By the time you notice that your injection molding machine is acting up, repeatability has already been compromised and it’s only a matter of time before action needs to be taken. Chances are, you’ve owned this machine for quite some time and it’s always been a consistent workhorse. But you know these injection molding machines don’t last forever and now you’re left wondering if it’s time to consider upgrading the controls or hydraulic components, what costs are involved, and how long it will extend the lifespan of your machine.
Solutions for implementing a new product or process on a plastic injection molding or structural foam machine
When you’re in the initial stages of implementing a new product or process, you most likely have concerns surrounding your existing machinery. Can it can control the process as tightly as needed for the new product, and what is the life expectancy of the machine? Ultimately, you have three choices – keep your existing machine and hope for the best, purchase a new machine, or upgrade what you have. If the mechanics of your current machine are solid, you can extend the life by upgrading the controls and, if needed, the hydraulics. In many cases an upgrade is a favorable consideration because it can dramatically reduce the capital expense when compared to buying a new machine, minimize the downtime and costs associated with moving the existing machine out and moving the new machine in, and extend the life of your equipment.
Upgrading Obsolete Controllers & Components to Eliminate Machine Downtime
Anyone in the injection molding or structural foam industry knows how vital it is to have equipment that’s reliable and will run for years to come. As a capital-intensive business, keeping your machines running without unscheduled downtime is a must to maximize profits. And if we’re being honest, most companies run their machines non-stop, 6-7 days per week. But in return, with properly scheduled maintenance, injection molding machines and structural foam machines are highly engineered products that can run for decades, sometimes 20 years or longer. The longevity of these machines helps justify their expense and deprecation schedule, but one thing that often gets overlooked is the potential for hidden problems in the controls or hydraulics systems.
When to upgrade your plastic injection molding machine
By the time you begin to notice the increase in downtime and scrap parts, you’ve most likely already compromised man hours and expenses. No matter how diligent you are, your plastic injection molding machinery will begin to age over time and eventually reach the point where components begin to fail or become obsolete – requiring some kind of injection molding repair services. Along with that you’ll notice maintenance and performance costs begin to rise. In order to keep profit margins at an acceptable level it’s crucial that the machine is consistently running to the best of its ability – that means keeping downtime, maintenance, and scrap costs to plan. How long can your business realistically perform under less than stellar conditions while still maintaining a solid bottom line?
Replacing vs Upgrading Hydraulic Controls :: Case Study
When your equipment isn’t performing to the best of its ability, we can help you determine whether to upgrade, or replace the machinery all together.
When a Grand Rapids, MI manufacturing company was experiencing unreliable process control and repeatability variation issues with their 2650 Ton Husky D-Line injection molding machine, they called on 2R Automation to step in and help improve the equipment’s overall performance.