In-place mold cleaning, without disassembly or cool down
A major problem faced by rubber molders is mold fouling. Build-up of cured material and mold release agents causes molds that stick, blemishes and unwanted flash on final parts, making them unusable and requiring line shutdown for cleaning. Traditional cleaning methods such as manual scraping or glass bead blasting can be time consuming, ineffective, damaging to molds and result in high labor and material costs.
Cold Jet dry ice cleaning allows for in-place cleaning – without major disassembly or cool down. And because dry ice cleaning systems use non-abrasive media in the form of recycled CO2, it won’t damage the molds. With dry ice cleaning, rubber molders can extend their running times and enhance their productivity.
Removing and reinstalling molds may lead to tool wear, as well as risk damage to the tool during out-of-press handling. The use of dry ice blasting eliminates many sources of mold and tool damage.
Tire manufacturers have seen benefits of using dry ice blasting technology in production costs reduced by approximately $1 million per facility annually, press downtime reduced by 65% due to in-press cleaning, annual production increase, elimination of need to hand drill micro vents, near zero-defect levels achieved, reduction in tool damage and a reduction in the need to re-stamp sidewall lettering.
Cleaning with Dry Ice Blasting in the Rubber Industry Will:
Clean online, no cool down required
Reduce production shutdown
Reduce product scrap; No more delayed cleaning, resulting in product defects
Provide a non-abrasive clean
Eliminate impact damage or mold erosion when compared to traditional cleaning methods
Increase production time by 25-50%*
Reduce cleaning time and labor cost up to 75%*
Provide an environmentally responsible clean with no secondary waste
* Individual results may vary
Proven Rubber Applications for Dry Ice Blasting Include:
Injection Molding
Compression Molding
Tire Molds
Blow Molding
Metal Bonded Mold
Lift Press
Tilt-back Press
Liquid Silicone Rubber