Injection Mould Assembly Appliance with Guide System

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing injection moulding tools require significant effort and time for alignment and assembly of mould tool parts, leading to lengthy fitting and retrofitting times, especially in machines with rotatable tool carriers, which is both time-intensive and costly.

Innovation Solution

An assembly appliance with a guide system for translatory displacement of the assembly plate and a support device for stationary support of mould tool parts, allowing pre-adjustment of tool parts outside the injection moulding machine, reducing the need for machine-specific adjustments and enabling independent alignment of mould tool parts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If injection moulding tools are designed with rotatable tool carriers for multi-component parts, then productivity and cycle time are improved, but the complexity of assembly and alignment increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecycle timeVSAvoidassembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The injection moulding tool is divided into separate modular components: a rotatable tool carrier with first mould tool parts, and a stationary support device with second mould tool parts. This segmentation allows each module to be independently manufactured, tested, and assembled, reducing overall assembly complexity while maintaining the productivity benefits of the rotatable design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A guide system acts as an intermediary mechanism between the rotatable tool carrier and the stationary support device. The guide system provides standardized interfaces and alignment features that simplify the coupling of modular components, enabling complex rotatable tool configurations to be assembled with reduced complexity through standardized intermediary connections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If custom alignment systems are integrated into injection moulding machines for precise mould tool part alignment, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the cost and time for machine modifications increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidmachine modification cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Alignment features and guide elements are pre-integrated into the modular tool carrier and support device components during their manufacturing process. This preliminary action ensures that when the modules are assembled, precise alignment is automatically achieved without requiring costly post-assembly adjustments or machine modifications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The guide system and alignment features are designed as universal, standardized components that can be used across different injection moulding machine configurations. This universality allows the same modular tooling system to achieve precise alignment on standard machines without requiring custom machine modifications, reducing costs while maintaining manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If mould tool parts are assembled and adjusted inside the injection moulding machine, then integration is improved, but the time required for fitting and retrofitting increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveintegrationVSAvoidfitting time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The tooling system is segmented into complete, pre-assembled modular units (tool carrier with first mould tool parts, and support device with second mould tool parts) that can be fully integrated outside the machine. This segmentation allows comprehensive pre-integration and testing of all components before installation, eliminating time-consuming in-machine adjustment operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide system serves as a mediator that enables complete pre-integration of modular tool components outside the injection moulding machine. The standardized guide interfaces allow all alignment and coupling operations to be performed externally, then the fully integrated modular assembly is installed as a complete unit, dramatically reducing fitting and retrofitting time while maintaining full integration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11633889B2Assembly appliance for mould tool parts of an injection moulding tool, an injection moulding tool and an injection moulding machine

Publication Date: 2023.04.25 ALPLA WERKE ALWIN LEHNER

AI summary

An assembly appliance for mould tool parts of an injection moulding tool is disclosed, the assembly appliance including an assembly plate configured for insertion into an injection moulding machine and including a tool carrier for receiving first mould tool parts to be assembled; and an assembly frame having a guide system for a translatory displacement of the assembly plate along a longitudinal extension of the assembly frame, and a support device for stationary support of a second mould tool part which corresponds to at least one of the first mould tool parts.