UNDERSTANDING THE USES AND BENEFITS OF IN-MOLD TECHNOLOGY AND AUTOMATED

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UNDERSTANDING THE USES AND BENEFITS OF IN-MOLD
TECHNOLOGY AND AUTOMATED MANUFACTURING CELLS
Presented By Wade Clark, President/CEO
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An Industry Leader.

• Founded in 1988 with the focus on conventional
  EDM for the aviation and moldmaking industry.
• Built first mold in 1990.
• Built first tool with In-Mold technology in 1995.
• Built first tool with 3 individual molded
  assembled parts in 2001.
• Electroform manufacturing has been automating and
  palletizing over ten years.

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Research Development

• Electroform has made a considerable investment in
  Research Development of in-mold and automated
  technologies.
• Clients come to us with complex projects.
• We assist on part design, product development.
• Supply turn-key automated work cells.

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In-Mold Assembly
Combination of two or more parts to make an
assembly inside the injection mold, without the
need of external automation.
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Types of assembly methods

• Snapped
• Riveted
• Inserted
• Screwed
• Pressed
• Bonded

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Combined with Other Processes to Create Final
Component/Product.Some of these processes are

• Stamped
• Coined
• Detached
• Decorated
• Closed

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Advantages of In-Mold Assembly and Automated
Manufacturing cells

• Better fit and performance.
• More consistent product
• Not subject to warp and shrinkage issues
• It enables you to find problems at the machine or
  cell not later in manufacturing process
• Part orientation (for In-Mold printing or
  decoration or assembly)
• Elimination of quality issues
• Saves on handling, inventory and logistics

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Other advantages

• Creating a sub-assembly
• Preparation for downstream process
• Protection for part handling
• Eliminate contamination

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Choosing a Supplier

• Get supplier involved early in the development
  process
• Does your supplier have processing capabilities?
• Is your supplier capable of in-house training and
  support?
• Does your supplier offer an assembly and
  preventative maintenance manual?
• Choose a supplier that has a good understanding
  of each part of the process.
• Do you trust your supplier?
• Does your supplier offer a comparison of standard
  automation vs. in-mold assembly?

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Prototype First

• Make sure you choose right materials for the
  application
• Prove capability and functionality
• Molds and automation can be very complex.
• Cost can be substantial once process started.

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Highlights from
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NPE In-Mold Components
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The processhas it changed?
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Traditional Process
In-Mold Process
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Case Study
In-Mold Assembly One Two-Shot Press with Robot
285,000 One Mold 213,310 System to Present the
Film 40,000 Total 538,310
Traditional Molded and Assembled Product Three
Separate Molds 210,960 Three Presses one with
Automation 285,000 Automation to Present the
Film 40,000 Automation to Assembly the Car
190,000 Total 725,960
Capital Savings with the In-Mold Process 187,650
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Case Study
Injection Molded Piece Part Costs Without Film
(Based on four million finished cars per
year) Press rate of 70.00 per hour for 250
2-Ton Shot Machine With .125 Operator at 25.00
per hour Cycle Time 15 seconds Cost .126 Press
rate of 50.00 per hour each for 80-ton Molding
Machines With .333 Operator at 25.00 per
hour Cycle Time 10 seconds per mold Cost .172
(cost does not include assembly)
Total Cost Savings of In-Mold Assembly 184,000
per year
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Initiate Ideas!
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Ideas must be right,up front
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Accept ability to adapt!
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Formation of a
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Training leads to
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KEYS TO SUCCESSManufacturing Automation
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Automationto remove labor and improve production
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See what you can do!