATE AROUND CORE PIN VALVE GATE

A gate around a core pin is typically used to fill round A valve gate can only be used with a cold runner
parts. It insures that the hole in the part is clean, system for which there is high volume injection free of flash and leaves no gate remnant. molding. The gate can be strategically placed anywhere on the part. There is no runner so there is no waste and leaves a very minimal gate remnant/blemish on the part.

There are many types of ejection methods in which to release the part from the mold. Below are several suggestions.

POP UP CORES TIED TO AIR POPPETS AND EJECTORS MOLD SWEEP EJECTION

Cores can pop up using the ejection This is a form of automation where A mold sweep can be used for parts
on the molding machine. Parts are where air blasts are being used to that are symmetrical at the parting then manually removed from the to remove the part and ejectors line, such as o-rings. The mold sweep cores. are removing the small runner. removes parts from both parting lines simultaneously.

END OF ARM TOOLING INTEGRAL CUSTOM ROBOT

End of Arm tooling can be manufactured Frequently with silicone molds, custom robots for standard robots to remove the parts are attached to the mold to remove the parts from the mold.

The buyer must determine whether their molding machines have heated platens or if the mold has to have heat of its own. The preferred method would be internal heat inside the mold with a heater box and connector.

The buyer needs to convey mounting specifications within the RFQ so the mold maker has an understanding of how the mold will be mounted in the press. Below are some examples:

This vertical molding machine has mounting holes. The mold has cutouts to access the mounting holes. The mounting holes are standard on some molding machines.
This mold is held simply with clamps
The mounting holes in the mold are designed to align with the existing mounting holes in the molding machine. This eliminates the need for clamps and adds a greater degree of safety to support the mold. This is the preferred mounting method.

There are times additional requirements are needed to enhance the molds capabilities. For instance, critical parting line mismatch requires additional mold components to assure proper alignment.

• Parting line locks are used for alignment on high volume production molds.
• Taper locks are devices that engage at the final closing of the mold for proper alignment.
• Self-register cavity and core is typically done with round diaphragms.
• Vacuum is used to evacuate the air out of the mold prior to injection. Proper sealing of the mold to achieve high vacuum is critical.
• Tearbead\overflows are typically used in transfer and compression molds.
• Hand load inserts- typically on low volume parts there might be a need for hand load inserts.
• Cycle counter only available in cold runner systems. They aren’t capable of handling the heat of rubber molds.
• If the mold is to be tested by the mold maker prior to shipment it is important that this is noted on the quote.

Side Actions are sometimes required when there is an undercut feature in the part design. Side actions with silicone should be avoided, if possible. Side actions can be operated by air cylinders, hydraulic cylinders or angle pins. The buyer should indicate a preference which style of side action to use.

Information needs to be communicated to the mold makers within the RFQ in regards to finish and engraving. Cavity and core finishes are critical information. High polish and chemical etch textured finishes are expensive to apply. Steel selection can be critical with surface finish requirements. High polish will leave silicone with a clear shiny finish. However, silicone will not stick to polished surfaces. Silicone releases best from matte or textured finishes. (see Exhibits C & D) Refer to these exhibits for various surface finishes.

Many customers do a lot of business on simple universal bases. Universal bases can reduce the cost of prototype and low volume production tooling. A universal base can accept many different styles of tooling.

The due date of the quote needs to be communicated to the mold maker on the RFQ, especially if you need a quick turn-around. It is equally important to make the mold maker aware of any expedited delivery date your customer has requested for parts. Communicate ALL the information you have so a complete understanding of the project is had by all.

Prequalify the mold makers to whom you are sending RFQs to ensure that their capabilities meet yours. Be open to suggestions and concerns of the mold maker such as parting line location changes, venting, etc. The mold maker has the experience to anticipate problems and tell you how to avoid them prior to the mold build. Review the quote for accuracy. Verify that the mold maker plans to build the mold in a manner that matches your needs. At M.R. Mold we use our quote sheet as a check and balance. (see Exhibit B) Weigh each price and delivery presented. The lowest price isn’t always the way to go. If you have vendors of similar quality and capability, quotes should be competitive. Be wary of extreme high or extreme low quotes. Chances are the mold maker missed something or doesn’t understand the scope of the project. Award purchase orders only to qualified mold makers with experience in your type of tooling.

If you have any questions, please contact M.R. Mold & Engineering at (714)996-5511

M.R. Mold sell Cold Runner Systems

2010-04-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

By Roger Renstrom

ANAHEIM, CALF. (Feb. 24, 10:05 a.m. ET) -- M.R. Mold & Engineering Corp. of Brea, Calif., sold three of its $17,500 cycle-counter-equipped valve-gated cold-runner systems since introducing the product at NPE2009 in June. (Since this article was published, M.R. Mold has sold five (5) Cold Runner Systems)

Each system has spring-loaded Vanadis nozzle tips, gun-drilled airflow lines, an air terminal box with a Festo quick disconnect coupler and, for cleaning, a separate water jacket and nozzle.

President Rick Finnie founded the business in 1985 and has built a reputation for expertise in liquid silicone rubber molds and other tools. The firm has made more than 5,000 molds.

Recently, M.R. Mold added an OKK computer numerically controlled HM 600 system that Finnie said has a market value of $485,000. Finnie paid $285,000 for the repossessed CNC system, which was moved to Brea from a shop in Arizona.

M.R. Mold employs 22 and occupies 15,000 square feet, including 4,000 square feet in a technical center with three injection molding machines of 55-110 tons for mold testing and prototyping activities.

M.R. Mold attended the Medical Design & Manufacturing West show, held Feb. 9-11 in Anaheim.

M.R. Mold looks to Survive Choppy Business Cycle

2010-04-22T17:56:00.000-07:00

By Brad Dawson

Rubber & Plastics News Staff

BREA, Calif.—While the medical sector has been a good market to supply, the general state of the economy has left M.R. Mold & Engineering Corp. in survival rather than growth mode, according to its top official.

The last two years have been a “roller coaster ride,” M.R. Mold President Rick Finnie said, with projects going on for four months or so, followed by a slow period and then another short busy period.

“We’ve been through that cycle four or five times, battling to get every bit of work we can and trying to keep everyone busy and watch our costs. It’s been a tough couple of years.”

The trend has continued as of late, with the company quite busy at the end of last year but not as much so early this year. But Finnie believes business in general is pushing back up, with frequent quoting and several customers going through approval stages with projects. “I think 2010 will be a strong year, even though it didn’t start out that way.”

The company is trying to stay visible and active in the industry, making appearances at several shows such as the Medical Design & Manufacturing expos in Anaheim, Calif.; New York; and Minneapolis, and co-sponsoring the Molding 2010 event in San Antonio in April.

Finnie also is making a paper presentation at the International Silicone Conference in Cleveland in May.

Down the road, M.R. Mold expects to see more automation in the industry, with fewer operators and more robots, he said. There will be more thermoplastic elastomers in the medical field, and a potential trend toward more manufacturing returning from overseas as issues such as intellectual technology and freight costs become more important.

The company will need to respond by expanding technology of its own, especially within its tech center and the liquid silicone rubber tooling sector, Finnie said. He’d like to see the company get into two-shot molding, an area he believes it could succeed in given its capabilities in plastic and silicone.

He also envisions more partnering with industry colleagues and helping customers develop their automatic production cells and enhance their technologies.

Finnie said he looks forward to the challenges going forward. And while he said he never had a plan for all he’s accomplished looking back 25 years, he admits he wanted to establish a company with goals of being the best in the industry, being technologically advanced and providing its customers a competitive advantage.

“With hard work and dedication,” he said, “you can make it happen.”

M.R. Mold Celebrating Silver Anniversary

2010-04-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

M.R. Mold celebrating silver anniversary

Rick Finnie at the recent Medical Design & Manufacturing West expo in Anaheim, Calif. / RPN photo by Brad Dawson

BREA, Calif.—When Rick Finnie opened his mold and tool shop in 1985, he had one employee: his dad. And as for a business plan, well à he didn’t have one of those.

“I just did it,” said Finnie, who is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his M.R. Mold & Engineering Corp. operation this year. His company has changed quite a bit over that span, with a 15,000-sq-ft. production site, a technical center added in 2006 and a 25-employee staff, plus an estimated 5,000 molds and counting built in a quarter-century.

Finnie’s journey ultimately leading to M.R. Mold began within his father’s line of work, which was in tool and cutter grinding. After his dad closed his business in 1977, Finnie worked for eight years for mold maker and former customer Kipe Molds Inc., located in Placentia, Calif.

After he left Kipe Molds, Finnie heard from a former colleague there who was starting his own business and wanted Finnie to come work for him on a contract basis. He did it for several months, and developed a following and started winning projects of his own, he said.

Of course, Finnie had no equipment of his own, so he had to pay his boss a percentage of what he made to use his machinery for those jobs. He soon decided it was time to open his own business.

“I had a lot of encouragement from my dad and my family,” he said. “I bought my own stuff, including a lathe, a used milling machine and a few other pieces and struck out on my own.”

Despite the risk and having no real master plan, Finnie said the venture didn’t frighten him, perhaps because several members of his family had businesses of their own as well. “My dad had his shop, my brother had an automotive detailing and service center, and my sister had a dog grooming business,” he said. “Self-employment seemed to run in the family.”

He also had his dad—who brought extensive knowledge in design and metalworking to the table—working with him, and later, his mother helped out as the company’s office manager.

Finnie named his business—housed in a 1,500-sq.-ft. building in Brea—M.R. Mold & Engineering for two reasons, he said. The “M.R.” was for Finnie and his wife, Marilyn (“My dad’s idea,” he said.), and the “Mold & Engineering” was added because Finnie didn’t believe the company was going to be just a mold maker but would design and build anything anyone needed.

“Ultimately, we ended up specializing in molds,” he said.

Growth by necessity

Over the years, M.R. Mold has expanded in size and scope, and the facilities in which it operates have been a microcosm of that growth. Two years after it opened its doors, the company doubled the square footage of its original plant; in 1990 it moved to a 5,000-sq.-ft. site in Brea; and over the next several years it increased the second location’s size to 11,000 square feet.

In early 2006, the firm took over an additional 4,000 square feet, turning the space into its tech center, Finnie said. The area includes two hydraulic presses—a 55-ton and 100-ton—and a 110-ton, all-electric press, plus some silicone pumping units.

The capabilities have helped tremendously, allowing customers to sample molds without having to free up a molding machine to do so, he said. M.R. Mold can build the mold, make parts, and send the customers those parts; customers can forward the parts on to their customers and get feedback; then M.R. Mold can change materials or processes at a customer’s request.

“We’re part of the (research and development) team,” Finnie said. “If a customer explains to us what their customer wants their part to do, we can help them with the design.”

The tech center provides the capability of completing turnkey projects for customers as well, he said.

M.R. Mold prides itself on offering more than simply mold-making, highlighted by a full machine shop where it can do repair and rebuilds on molding machines and build components such as inspection and assembly fixtures, extrusion dies and slitters, he said.

“We basically have a lot of very skilled people who know how to build things,” he said.

One of its more recent projects, for example, is a screw tip for a silicone injection molding machine. The company also has been doing R&D in cold runner technology and has refined a process where a molder looking to change color can add pigments at the mold rather than at the production material unit, allowing for a quick color-change within 12 shots, keeping the process cleaner and wasting less silicone, Finnie said.

The firm’s talent and the depth of knowledge its people have provide what company President Finnie believes are M.R. Mold’s main benefits to its customers. Finnie, General Manager Jim Albert and project managers Phil Bristow and Brian Geisel have among them more than 125 years of experience in the industry.

“Our employees are dedicated, honest, fair and loyal to our customers,” he said. “The average tenure of the employees we have is 10-plus years and we continually give them new technology and training.”

M.R. Mold also has been able to build lasting relationships with its customers that have become personal as well as professional, an accomplishment Finnie embraces. “I’m proud that our customers consider us to be friends,” he said, “and I’m proud of the fact that we are known around the world.”

Medical emphasis

While about half of M.R. Mold’s revenue comes from molds for liquid silicone rubber and 75 percent is medical industry-related, it wasn’t always that way, Finnie said.

The majority of the company’s original business came from the defense industry, consumer products and electronics, and applications in some of those sectors led to the “migration” into liquid silicone, which in turn led the firm into the medical market.

Having strength in the medical arena has been a huge advantage for the company, especially given the economic environment and instability of some markets out there. And over time, M.R. Mold has developed a deeper understanding for what its core market provides.

“We aren’t necessarily doctors or nurses or experts in the field, but we appreciate the needs of the medical industry,” Finnie said. “When someone talks about an implant, surgical instruments, patient comfort or the possibility of a product defect causing injury or death, we take it very seriously. We know what’s important about these products.”

M.R. Mold Announces New Website, 25th Anniversary

2010-03-22T17:19:00.000-07:00

From: Tooling-Press-Release.com

In February, M.R. Mold & Engineering announced the launch of its new website, with the assistance of DezTech Consulting LLC of Huntington Beach, CA, featuring a number of improvements to coincide with its 25th Anniversary year and to showcase its proprietary line of molding accessories. The project was completed in only 3 week's time so that the new website would be up in time for the MD&M West show in Anaheim, CA.

Rick Finnie, founder and president of M.R. Mold & Engineering, opened his company’s doors in 1985 with the goal of providing customers with a distinct competitive advantage over others in the industry. The company, located in Brea, CA, first occupied a 1,500 square foot building. Today, the plant has grown to occupy 15,000 square feet including a 4,000 square foot Technology Center.

The Technology Center houses two Engel presses and one Negrabossi press, allowing M.R. Mold to sample molds, assist in R&D, make immediate customer revisions in material and processes, sample various materials, and develop automation for customers’ tools.

Currently, about 50% of the molds built by M.R. Mold are for liquid silicone molding, while 25% are for manufacturing rubber products and 25% are built for molding plastic products for various industries. Most LSR molds are for the medical industry.

"What we offer is the depth of knowledge required to assist our customers in the achievement of their goals,” said Finnie. “We offer advice, make suggestions and make sure that the tools they are purchasing are going to meet their needs in the most effective ways."

For more information, visit www.mrmold.com

M.R. Mold & Engineering Celebrates 25 Years in 2010!

2009-12-29T21:47:00.000-08:00

From: http://www.plasticstoday.com/articles/mr-molding-anniversary-1229

M.R. Mold hits 25-year mark

By Clare Goldsberry
Published: December 27th, 2009

M.R. Mold & Engineering in Brea, CA is celebrating 25 years in business in 2010. In 1985, Rick Finnie opened M.R. Mold & Engineering in Southern California, with one employee. Fortunately for Rick, he had a number of contacts within the industry and he steadily grew his business.

“We’re really happy to be celebrating this milestone of 25 years in 2010, and plan to continue our growth strategy by serving our customer base in our targeted niche,” says Finnie. “We have a talented, dedicated group of employees, many who have been with us for more than 10 years, who have helped us be successful over the long term.”

Today, M.R. Mold is known around the world for its expertise in liquid silicone rubber (LSR) molds, gum stock silicone, plastic injection, compression, and transfer molds for its global customer base. The company occupies 15,000 ft² and currently has 25 employees. In addition to Finnie, M.R. Mold’s management consists of Jim Albert, general manager, and Phil Bristow, project manager. Together, these three have over 100 years of combined experience in the industry.

M.R. Molds' unique niche in LSR molds grew so rapidly that a few years ago, Finnie added a 4000-ft² Tech Center, which today has three company-owned molding machines, a 100-ton Engel, a 55-ton Engel, and 110-ton Negri Bossi. These machines are used for mold trials and sampling prior to sending them to customers. M.R. Mold has facilities to provide turnkey solutions for their customers.

The company has built over 5000 molds in 25 years for customers in the medical, surgical, aviation, fluid transfer, and consumer products industries.

M.R. Mold is also proficient in overmolding silicone on silicone, silicone on plastic, silicone on glass, and silicone onto metals.

The firm will be exhibiting at MD&M West, Anaheim, CA, Booth 1632; MD&M East, New York, NY, Booth 744; MD&M Minneapolis, Booth 608; and is a proud sponsor of Molding 2010 in San Antonio, TX, April 12-14, 2010. —Clare Goldsberry