Husky & Chem-Trend create a simple and effective colour change feature for Altanium hot runner temperature controllers
Husky Injection Molding Systems, Ltd., a leading industrial technology provider to the plastics processing community announced its collaboration with Chem-Trend on a system solution that creates repeatability during the critical colour change process to offer a faster, more accurate, and optimised 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. “Fast and effective colour change processes are essential for 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 collaboration with Chem-Trend and the integration with our Altanium Mold Controllers addresses this critical market requirement and enables our customers to achieve more efficient and effective colour change performance.”
Together, Chem-Trend and Husky aim to significantly enhance their customers’ operational margins by increasing equipment and labour uptime. Trial results showed up to an 85% reduction in scrap and an 80% increase in mould cleaning efficiency when following the recommended process.
“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.”
Details of the new approach are available in a flyer available for download, including:
- 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 Boosterfeature which ensures 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 signalling 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.
