With the continuous advancement of materials science, more high-performance mold steel materials with enhanced strength, hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance may emerge in the future, further extending the service life and production efficiency of beer and cola plastic turnover box molds. Leveraging advanced manufacturing technologies and information technologies, such as artificial intelligence, big data, and the Internet of Things, we are achieving intelligent mold manufacturing. By collecting, analyzing, and processing data from the mold production process, we can achieve intelligent mold design, processing, monitoring, and maintenance, improving mold manufacturing quality and efficiency while reducing production costs.
1. Manufacturing Process
Processing Equipment and Precision: Precision machining using a CNC machining center, combined with mold flow analysis software (such as Moldflow), ensures a dimensional accuracy of ±0.05mm. Key mold components, such as the core and cavity, undergo high-precision grinding and electro-discharge machining to ensure surface quality and dimensional accuracy.
Surface Treatment: To improve the mold's wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and mold release properties, the mold surface requires treatment such as nitriding and hard chrome plating. Nitriding treatment improves the mold surface's hardness and wear resistance, while hard chrome plating creates a smoother surface, facilitating demolding of the plastic crate and improving its corrosion resistance.
2. Maintenance and Care
Regular Cleaning: Regularly clean dirt and plastic debris from the mold surface to prevent accumulation that could affect proper mold operation and product quality. Use specialized mold cleaning agents and tools, but avoid scratching the mold surface with sharp tools.
Inspection and Repair: Regularly inspect mold components such as the core, cavity, slider, and ejector pins for wear, deformation, and cracks. Damaged components should be promptly identified and replaced. Moving parts of the mold, such as the slider and ejector pins, should be lubricated regularly to ensure smooth movement.
3. Design Key Points
Product Size and Structure: Plastic beer and cola crates are typically large. When designing the mold, consider the specifications of the molding equipment, such as the injection molding machine's clamping force, platen size, and mold opening stroke, to ensure proper installation and operation. Furthermore, the design of appropriate parting surfaces and demolding methods should be tailored to the crate's shape and structure. For example, crates with handles, reinforcing ribs, or slots require appropriate core-pulling and ejection mechanisms to ensure smooth demolding.
Material Selection: For beer and cola crate molds, P20 steel is commonly used, which is economical and durable, capable of consistently producing over 300,000 molds. H13 steel is suitable for thin-walled, high-precision crates, offering strong resistance to thermal fatigue and a lifespan of up to 500,000 molds.
Cooling System: To improve production efficiency and shorten molding cycles, the mold requires an efficient cooling system. For example, inlaying beryllium copper on the core and cavity surfaces can increase thermal conductivity by 40% and reduce cooling time by 20%. Furthermore, optimizing the cooling system ensures uniform cooling, preventing deformation of the crate during molding due to uneven cooling and improving product consistency. Gating system: Design a suitable gating system based on the shape, size, and wall thickness of the turnover box, including the shape, size, and location of the main runner, branch runner, and gate. Side gates or point gates are generally used to ensure that the plastic melt can evenly and quickly fill the mold cavity, reducing the occurrence of weld marks and ensuring product quality.
