Rotary Mold Carriage and Lateral EOA for Injection Molding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current injection molding machines lack efficient mechanisms for handling and transferring molded parts, particularly in lateral positions, which can lead to interference and reduced operational efficiency during the molding process.
Innovation Solution
The injection molding machine incorporates a rotary apparatus with a mold carriage and table that supports center mold sections, allowing for axial and lateral movement, along with end-of-arm tooling that can move vertically and laterally to engage and disengage with molded articles, facilitating their transfer onto a conveyor system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a rotary apparatus with mold carriage and table is added to enable lateral movement of mold sections, then the handling efficiency and operational flexibility are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mold system is divided into separate components: a stationary mold section, a moving mold section, and a rotary apparatus with center mold sections. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, enabling lateral movement and improved handling efficiency while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The mold sections are designed with dynamic positioning capabilities. The rotary apparatus can rotate the table to move center mold sections between axial and lateral positions, while the mold carriage can translate along the machine axis. This dynamic configuration enables flexible handling of molded parts without requiring complex fixed structures
2Ease of operation
If end-of-arm tooling is added to handle molded articles, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end-of-arm tooling is designed to automatically perform part handling operations. The tooling can move laterally to engage with molded articles in the mold cavities, grasp them, and transfer them to the conveyor system without requiring manual intervention. This automation improves ease of operation while the tooling is integrated into the existing machine structure to minimize added complexity
3Adaptability or versatility
If the table is made rotatable to move mold sections among axial and lateral positions, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable table serves multiple functions: it positions center mold sections for molding operations in axial positions, enables lateral movement for part removal, and facilitates transfer to the conveyor system. This multi-functionality improves adaptability by allowing a single component to handle various operational requirements, while the rotation mechanism is integrated into the existing mold carriage structure to minimize additional complexity
Data Source
AI summary
An injection molding machine includes a machine base; a stationary platen fixed to the base for holding a stationary mold section; a moving platen slidably supported by the base for holding a moving mold section; a rotary apparatus slidably supported by the base axially intermediate the stationary and moving platens for supporting a plurality of center mold sections and moving the center mold sections among axial positions directed toward the stationary and moving mold sections and lateral positions directed toward the operator and non-operator side of the machine; and a part-handling apparatus mounted to the stationary platen. The part-handling apparatus includes an end-of-arm tooling disposed laterally outboard of the rotary apparatus. The end-of-arm tooling is movable laterally between an engaged position for interacting with molded articles in one of the center mold sections in the lateral positions, and a disengaged position spaced laterally outwardly from the engaged position.