Development Core and Wax Injection Machine.

Descriptions

Basic process requirements: A turnkey package (design, manufacture, delivery, offloading, positioning, installation, commissioning and regular maintenance) is called for to fulfil the requirement of this specification. Raw materials will be either commercial or development waxes or ceramic core materials for injection moulding thus flexibility is sought to evaluate the shaping of these without risk of material contamination. Waxes may be supplied in pellet or slab form. Core materials will be supplied in granule form or directly discharged from a mixer as slurry. The wax materials will typically have melting points between 50-85oC and a melt viscosity up to 3 Pa.s.. Core materials shall have melt temperatures between 50-150ºC and melt viscosities typically in the range 10-100.Pa.s.. The injection cylinder shall have a minimum capacity of 0,15 l and a maximum of 0,3 l.Temperature and Pressure Control: The temperature of the core material must be maintained in the range 50–150ºC and wax injection between 50-85oC. The injection nozzle must be within +/-1ºC of the required temperature. During operation temperature and pressure at a number of locations to be displayed continuously and comparable with baseline data. Data to be stored for 4 weeks. Core injection pressure may range from a minimum 25 bar to a maximum of 175 bar (+/-5 %), wax may range from 3,4 to 30 bar (+/-5%). Single and programmable pressure (fill and pack) with volume based transfer is required. A pressure transducer in the injection nozzle is required to show and record.Flow and Flow Control: Flow range 0 to 300 cm3s-1, when less than 20 cm3s-1 then +/- 2 cm3s-1 and when greater, +/-9 %. A time based flow mode (4 steps minimum) based on volume is required. Data displayed in real time, storable and comparable to baseline data with 4 weeks storage.Wax and Core Conditioning Tanks: Separate wax and core material conditioning tanks are required and should be removable for ease of cleaning. Core material tanks should be capable of creating a vacuum. Capacity should be 2,5 l for core material and 10 l for wax. Variable speed agitation is required.Die and Platen Temperature Control: Heating and cooling to top and bottom platens to temperatures between 21 to 50ºC +/-1ºC. Die temperature is to be monitored, measured and recorded.Injection Machine Controls: Alphanumeric injection recipes with unlimited number of stored recipes to be permitted. All controls and parameters, including clamp pressure, are to be digital and set via a touch screen. Adjustable wax shot size via touch screen. Injection mode to be able to switch between refill and cylinder purge for each cycle. Ability to switch on or off fixed purge to clear nozzle and hoses during each injection cycle. Programmable nozzle position and nozzle adjustment in the Z and Y axis is required to allow the nozzle to extend to the centre of the platen. This will enable small dies to be used without the need for balance blocks. A system that is capable of capturing the following information is required: Part Number – stored on the route card, die identification, core or wax identification and operator ID. All data to be stored for a minimum of 4 weeks. A docking station is required to attach an MPI 20-20 wax injection process monitoring system.Platen Size, Pressure and Control: Platen to have 24 inches (609,6 mm) vertical opening and be a minimum of 24 inches by 24 inches, with M10 threaded holes for die mounting, The platen pressure and closing speed is to be programmed. A minimum clamping pressure of 20 tonnes is required.