CNC machine for making molds. Presses for cold and hot stamping of sheet metal. Disadvantages of Russian mold manufacturers

Do you still think that in China everyone works in barns for a bowl of rice? Today, probably, no one thinks so, although five years ago I heard such statements quite seriously.

I invite you to visit the Chinese mold factory. If anyone doesn't know, a mold is a steel mold into which plastic parts are cast. All plastic objects around us, with the possible exception of pipes and profiles, are made using molds, and in most cases these molds are made in China.

Mold production begins at the office desk. Here the form is designed, components are ordered and supplied, and work with customers is carried out. Open space and low partitions are the standard style of Chinese offices. Along the perimeter there are management rooms and meeting rooms.

Next to the office, in an air-conditioned room, there is a quality control room. Measuring equipment is located here, on which control measurements of electrodes and test castings are made. A written report is prepared for each measurement. The measurements are mainly taken on a 3D meter, and the profile of small parts is checked on a computerized microscope, sometimes called 2.5D. Here the precise binding of the electrodes to the holders takes place. Thanks to this, when installing an electrode on an electrical erosive machine, binding can be avoided and precious machine time can be saved. Everything is very strict here.

Precision equipment is the pride and special concern of any production. Two wire machines and one piercing machine, equipped with CNC, are located in a separate room, in which a constant climate regime is maintained. Agie Charmilles machines are very popular in China, since this Swiss company has its own production in China.

For most molds, high processing accuracy is not required, so the basis of any production fleet is made up of conventional machines with minimal automation. In most cases, these are Taiwanese brand machines made in China.

In general, the electrical erosion process takes up the largest share of machine time in mold production. Firstly, because most modern products have a rather complex geometric shape that requires electrical erosion, and secondly, because the process itself is rather slow. With electroerosive piercing, metal is removed due to its gradual burning by an electrical discharge that occurs between a copper (or graphite) electrode and a steel mold. After several hours of processing, the hole in the steel part takes the shape of an electrode.

Electrodes for electrical erosion are manufactured on CNC milling machines. Depending on the requirements for the dimensional accuracy of the mold, one, two or three electrodes can be manufactured for each element: roughing, finishing and finishing. The production of copper electrodes is carried out on the most ordinary machines, and for more precise graphite ones, a higher spindle speed and a system for removing graphite dust are required. We meet Agie again.

To speed up EDM, the bulk of the steel is selected on larger milling machines.

And, of course, there is no escape from ordinary, manual milling machines. All machines have a digital coordinate display device. The main holes are drilled on the same milling machines. It is interesting that there is only one lathe in the entire plant, and even that is gathering dust in the far corner. After all, almost one hundred percent of the cylindrical parts used in production are standard, purchased ones.

Drilling of large plates and deep holes in the mold occurs on a single radial drilling machine, and a small pneumatic machine is used for cutting threads.

The grinding section consists of one large and four small grinding machines. As expected, they are located in a separate room, each with an exhaust hood to remove dust. It is surprising that small machines are not equipped with electric drives. The Chinese believe that processing small parts is faster if the movements are done manually.

Mold polishers are usually small, fragile girls, rubbing the surface to a mirror shine. Here we meet the boys. Three out of five use pneumatic tools.

The assembly area is the place where a finished mold is assembled from a set of disparate parts. A standard package is received here from suppliers, usually with cut-out pockets for molding materials. Standard components also arrive here and formative components are collected from other areas. At the assembly site they are installed in a package and mutually adjusted.

The technology for accurately adjusting the mold closing surfaces is quite simple: special paint is applied to the matrix and punch, then the mold is closed and compressed with force. In places that require adjustment, the paint wears off. After removing excess metal, the surface is painted again, the mold is closed and the process is repeated until an acceptable result is obtained. If the form is small, then this process is done manually or with the help of a crane, and for large forms there is a special press. In it, the halves of the mold are fixed on magnetic plates, and the process of closing and opening occurs in a few minutes. The peculiarity of this press is that its lower plate moves to the side, and the upper one turns around and lies next to it. Thus, manual adjustment of the mold can be carried out by a mechanic directly on the press, which significantly simplifies and speeds up the process.

After assembly, the mold goes to the testing area. In essence, it is a regular foundry, but with one exception: there are no operators, only adjusters. The operation of injection molding machines is limited to obtaining a few suitable test castings, after which the mold is returned for assembly.

And finally: high management on the shop floor. The plant director discusses the progress of the project with the production manager.

Press forms

TO category:

Production of precision castings

Press forms

The main prerequisite for obtaining an accurate casting is an accurate model with a surface free of defects, with precisely maintained dimensions, meeting all the technological features that appear during the production of castings. To produce such a model, a precisely manufactured mold is used. Often, when choosing a lost wax casting method, the determining factor is the cost of the master model and the mold. Sometimes it may even be that the cost of making the master model and mold will be higher than the savings obtained by converting the part from machining to casting.

Molds for casting lost wax models must meet the following basic requirements: ensure the production of high-quality models (with the specified accuracy and surface cleanliness, without defects); minimum cooling time of the model.

According to the intended purpose and use of the mold, they are divided into:
a) for the production of the actual models;
b) for the manufacture of auxiliary technological parts (risers, manifolds, profits, etc.).

Based on their design, molds are classified into single-cavity (single-cavity); multi-cavity, not connected by a gating system; multi-cavity with replaceable inserts for assembly in conductors.

In terms of the degree of mechanization, molds can be simple, with models removed (manually); simple, with manual removal of models using a push system; complex, with removable rods. Molds are assembled with cores and mold parts and disassembled manually or using machinery; fully mechanized or automated.

According to the manufacturing methods, molds are classified into mechanically processed; cast from low-melting alloys; cast from zinc alloys; molded from plastics; cast from plaster; cast or pressed from rubber (rubber); processed by electroplating or metallization methods.

The cost of a mold mainly depends on its complexity; which determines the labor intensity of manufacturing and the material of the mold. These factors are decided by the technologist and designer. When designing a mold, the technologist and designer are guided by the requirements for castings and the number of castings in the series.

Rice. 1. Mold made by machining

Molds produced by mechanical processing (Fig. 1) are widely used for the production of lost wax models. The entire mold is manufactured on machining machines without the use of a master model. The design of molds for simple castings (without internal cavities) is relatively simple, as is its manufacture. It is much more difficult and expensive to manufacture molds for castings with internal cavities or with a shaped parting plane. Models with internal cavities or with profile joints (the axes of which are not parallel to the direction of opening of the mold or extend outside the parting plane) must have retractable rods, the precise manufacture and fit of which in the mold is very labor-intensive. Such molds are made of steel and aluminum alloys. Aluminum alloys are preferable because they have high thermal conductivity. Pores and looseness are often found in cast billets made of aluminum alloys, which deteriorate the quality of the surface of the models.

Molds are manufactured according to the 6th IT accuracy class with a surface roughness of 0.4-0.8 microns according to Hsk. Model areas must be equipped with modern precision metal-cutting machines. Models made in such molds are distinguished by high accuracy, and the molds themselves are durable.

Molds from low-melting alloys (Fig. 2) are made by pouring a low-melting alloy onto a metal master model installed in a steel frame. Each half of the mold is filled with different alloys that differ in melting point. With a flat part, the model is molded in a steel shell with a molding mixture consisting of quartz sand with 3% bentonite; mixture humidity 3.5-5.0%, wet strength 0.8-1.0 N/cm2.

With a curved connector, the model is fixed in a gypsum false slab. Before pouring plaster, the surface of the model is lubricated with oil. After the plaster has cured, the connector is cleaned to make it easier to remove the model. Then a second shell is installed on the shell with the false plate and the model and the assembled set is slowly heated to the temperature of pouring the low-melting alloy. To cast the first metal half, an alloy with a higher melting point is used. The temperature of the model and the fake slab is controlled by casting alloy chips poured onto the model. The temperature must be such that the chips melt to form balls of liquid alloy. A low-melting alloy should not be overheated by more than 30-40° C above its melting point. Otherwise, the elements of the alloy burn away and it ceases to be eutectic. The use of non-eutectic alloys results in a rough mold surface.

Before pouring, oxide films and contaminants are removed from the molten alloy mirror. After pouring, the shell is carefully tapped to remove adhering air bubbles from the model, and the mirror of the poured metal is carefully heated to avoid its premature solidification. After the metal has cooled, the mold is disassembled and the model is removed from it. The mold connector is cleaned and technological cavities are made in it (gating channel, manifold, etc.). Rods, pushers and centering pins are turned on machining machines. The holes for the pushers are obtained by pouring the pushers themselves or auxiliary pins during the manufacture of the second half of the mold. The model must be firmly connected to the pusher so that distortion does not occur.

Rice. 2. Low-melting alloy mold

Rice. 3. Zinc alloy mold

The second half of the mold is filled with an alloy with a lower melting point compared to the alloy used for the first half of the mold. The surface of the first half of the mold is smoked with soot from burning oil before pouring. After pouring and cooling the second half of the mold, the model is removed and, if necessary, the cavity and mold connector are adjusted (fitting both halves of the mold). Minor defects in the cavity are corrected by soldering or sealed with resin.

For the first half of the mold, an alloy consisting of 80% lead, 14% antimony and 6% zinc with a melting point of about 250 ° C is usually used. The second half of the mold is cast from a low-melting alloy containing 51% tin, 31% lead and 18% cadmium with a melting point of 150 ° C.

The surface of the working cavity of the mold is scraped and polished. This technology allows you to obtain a mold with an accuracy of 8-9th IT class. Master models are usually made from medium carbon steel. The surface of the model is polished. When making a model consisting of several pieces, it is not recommended to fasten them by soldering with hard and soft solders.

Low-melting models produced in cast molds have a high-quality surface and satisfactory dimensional accuracy. However, molds quickly fail, so they are recommended for the production of a small series of castings. Cast molds made of low-melting alloys are impractical to use for the manufacture of large models due to the significant cost and high consumption of low-melting alloys.

Molds made of zinc alloys (Fig. 14) are made by pouring a master model with a zinc alloy in a steel shell.

When making complex molds or molds that are subject to increased precision requirements, pressure is applied to the mirror of the poured zinc alloy until the alloy completely solidifies. Compared with molds made of low-melting alloys, molds made of zinc alloys are harder, stronger, wear less and are deformed upon impact, i.e. the durability of a mold made of zinc alloy is slightly higher than that of a low-melting alloy.

The process of making molds from zinc alloys, which harden under pressure in the first phase, is similar to the process of making molds from low-melting alloys. First, a polished zinc or steel model is made. The model is molded with a sand mixture and buried 1 mm from the parting plane. Before pouring, the sand mold is smoked with soot, then a steel flask is installed on it and the set is heated to 260-280 ° C. A zinc alloy, superheated to 410-430 ° C, is poured into the shell. If the model is made of zinc alloy, then initially the entire set is cooled to room temperature, and then the model is again heated to 100-200 ° C for better extraction.

The half-mold freed from the model is mechanically processed along the connector and the model is inserted into it, followed by smoking with soot. Then the second half of the shell is installed and the entire set is heated in an oven to 260-280 °C. The heated set is installed under a press, filled with zinc alloy and pressed with a punch with a force of at least 10 kN, depending on the size of the mold, until the alloy is completely solidified. After cooling to room temperature, the kit is again heated to 100-200 °C to facilitate its disassembly.

The cast first half of the mold is processed, and two or three blind holes are drilled on the parting plane for fixation with the second half of the mold. The pushers are fixed in the mold by pouring an alloy, or a hole is drilled in the mold for them.

The second half of the mold is cast in a similar way. The mold is machined to the required dimensions, the gating system is milled, pushers and rods are manufactured, and clamping devices are installed.

To make molds from zinc alloys without pressure, a split model is used. Both halves are installed separately on plates in the shell, heated to 420 °C and filled with zinc alloy at a temperature of 470-490 °C. After hardening and cooling, the shell is removed, the plate is removed and the model is removed. The mold parting plane is processed and both halves are connected using centering pins. Auxiliary parts of molds, such as pushers, rods, centering pins, etc., are usually made from steel by machining. It is relatively simple and cheap to make molds from zinc alloys without pressure, but this method is used with a simple parting plane.

Rice. 4. Plastic mold

Molds made of zinc alloys are quite durable, provide high quality models and are relatively inexpensive. They are suitable for making castings in large series, but are almost unsuitable for models with large cavities or with side and inclined rods. Labor costs for the manufacture of zinc molds are higher, and the cost of material is lower than for the manufacture of molds made of low-melting alloys.

Molds obtained by filling the master model with plastics (Fig. 4) are very simple to manufacture and therefore cheap. They are not durable enough, and therefore they are used in the manufacture of castings in small series. The mold materials are dentacryl or epoxy resins. Considering that plastics are less thermally conductive than metal, they should be used for small-sized molds with an evenly distributed mass so that the model composition hardens evenly. To increase thermal conductivity, it is recommended to introduce fillers into resins - metal powders or shot.

The best master models are metal, polished; For less critical castings, wooden models are used. In practice, various materials can be used for models that do not deform when filled with plastic. Plaster models produce lower quality prints than wooden ones, and even more so metal ones.

Before pouring, the model is lubricated with a thin layer of release agent to better separate the master model from the poured mass. The following lubricants have proven themselves to be effective: 2% solution of silicone oil in trichlorethylene; A 2% solution of beeswax or carnauba wax in gasoline and a solution of castor oil in methyl or ethyl alcohol. The lubricant is applied with a brush or spray in a very thin layer so that the accuracy of the smallest elements of the model’s surface is not compromised.

The process of making molds from plastics is similar to the manufacturing process using liquid metal melts. It is most advisable to use gypsum false board. The plastic is poured at maximum speed in a continuous stream so that no air bubbles are mixed into the mixture. A stream of plastic is directed onto the connector plane, and the rising liquid level quietly covers the model. Air bubbles from resin filled with metal powder or shot are removed by vacuum or vibration.

It is recommended to use a mass consisting of CHS Erox 1200 resin, in which 80% (by mass) of steel shot measuring 0.3-0.5 mm is replaced. The mixture is heated to 50 °C while stirring, hardener P1 is added to it in a ratio of 7 hours per 100 hours of Erox 1200 resin and the resulting mixture is thoroughly mixed again.

Molds made of epoxy resins with a metal filler are often used to test casting technology or to produce small series of lost wax models. This method does not require much time, is cheap and is always used without mechanical processing. The disadvantage of plastic molds is lower accuracy and low thermal conductivity of molds compared to metal ones.

Gypsum molds can be used to make individual models without special requirements for their dimensional accuracy. The durability of such forms is very low, but given the low costs of their production, they are often used when testing technological solutions. The molds are detachable, with both halves cast in wooden or metal collapsible shells. The second half of the mold is poured over the first, as if over a false slab. To prevent the plaster from sticking, the connector of the first mold is lubricated with a release agent (a solution of wax in trichloroethane, in gasoline or in silicone oil; a solution of Vaseline in gasoline). Gypsum molds are not suitable for pressing the model composition into them under pressure. The model composition is poured into molds in a molten state by free pouring.

Molds made by pouring a master model with silicone rubber are used for the production of lost wax models that do not have precision requirements, for example, models of decorative objects or models for testing the casting technology being developed (for example, the density of castings with the selected gating system). Such forms are elastic, so models with negative slopes can be made in them.

Silicone rubber molds can also be made without a false slab by pouring the entire model. After hardening, the silicone rubber shell is cut along the connector. It is best to make a false slab from gypsum.

Guide pins can be poured into both halves of the mold; In addition, it is possible to make a model of the sprue channel from the model composition and mold it simultaneously with the model. Rubber molds in metal shells can be used to make models by pressing in the model composition at low pressure. In molds without shells, only free pouring of the model composition is allowed. The very low thermal conductivity of rubber molds lengthens the entire production cycle of models, but makes it possible to obtain models with a clear imprint and high surface quality.

Molds produced by electroforming processes can be used for very precise and complex models of medium weight. Such molds are not suitable for the production of models with deep pockets, grooves and holes; their production is relatively expensive, requires special equipment and therefore is not widely used in Czechoslovakia.

Molds produced using metallization have not yet been tested in production, but were reviewed by the authors from the technical and economic side with the previously described methods.

The basic principle of metallization is the application of liquid metal particles by a gas stream to the prepared surface of an object using a metallization gun. The metal wire in the gun is melted either by a flame, most often oxyacetylene, or by an electric arc. Upon impact, under the influence of kinetic energy, metal particles are deformed, adhering to each other and to the surface of the material, and form a firmly connected mass that accurately reproduces the shape of the object - the model. This method is not used for all types of models. Planes sprayed at an angle to the flow are more difficult to metallize or are not metallized at all when their area is large or at a very sharp angle of attack.

Any mold (steel, low-melting or zinc alloys, plastic) can be simple, complex and with varying degrees of mechanization. The mold can be designed only for a specific model configuration or be universal with replaceable inserts. The mold can be equipped with a water cooling device, and finally it can be used to make models or gating systems.

Of course, when producing models in small series or in single production, highly mechanized molds are not used. The technology and costs for making a mold from different materials are different.

When designing molds for lost wax models, it is necessary to take into account the design features of their elements, which can significantly affect the operation of the entire mold. Such elements, for example, are:
1) the actual half-molds, depending on the configuration of the casting (mold without detachable inserts or with collapsible elements);
2) rod (movable or stationary);
3) pushers;
4) mold cooling system;
5) system for supplying model composition to the central manifold (assembly of model units);
6) system for supplying model composition for individual models (soldered models);
7) air exhaust system for molds.

In insertless molds, the model is formed either in both halves or in one, usually the lower half of the mold. Both halves of the mold must fit together along the parting surface, which can be flat or profiled. The mold cavity must be designed in such a way that when the mold is opened from both halves, the model can be easily removed.

In a collapsible mold with a complex cavity profile, to remove the model, inserts, rods and other elements must be removed from it before opening the mold. Such solutions are used only in cases where the casting configuration is very complex and it is impossible to create the mold parting plane without detachable parts.

The complex shape of cavities or holes in the model is obtained using rods that are placed perpendicular or parallel to the parting plane; in the latter case - side rods. Rods with a perpendicular arrangement relative to the parting plane, if the casting configuration allows it, are recommended to be secured in the lower half of the mold. For small series of castings, side rods should be removed manually; very small cores are removed from the mold along with the models.

Rice. 5. Metal composite rod forming a complex cavity configuration

Rice. 6. Location of pushers in the mold

Pushers are used to push models out of the working cavity of the mold; they are located in the lower half of the mold (Fig. 17). The parting plane must be chosen so that when the mold is opened, the model remains in the lower half. Since pushers leave an imprint on models, they should be placed on work surfaces if possible.

The pushers must have a locking device, or special plates are made in the mold to prevent the movement of the pushers during pressing of the model composition. Profile pushers are fixed in the mold (due to their possible rotation around their axis). The best material for pushers has proven to be gray cast iron, intended for bearing bushings according to CSN 42 2456. The pushers are driven by a pressure plate through a hydraulic drive or manually. The pushers return to their original position in most cases by a compressed spring.

In many cases, models can be removed without pushers using compressed air supplied through a gas-permeable insert (Fig. 7).

To shorten the hardening cycle and eliminate external local shrinkage on the surface of the models, the molds should be cooled. Cooling the mold with cold water is most effective. In molds without inserts, cooling channels are made in one or two halves; in molds with inserts, the nests for the inserts are additionally cooled. The dimensions of the cooling channels are usually not calculated, and the designer determines them based on his experience and the possibility of their placement in the mold. Channels must be provided near the most massive parts of the model. Drinking water is often used for cooling. The water temperature varies depending on weather conditions, which does not allow setting a single cooling mode. It is advisable to carry out cooling in a special refrigeration device and maintain a constant water temperature.

Rice. 7. Removing the model from the mold using compressed air: 1 – SUPPLY compressed air; 2 - gas-permeable insert

It is necessary to fix the upper and lower halves of the molds together in the parting plane. This is ensured in most cases by centering pins or a protrusion-recess type design in molds made of low-melting alloys or plastics (Fig. 8). Zinc alloy halves are fixed by drilling out a cavity in one half of the mold before pouring the other half.

Rice. 8. Fixing the mold halves using a protrusion

Large-sized molds or molds for the production of models in large series are fixed on the plates of a pressing device, so the designer must provide a method for attaching the molds to the plate of such a device. Molds of small sizes or for models of small series are not secured, but are installed and removed from the pressed device manually.

Air is removed from the mold through the gaps between the guide bushings and pushers along the parting plane or along specially made grooves.

Press molds with full mechanization and automation of assembly and disassembly are suitable for the manufacture of models in large series or for mass production. Investment casting foundries in Czechoslovakia do not yet produce these types of molds, since castings are produced in relatively small batches. The use of automated molds involves high-performance pressing equipment and associated transport devices for transferring molds from assembly, pressing, cooling and disassembling positions.

If foundries use various types of pressing equipment, then corresponding mold designs are also used. This creates certain difficulties, since each foundry needs to design and manufacture different mold designs. Therefore, each precision casting foundry must have its own mold manufacturing technology, which depends on the equipment and various devices necessary for one or another type of production.

Economic comparison of individual mold manufacturing methods. Initially, lost wax molds were made from metals by machining. In order to reduce production costs and expand the use of lost wax casting, other, cheaper and faster methods of making molds have been developed and proposed.

In this table, labor costs are systematized relative to the costs (assumed as 100%) for the production of steel molds by machining. Labor costs reflect the costs associated with producing the same simple molds using different methods. The degree of accuracy is classified according to a five-point system. The difference between individual scores is not equivalent. For example, the difference in accuracy between scores 1 and 2 or scores 2 and 3 is smaller than between scores 4 and 5. The solidification time was determined experimentally based on the results of observations of the cooling of identical lost wax models in molds of various types.

This is the time that is necessary to keep the model in the mold and then remove it without the risk of damage and deformation during further technological operations. Data about this time are for informational purposes only. There may be deviations from the given values. This depends, for example, on the model composition used and the temperature of its pressing.

The last column of the table. 13 contains information about the durability of molds. The durability of molds made using the same technology depends on many factors: the size of the models; the position of the parting plane in the mold, especially when the parting plane passes along a surface that does not have a processing allowance; the number and quality of pushers and, finally, on the careful care of the mold during its operation, adjustment and adjustment, as well as on the condition of the pressing equipment. The data is taken from practical experience in investment casting foundries, where molds were manufactured using the given technological processes.

In practice, machined molds will also be used, since this is the only production method for producing molds for models of large overall dimensions and weighing more than 10 kg. The most complex models in configuration, with a complex parting plane and detachable parts, will be produced in the same molds. Models of castings produced in large batches with high requirements for surface cleanliness and dimensional accuracy are produced in steel molds obtained by mechanical processing.

Fess molds made of low-melting alloys are used in the production of castings in small series. This is a relatively fast and reliable method, which, taking into account the previously stated reasons, always finds application in investment casting.

If it is necessary to check the designed technological process when producing single castings, for example for repair needs, molds made of gypsum or silicone rubber are suitable. Epoxy resin molds are used for urgent production of single castings.

From a review of the advantages and disadvantages of molds made by various methods, it is clear that at present and in the near future it cannot be assumed that only one method of making lost wax molds will be used in any foundry. It is economically profitable to produce molds not only by mechanical processing, but also mainly from zinc and low-melting alloys. The extent to which the described methods will be used will depend on the production program, the configuration and overall dimensions of the castings being manufactured.

If a technologist is developing a technology for a new casting, he must know all the circumstances that influence the choice of mold. This is the only way to design a mold that will ensure maximum cost-effective production of a new casting.

When designing different types of molds, the following criteria are decisive:
1) series sizes and estimated number of castings;
2) configuration and overall dimensions of castings;
3) required dimensional accuracy of castings;
4) thermophysical properties of the mold material;
5) costs for manufacturing molds;
6) equipment for pressing the model composition into a mold.

The main documentation that the technologist develops and transfers to the designer for the production of drawings and molds is a casting drawing or a drawing of a master model with detailed instructions on the type and method of manufacturing the mold.

Today in Russia there are not many manufacturers of molds for metal injection molding. At the same time, most companies involved in their development purchase foundry equipment abroad. The main suppliers are the countries of Southeast Asia (China, South Korea, Taiwan), as well as European companies.

However, there are still manufacturers in our country from whom you can order a mold for the manufacture of metal products. In our short review, we bring to your attention several such enterprises from various cities of Russia.

Five mold manufacturers from Russia

CJSC "NTC-BULAT"

The only metropolitan enterprise in our review that has been producing metal products to order for more than 10 years. The services offered by the company include the entire cycle of creating a mold: from the development of technical documentation and design to turning of certain parts (you can read more about turning).

The company has its own wide production base and independently produces turnkey molds, rather than ordering products from China. The clients of NTC-BULAT CJSC are many large manufacturers of automotive parts, fire fighting, medical, electronic and other equipment from all over the country.

Kaluga mold plant

A large enterprise that produces a huge number of molds for casting not only metal alloys, but also rubber, caoutchouc and plastic. Employees of the Kaluga company have extensive experience in manufacturing wedge molds, molds with multiple parting planes, multi-stage ejection systems and many other types of products.

Kaluga Mold Plant uses modern multifunctional equipment and develops molds for any type of casting from scratch.

Yaroslavl technical equipment plant

YaZTO has been developing cold-channel molds for the manufacture of parts by injection molding of non-ferrous metals for several years now. The company is one of the leaders in this market segment.

Among the advantages of the company are not only rich experience, but also, for example, a price that is 10% lower than the market average. When making molds, employees of the Yaroslavl Technical Equipment Plant use Japanese equipment, and for turning – German CNC machines.

YaZTO's clients are many domestic and foreign manufacturers of automotive parts.

Machine-building plant named after V.V. Vorovsky

The company, located in Yekaterinburg, produces molds of varying complexity for casting metals, rubber and plastics. ZiV also produces dies for cold stamping of metal (aluminum, copper, steel) and paronite with dimensions up to 300x500x400 mm according to customer drawings. The cost of a finished mold ranges from 30 to 100 thousand rubles.

The history of the plant goes back more than 90 years, and its staff has a large number of employees with ten years or more experience. The production base of the enterprise is constantly updated with modern equipment.

TOCHTSVETLIT LLC

Manufacturer of molds in Ryazan, carrying out a full cycle of their production. The company is ready to undertake the development of drawings and designs of the mold or produce it according to the customer’s drawings.

TOCHTSVETLIT LLC has existed since 1999. During this time, the company has managed to establish itself as a reliable business partner and one of the main manufacturers of molds in the region. The production base of the enterprise is equipped with modern imported equipment.

Disadvantages of Russian mold manufacturers

Among the shortcomings that characterize almost all Russian mold manufacturers are:

• Long production period. As a rule, creating a complex mold in Russia takes 4-6 months. In China, a similar process lasts 40-50 days;
• Limited opportunities. Unfortunately, most Russian manufacturers lag behind companies from China, South Korea and Western Europe in the complexity of the molds they produce;
• Price. The price of Russian molds is both their disadvantage and their advantage at the same time. Domestic products are already more expensive than Chinese ones, but still cheaper than Western European ones.

Advantages of Russian molds

Despite the mentioned disadvantages, ordering molds from Russian manufacturers also has many advantages:

• Product quality. Russian manufacturers today are worthy competitors to both Europe and China in this indicator;
• Ease of production control. Creating such a precise tool as a mold requires total control of all stages of production. With Russian manufacturers it is much simpler: there is no language or cultural barrier, and the distance factor is reduced to a minimum;
• Simplicity of warranty service;
• The opportunity to evaluate the products of a particular manufacturer before ordering a mold from him.

Stamping, which is performed using a metal press, is one of the most common technological operations for processing this material. The essence of this procedure is to give a workpiece made of metal the required shape, for which plastic deformation is used, squeezing out a certain relief, patterns or punching holes. Presses for metal processing, depending on the list of tasks for which they are intended, differ from each other both in their technical parameters and design.

Types of stamping technological operations and equipment

Stamping as a method of processing metal blanks can be:

• hot;
• cold.

The first implies that the metal is processed in a heated state. The great advantage of hot stamping is that when it is performed, the characteristics of the workpiece being processed are improved (in particular, the metal structure becomes denser and more uniform). Meanwhile, a layer of scale is not created on the surface of metal workpieces processed using technology, while the dimensions of the finished products are more accurate, and their surface is smoother.

Depending on the type of workpiece being stamped, such a technological operation can be sheet or volumetric. Stamping of the first type is used for processing sheet metal blanks; this technology is used to produce:

1. dishes;
2. jewelry;
3. weapon;
4. medical equipment and instruments;
5. parts of watches, household, climate control and electrical equipment;
6. parts for completing automotive equipment;
7. parts of machine tools and other engineering products.

Finished metal products obtained using technology do not require further refinement. The formation of their geometric parameters when performing volumetric stamping occurs in special forms in which hot or cold metal is subjected to extrusion.

The press machine is usually used for:

• production of metal blanks by forging;
• pressing and pressing out of shafts, bearings and gears;
• performing sheet and volume stamping.

According to the principle of operation, pressing machines can be of the mechanical or hydraulic type and perform metal processing using static or impact methods.

Mechanical pressing equipment can be designed according to its design:

• eccentric;
• crank.

Crank machines are used for both cold and hot. This stamping equipment is also used to perform such technological operations as drawing, cutting and cutting. The hydraulic press is used for stamping and forging technological operations with bulk metal blanks.

According to their functionality, pressing machines are divided into the following types:

• universal;
• special;
• specialized.

A universal pressing machine has the widest functionality; such equipment can be used to perform almost any forging operation. Specialized dies or presses are used to implement one technological process. Special presses that are used for stamping products of one type have minimal functionality, while their operation is based on one technology.

Design and operating principle of pressing equipment

The design of any stamping equipment consists of the following elements:

1. drive motor;
2. motion transmission mechanism;
3. actuating mechanism.

Depending on how the drive motor of the press is connected to its actuator, machines with a connection are distinguished:

1. mechanical;
2. non-mechanical, carried out by liquid, gas or steam.

The actuating mechanism with which equipment for stamping is equipped can be traverses, a slider, rolls, rollers and women.

Crank type presses

The main structural element of these presses is the crank mechanism, which converts the rotational motion it receives from the drive into the reciprocating motion of the slider. The actuator, which is equipped with a stamping press of this type, is connected directly to the slider, capable of developing a force of up to 100 tons. The movement of the slider in such presses occurs at the same frequency.

Crank-type presses can be simple, double or triple acting equipment. Using such machines, you can perform the following technological operations:

• stamping using open and closed type dies;
• sheet metal cutting;
• firmware;
• formation of the finished product by extrusion;
• combined processing.

In cases where more powerful equipment is required to form a finished product from a metal billet, hydraulic type machines are used.

Hydraulic presses

Using a hydraulic press, you can press both larger and thicker-walled metal parts. Such equipment for sheet metal stamping, die stamping, forging, bending and other technological operations, depending on the specific model, can develop forces from 150 to 2000 tons or even more.

The main structural elements that any one is equipped with are two cylinders of different diameters, which are filled with working fluid and communicate with each other. Each of these hydraulic cylinders has a piston that creates pressure of the working fluid or moves under its influence. It is the movement of pistons in hydraulic cylinders that ensures the movement of the actuator of the equipment. The amount of force that such a stamping press can create is determined by the difference in the diameters of its hydraulic cylinders.

Radial forging presses

A radial forging machine is a forming press on which preheated metal blanks are converted into finished products of a cylindrical configuration. The design of presses of this type is:

• an induction furnace in which the workpiece is preheated;
• conveyor for feeding the workpiece into the processing zone;
• gripping mechanisms, with the help of which the metal part being processed, constantly rotating, passes through the forging zone;
• a worm gear connected to an electric motor and responsible for the operation of the gripping mechanisms;
• four shafts with eccentric axle boxes that transmit movement to a connecting rod with a striker, between which a slider is fixed (the shafts themselves, through a V-belt transmission, receive rotation from the drive electric motor);
• copying drums, responsible for the synchronous approach of the strikers and the subsequent movement of the workpiece;
• a spring clutch that provides braking of the part while it is being processed by the strikers.

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Equipment for the production of presses for molds: from application to commissioning

Machines capable of creating means of production are always highly valued, because the ability to quickly obtain almost any template for creating unique products allows you to solve the most complex problems without any problems with minimal loss of money and time. Casting molds have become most widespread as a result of the development of plastic production. The constant improvement of raw materials, ensuring their sustainability and safety has led to the implementation of increasingly ambitious and daring projects, and the main milestone in this is the preparation and completion of the corresponding lines.

An extremely important parameter for any plastic product is its appearance and functionality. These parameters are largely determined by the quality of the templates used, therefore special requirements are imposed on the manufacture of molds for casting. High production precision, compliance with technical standards and established requirements result in high-quality and reliable products. Any new design comes with the need for new components, and worn-out ones need to be replaced regularly. The use of modern machines on production lines guarantees growing demand for products and the prosperity of the enterprise.