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11 Jan 2006  -  United States

Axels new mould release ideal for use in RIM process applications

Axel Plastics Research Laboratories Inc. announces the introduction of a new mould release that provides significant labor and material savings in RIM moulding applications, by improving the ease of mould release at the same time reducing mould wax buildup.
The new release, XTEND 875 for RIM applications provides the ultimate performance in high volume applications that demand clean part production applications such as interior and exterior automotive and truck parts.
Here’s a case history from an Axel customer that demonstrates the effectiveness of this new XTEND 875 mould release in automotive applications.

Case History: Manufacturer of Auto Bumpers, Sun Roofs and Door Fascias
A major manufacturer of automotive parts employs a RIM process to produce bumpers and door fascias for high performance sports vehicles. Two urethane resin systems are used to address the different modulus and appearance demands of each part; both resins are filled with mica, one system at 13%, the other at 20%. Processing occurrs at 150„a-180„aF and employs both steel and epoxy moulds.

To release parts in this RIM application, the manufacturer has in the past relied on a wax-based release that is sprayed on the moulds with a frequency dictated by the mould geometry or difficulty of release. In practice, this can mean that easy-to-release high-cosmetic areas can be treated with a release as infrequently as every 30 parts, but difficult areas, and the gate of the mould in particular, require application of release wax prior to each resin injection. This frequent application to some areas of the mould contributes to extensive resin and wax buildup, ultimately resulting in poor release, contamination of parts with wax, and defects in the cosmetic appearance of the moulded parts. Poor release at the gate area of the mould, despite constant application of release wax, has been a constant problem and a major contributor to poor productivity.

XTEND 875 Makes the Difference
XTEND 875, a solvent-based semi-permanent mould release from Axel, was introduced at this manufacturing facility. It was applied to clean moulds using an HVLP spray gun with a .020 spray tip and atomizing air pressure of 30-35 psi. Initially, 3-4 coats of XTEND 875 were applied to moulds that ranged in temperature from 150„a-180„aF. Within five minutes, the moulds that had been prepared with XTEND 875 were ready to be injected with resin. In the case of the wax release, such speed would not be possible, because the wax-based release requires hand polishing after application in order to achieve a suitable cosmetic finish.
Moulds prepared with XTEND 875 released parts cleanly and easily on the first de-moulding, and continued to release additional parts without requiring reapplication. There was significant improvement in ease of release and this improvement was particularly noted at the problem gate area. All of the parts released with XTEND 875 exhibited excellent surface cosmetics and unlike some of the parts released with wax, the parts moulded with XTEND 875 required no sanding or rework to fill pinholes prior to priming.

For this manufacturer, XTEND 875 offers significant cost and labor savings for two reasons: first, it does not contribute to heavy wax buildup that requires shutting down the production line to strip moulds; second, it does not require the mould to be polished after application of the release in order to achieve the desired finish on the part. When the wax-based release is used, plant personnel must periodically halt production to access upper mould cavities for cleaning and polishing. By contrast, XTEND 875 can simply be sprayed on, with no wipe-off or polishing required to achieve an attractive cosmetic moulding surface.

AXEL Formulated Products
XTEND 875 is just one of the many proprietary mold releases manufactured by Axel. All of Axel’s products are formulated from raw materials that comply with the chemical substance inventory lists of TSCA, DSL, MITI, EINECS, Australia and Korea. Customers are served both through direct sales and by a network of 32 stocking distributors located in 25 countries around the globe. 

Source : Axel Plastics Research Laboratories Inc