Every mould change has a hidden cost: the mould goes into the machine cold. The whole injection moulding machine waits while the mould heats up, and the first parts end up as scrap until the temperature stabilises. The bigger the mould, the longer the wait. Mould preheating eliminates that wait.
An advantage very few plants make use of
Very few injection moulding plants have a mould preheating station, yet it is one of the simplest ways to gain production time without touching the injection moulding machine. These are its advantages:
- The injection moulding machine doesn't wait: the mould is heated outside the machine while the machine keeps producing, and downtime is reduced to the change itself.
- Shorter mould changes: the bigger the mould, the more heating time is saved on every change.
- Fewer start-up rejects: the mould arrives at process temperature and the very first parts are good.
- No thermal shock to the mould: heating follows a controlled ramp rather than a sudden heat-up in the machine.
- A repeatable start-up: the settings for each mould are saved and repeated at every change – no improvising with whichever temperature control unit happens to be free and a few loose hoses.
The MARSE preheating station
A MARSE preheating station takes that heating out of production time. A SMART 6 temperature control unit and a multi-coupling rack are mounted on the same mobile frame, with supply in red, return in blue and one pair of connections per circuit.
How mould preheating works, in four steps
- Connect the next mould to the station while the injection moulding machine keeps producing.
- Heat the mould to process temperature with a controlled ramp from the MARSE temperature control unit.
- Change the mould: it goes into the injection moulding machine already hot.
- Produce good parts sooner, with no waiting at the machine.
A high-output, high-flow SMART 6: the heart of the station
The preheating station is built around a MARSE SMART 6 temperature control unit with high heating output and a high flow rate. That heating output and pump flow are what make it possible to supply the maximum number of moulds and circuits at once from a single station, and bring them to process temperature in the shortest possible time:
- Temperature ramps for controlled heating that protects the mould.
- PID heating and cooling control with auto-tuning.
- Water or oil, from 90 to 300 °C, sized for the mould.
- Real-time graphs and alarms, plus USB data transfer to repeat the same settings at every change.
Your next mould, ready before the injection moulding machine is.
MARSE temperature control units for injection moulds
FAQs
What is a mould preheating station?
A temperature control unit and a multi-coupling rack mounted on the same mobile frame, which heat the next mould away from the injection moulding machine while it carries on producing.
What are the advantages of preheating moulds before a mould change?
Shorter mould changes, fewer rejects at start-up, no thermal shock to the mould and a repeatable start-up at every change.
Why does the station use a high-output, high-flow temperature control unit?
To supply the maximum number of moulds and circuits at once from a single station and bring them to process temperature in the shortest possible time.
Is it suitable for moulds that run on water or oil?
Yes. The station works with water or oil, from 90 to 300 °C, and is sized to suit the mould.
To find out more about mould preheating and our temperature control units:
- MARSE temperature control units for injection moulds
- Connectivity of MARSE temperature control units
- MARSE product selector: find the right temperature control unit for your mould
- More than 100 MARSE temperature control units in one injection moulding plant: 10 years with the same customer
Would you like a preheating station for your plant? Contact us or email us at marse@marse.es.