Mold Maintenance: End Over-Greasing & Reduce Scrap

Mold Maintenance: End Over-Greasing & Reduce Scrap

by Nanoplas

Over-greasing in injection molding is one of the most common causes of creating scrap and, potentially, downtime. By developing a standard method of lubricating and using the appropriate lubricant that works best for your specific application, you could see significant scrap reduction and less downtime.

Over-greasing in Injection Molding Can Lead to Contamination

Lubricating a mold might seem intuitive at first, but it’s not as easy as simply smearing grease on the pins. If you apply too much grease, you could end up with molds bleeding grease for hours and producing only scrap. When too much lubricant gets into the mold cavity, parts can get contaminated and scrap becomes a problem.

Most often, you’ll notice over-greasing when a mold comes back from service, particularly on the moving components. Check all moving parts for signs of over-greasing when a part comes back from service.

How to Achieve Scrap Reduction

There are two things you can do to prevent generating scrap from over-greasing in injection molding and wasting time:

Work with your mold maintenance staff to create a standard lubrication method following manufacturer’s instructions.

Use the right Nanoplas grease, appropriate for your specific application to increase efficiency and decrease the chances for contamination and scrap. For example, Cera-Lube is a food-grade grease that is best for plastic injection molding, off-road and auto racing, steel mills, transportation, salt and fresh water and anywhere there’s exposure to heat, highly corrosive chemicals or water. SYN-LUBE is a high temperature, food-grade grease generally used for plastic injection molds and extreme industrial applications.

Ess Tec, a plastic injection molding company in Holland, MI is an excellent example of solving this problem. They were having issues with grease bleeding off ejector pins, leading to excessive scrap, but through a repeatable application process using Nanoplas Nano Ceramic Mold Grease, Ess Tec saw 87% scrap reduction.

Lubricant Application Process to Eliminate Over-greasing in Injection Molding

Clean and remove contaminants off all components before applying.

Apply a small amount with a brush or hand. Spread and wipe off all excess with hands.

Make sure you have a thin film on your wear surfaces.

Install components and work back and forth. Remove components to wipe off extra grease at the end of travel.