Tandem Technology

Tandem Technology

Increase Production, Reduce Production Costs

Tandem Technology is a new and rapidly growing tooling concept which can increase injection moulding output by up to 100 percent compared to a standard mould tool.

The process uses a mould with two parting lines, opening in alternating sequence whilst utilising the cooling time in the injection moulding process. As the cooling time runs in parting line 1, parting line 2 is already being injected. To most, a tandem mould would appear to be no more than a stack tool alternative. The difference is in the locking faces that open alternately rather than simultaneously. The two parting lines allow for the injection of similar or different products in size, shape and weight. Whilst the moulding machine opens to eject at one split line, the other is held together by a hydraulically controlled, patented, locking system for cooling.

Benefits
o utilized cooling time (dead time)
o increased output of up to 100 percent compared to a standard tool
o production capacity of one machine drastically increased
o optimization of each parting level individually
o can be employed in almost any injection moulding machine
o improved quality due to extended cooling times
o reduction in production costs of up to 40 percent
o highly flexible
o no investments have to be made in extra injection moulding machines
o existing infrastructure can be used.

By using this technology within a mould, it can result in the moulder reducing production costs by up to 40 percent. It almost doubles mould output and considerably reduces machine costs by eliminating the necessity for a second injection moulding machine for the same production volume.

Tandem Mould technology is a way to integrate the tandem technique into a mould and thus make it available for normal injection moulding machines. The locking mechanism consists of a mechanical lock that moves after each cycle and opens/closes both parting lines simultaneously.

With longer cooling times, the cost savings over the standard technique become larger. Thus, this technique works well with moulds with large wall thicknesses and cycle times. Furthermore, using a Tandem Mould system results in a higher output on smaller machines; and parts with different geometric configurations can be perfectly optimized. After start-up, quality parameters and metering can be adjusted individually for each parting line. This is essential for family moulds as the two parting lines are running independent. A simple example is the production of a bucket in one parting line and the lid in the other parting line.

As this system uses the cooling time it does not make sense to use this technology with fast running moulds (e.g. cycle time three seconds).

The market always asks for ways to decrease the costs (while retaining the same quality). By offering Tandem Moulds, the mould-maker can meet this demand and help their customer to produce cheaper.

The CLS (Compact Locking System) was developed by German moulder/mould maker T/Mould and is now sold via the Strack distribution network, more specifically Hales Tool & Die Ltd in the UK.

For more information or a brochure
Contact John Applebee
Hales Tool & Die Ltd
0800 634 8800