The use of industrial molds is widespread in companies that mass-produce finished products or their components.
This type of mold is in fact used in countless processes, such as plastic injection molding or hot or cold metal stamping, and allows you to quickly obtain products with a predefined shape, operating within the framework of highly efficient processes. The industrial molds used for this type of application are generally made of steel and are normally formed by two half-molds, called "matrix" and "punch". The material to be worked is inserted (in solid or liquid form) inside the matrix, which is fixed, and the punch closes on it, which is instead mobile and which allows the material to be molded giving it the desired shape.
Industrial molds, due to their enormous variety of applications, can be subjected to very different types of stress: they can be used to produce few tens units of products per day, or they can be used intensively, on high-speed lines. In both situations, the molds are subjected to physiological wear processes, which can modify their internal geometries or lead to actual structural damage. It is therefore necessary to provide for their cleaning and maintenance with great care, since the presence of cracks, fissures, dents or even minimal deformations of the mold translates into the production of objects that do not comply with the expected quality standards.
Laser for mold repair
The intrinsic value of dies and punches means that, in the event of breakages, cracks or cinks, it is convenient to repair the mold rather than replace it, but the repair operation can be quite complex and expensive, especially if to the repair cost itself is added a possible production slowdown or stop.
For this reason, having a tool capable of guaranteeing rapid, precise and decisive repair interventions can be a great help not only for companies that deal with the construction and repair of molds on behalf of third parties, but also for all companies that produce its own molds internally and who therefore may need to intervene quickly to make changes or repairs.
Laser technology is able to provide excellent help in this sense, since it allows damaged molds to be repaired quickly, obtaining extremely precise results, even if the point to be worked on is located in a difficult to reach position. Furthermore, unlike other welding methods, laser allows punctual intervention on the breakage, carrying out the repair without damaging or overheating the mold as a whole, thus eliminating the risk of involuntarily producing unforeseen changes.
Having a laser for the treatment of industrial molds can also prove to be particularly useful in the design and development phase of new products, since a laser welding machine can also be used successfully for the creation and optimization of prototypes. In addition, the availability of the laser also allows you to modify your molds internally to respond to any changes in production needs, without the need to decommission, replace or outsource this type of intervention.
To obtain satisfactory results in the production and repair of industrial molds, it is essential to have particularly high-performance laser welding machines, capable of combining power and precision of the intervention.
Elettrolaser has developed its line of welding machines thinking about this type of need, and has optimized its models to offer customers operating in the industrial field tools that are simple to use, performing and precise.
This is the case, for example, of the AWL automatic welding machine, ideal for precision interventions that can also be carried out on large molds, thanks to the open welding chamber, or of the Combo 200 model, perfect for carrying out accurate repair and finishing operations and equipped with an articulated self-supporting arm which makes it particularly convenient to use in a mechanical workshop.
To find out more about Elettrolaser laser applications in the industrial sector, visit our website and contact us!
