Masterflow feature as printed in Industry magazine PRW - March 2008
In these times of high energy bills and inflated material prices, companies are catching on to the energy, labour and material saving advantages of using Hot Runner systems.
Earlier this year, Sandretto UK took on the UK agency for Masterflow Hot Runner systems. Gordon Crouch, Technical Sales Manager for the Masterflow product range talks about the new comer, and what it has to offer in this, already hotly contested market.
“When it comes to Hot Runners, we do not think this is an area where corners can be cut. Masterflow gives the opportunity to choose a premium quality system packed full of valuable technical features, for a realistic price. ” “which matches our ethos exactly”
Masterflow is a Swedish brand born out of the family owned Ewebe Group, who have over 70 years of experience in the Plastic industry. They have been designing, manufacturing and supplying hot runner systems since the 70’s, so are by no means new to the game.
In developing their own system, Masterflow’s focus has always been performance and reliability above all. For example, the use of titanium for the spacers, and locating bushes between the manifold and the mould plates. Not a cheap solution, but by using the low thermal conductive properties of titanium over normal steels, heat soak into the surrounding plates is greatly reduced. This ensures a stable temperature control, and puts less load on the heaters for enhanced durability.
Our systems incorporate ‘Screw-in’ bushings, which unlike the common ‘floating’ type, remain leak free. And we mean leak free for life. Masterflow really do strive for the ‘fit and forget’ ideology. An often overlooked and extremely costly aspect when it comes to injection moulding production.
The other advantages to screw-in bushings, is that they are easier to incorporate into the mould tool, as they come fully assembled and ready to drop in without the expense of being forced into buying a ‘Hot half’, or timely assembly of sensitive crush washers.
Screw-in also ensures the internal joint between manifold and bushing is virtually seemless, leading to industry leading colour changes, as well as tolerance to highly heat sensitive materials. Masterflow have supplied many systems for use with homo polymer Acetal, flame retardant blends, and highly filled Nylon for example, with fantastic results. We have reports of colour changes being completed in as little as 3 cycles.
Another key development, is found in the ‘premium’ bushing heater. The heater coil is embedded in a highly conductive material. This allows a much more even temperature profile along the length of the bushing. Critical for those highly heat sensitive materials. They also last on average 5 times longer than the commonly supplied ‘economy’ spiral heaters.
Other features include powdered metallurgy tips as standard for durability with abrasive filled materials, oversize leak free manifold plugs with smooth internal radii, a large choice of tip and nozzles for every application, the list goes on......
The range includes single ‘Hot Bush’ type systems, all the way through to complex stack tool systems with valve gates.
We have been delighted with the response we have received to date. Already have a number of moulds fitted with Masterflow in the UK, and a number in the pipeline.
