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Process Engineering Manager, Brent G. Borgerson, was using in-house resins as well as commercial purging products to
clean a 28-ton Arburg press for material and color changes, yet was experiencing unfavorable scrap rates and other purging
problems. After switching to Dyna-Purge, Matrix Tooling, Inc. has cut purging costs by $41,000 annually, reduced
purging time by 75%, and eliminated odors previously associated with their purging process.
Matrix produces high-precision plastic parts for the medical industry and other applications. Using Dyna-Purge for frequent
purging has resulted in a lower initial rejection rate due to material or color contamination and an estimated
68% decrease in purging costs.
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Situation:
Matrix Tooling, Inc., Wood Dale, Illinois produces custom
molded parts for the medical industry as well as
specializing in 3-D mold design and moldmaking. The
company operates 10 injection molding machines
including a variety of Arburg, Engel, and Toshiba
models.
Purging takes place an average of six times daily
when changing material and color, notably black
ABS/PC to crystal styrene, PEI to styrene, or acetal
to nylon. Whether using in-house resins or various
commercial purging agents, Matrix was experiencing
unfavorable scrap rates and initial rejections due to
material or color contamination from the purging
process. Labor and material costs of purging were
calculated at $35.25 per purge, and workers noticed
unpleasant odors associated with purging.
An Arburg 28-ton, cold-runner system, with a screw
size of 18mm and barrel temperatures ranging from
380°F to 600°F (193°C to 315°C) was tested when
investigating alternative purging methods.
Solution:
Use Dyna-Purge M, a versatile grade designed to
purge cold-runner injection molding systems for a wide
range of resins at 350°F to 600°F (177°C to 315°C).
Results:
- The average cost per purge using Dyna-Purge is only $11.13 - a 68% improvement, which represents an annual savings of $41,000.
- The initial rejection rate from material or color contamination improved dramatically.
- The company now stocks one purging compound instead of three.
- Since Dyna-Purge has a fresh, citrus scent, the odor issue was solved!
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