Page 32 - Plastics News January 2021

FeAtures

The Real Art of Molding

Ketan M - Principal and Founder, KB Consulting, Mumbai

The effective implementation of RAM gives consistency in quality in injection molding and there is no need
to tweak the parameters time and again

re you driving your BMW @ 20 Also the most important parameters on a molding machine
Akm/hour? remains : 1) Time, 2) Pressure, 3) Temperature, 4) Speed
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are not RAM in simple words is letting your machine use all the above
talking about your car but your 4 parameters to the maximum extent possible to achieve
Injection molding machines. Let’s the highest production. Also, each parameter will support
start with a list of questions : the other parameter and not limit each other. This means
1) Are you sure you are running machine is not running speed, pressure, temperature or
your machines at optimum time limited. When you limit your molding machine to use
processing conditions? only certain pressure, time or speed and restrict it, every
2) Are you sure you are getting shot will be different, consistency in part quality will not be
maximum output from your there. When you give the machine the freedom, it will use
molding machines? everything the way it wants and then part quality will be
3) Are you getting consistent production from your molding consistent every shot.
machines? Thus, what we do in RAM, is just let the machine do its best.
4) Is this true that every production lot is inconsistent and The RAM process involves running the mold for at least a
your scrap either increases Or decreases and perhaps day or two and each and every parameter on the machine
you have no clue about what’s happening? is studied. Several different settings would be tried. A DOE
5) Do you consistently change the process settings on the (Design of Experiments) is carried out and a Process Window
would be determined. Hence forward, running the mold
molding machine to Trouble shoot production problems?
If you are unsure or confused about your answers to questions would be within the Process Window. The study would create
a robust process unaffected by variations in the machine
1,2, 3 or if the answer to questions 4 or 5 is “yes” then you and MFI of raw material.
are one amongst legions of dissatisfied injection molders. Advantages of RAM:
Almost every injection molder out there has faced at least
one of these problems. You might be thinking that this is how • Consistent part quality and part weight resulting in input
you have been running the molding machines for past several raw material savings.
decades and there is not at all much you could do. But we • No surprises every lot causing rejects, thus improvement
have news for you my friend. There is something that can be of yield.
done so that you are not left clueless on the production floor. • Machines running at maximum production per hour
Welcome to the world of “Real Art of Molding” (RAM), that possible, resulting in highest Productivity.
offers consistent quality in injection molding and you will • Having a Process Window would give good control
not need to tweak the parameters every shift for getting and assure consistent quality to the company and the
better quality part. Consistency in part quality will become production floor would have some parameters to tweak,
the standard norm. if they have to, during a production run without affecting
While working with several multinationals and visiting quality.
manufacturing facilities worldwide, we have found that very We @ KB Consulting have a vision of transforming the Indian
few world class molders were aware of this technique and are Injection molding industry so that every molder is saving
using it. We have implemented RAM at manufacturing plants money while producing consistent quality products. When
in India and throughout the world and have caused savings we implement RAM, the most common molding challenges
of input raw material worth millions of dollars annually and like Splay, Sink marks, Shrinkage, Warpage, Short Shot and
have also increased production per hour resulting in reduction Flash are gone forever.
of molding cost per part. We have also done worldwide When KB Consulting implements RAM, we will ensure that
trainings on RAM. you will not leave money on the table; you will run your
Most common molding challenges that we injection molders machine @ full capacity @ fastest speed @ lowest rejects.
face are say: 1) New lot of raw material causing rejects, Implement RAM and optimise your machine and reap the
2) Splay, 3) Sink marks ,4) Shrinkage, 5) Warping, 6) Short benefits of consistency and quality. Start driving your BMW
shot 7) Flash (Your injection molding machine) @ 200 km/hour.

Plastics News Januar y 2021 32