Faster and more efficient colour change in hot runner moulds

Chem-Trend and Husky collaborated on a system solution that creates repeatability during the critical colour change process to ensure a faster, more accurate, and optimized approach for operators. The team devised a new guided procedure made easily accessible to operators within the Husky Altanium Mold Controller operator interface. The instructions outline a simple, yet highly effective approach to setting up and performing the colour change process explicitly for moulds with hot runner systems.

The joint approach is based on the process for using Chem-Trend’s Ultra Purge brand of purge compounds, which is designed specifically to reduce colour-change time and carbon formation in hot runner systems.

“We know a lot is at stake for processors if the right purge compound and process are not used in colour changeovers amounting to significant time and cost,” said Graziano Pestarino, global account manager for thermoplastics solutions at Chem-Trend. “By combining our years of expertise in the field and our latest advancements in purging technology with that of Husky, one of the leading producers of hot runner systems in the industry, plastics manufacturers stand to reap immense benefits of productivity and control previously unachievable.”

Together, Chem-Trend and Husky aim to significantly enhance their customers’ operational margins by increasing equipment and labour uptime. In field trials, operators who followed the recommended approach showed up to an 85% reduction in scrap and an 80% increase in mould cleaning efficiency.

“Fast and effective colour change processes are essential to our customers, and we are continuing to see an upward trend in colour change applications,” said Mike Ellis, global business manager for Husky Hot Runners and Controllers division. “Our partnership with Chem-Trend and the integration with our Altanium Mold Controllers addresses this critical market requirement and helps our customers achieve the best colour change performance in the industry.”

Details of the new approach includ:

- integrated Ultra Purge colour change step by step instructions include settings, such as shot weight, conversion ratio, and Ultra Purge quantity, used by the Altanium Mold Controller throughout the colour change process;

- a purge booster feature which ensure an even faster colour change time;

- a digital cycle count input from the injection moulding machine can be configured to further automate the colour change process by signaling when the correct amount of Ultra Purge compound has been used before moving to the next step;

- a colour change or black speck removal mode;

- all Ultra Purge colour change process settings are saved to a mould setup file for easy recall on the Altanium Mold Controller based on the mould and colour change process to be performed.