Injection-Molded Contact Lens Mold Halves With Rapid Tool Reloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of manufacturing contact lens mold halves in injection molding machines is hindered by significant downtime due to the need for frequent inspection and replacement of tool halves, which increases production costs and compromises efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that allows for the easy removal and replacement of tool halves by moving supports between operative and reloading orientations, enabling continuous production with minimal downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If tool halves are frequently inspected and replaced to maintain manufacturing precision, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to machine downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The injection molding machine is divided into multiple independent support units (first support, second support, third support) that can operate independently. Each support holds tool halves and can be selectively positioned, allowing one support to continue molding while another is being serviced, thus eliminating complete machine downtime during tool maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The supports are made dynamically repositionable between different orientations (first orientation for molding, second orientation for tool replacement). This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to switch between production mode and maintenance mode without stopping the entire injection molding process, resolving the contradiction between precision maintenance and continuous productivity.
2Manufacturing precision
If tool halves are replaced to maintain manufacturing precision, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to machine downtime
Solution Approach 1:
Tool halves are pre-positioned on supports in a ready-to-use state. When tool replacement is needed, the support is simply repositioned to the second orientation where the worn tool can be quickly exchanged with a pre-prepared fresh tool, minimizing the time the machine is unavailable.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the machine into multiple independent supports, the system allows one support to continue injection molding operations while another support undergoes tool replacement, thereby reducing overall machine downtime compared to a single-support system.
3Ease of operation
If conventional tool replacement method is used, then ease of operation is maintained, but productivity deteriorates due to significant downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The supports are designed with dynamic repositioning capability between first and second orientations. This dynamic feature maintains operational simplicity (tools are still easily replaced on the second orientation) while dramatically improving productivity by allowing continuous operation on other supports during the replacement process.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus (60) for injection molding of mold halves (2, 4) for use in the manufacture of contact lenses comprises one or more first tool halves (22) mounted on a first support (80), and one or more second tool halves (24) releasably mounted on a second support (82). With the second support (82) in an operative orientation, the first and second supports (80, 82) are movable between a closed position in which the first and second tool halves (22, 24) engage one another to provide corresponding mold cavities (54) therebetween, and an open position in which the first and second tool halves (22, 24) are aligned with one another across a part removal gap (86). The second support (82) is movable between the operative orientation, and a reloading orientation in which the second tool halves (24) are located in a tool change area (64) that is out of alignment with the first tool halves (22).