LT-Series - LifeTime Roller Locks
Premium Locks For The LifeTime Of Your Mould
Featuring:
- Carbide Rollers
- Early Alignment
- Triple & Penta-Locking Configurations
Aligning tools in different moulding applications
Alignment of the mould is critical to producing high quality parts with a high level of O.E.E (Overall Equipment Effectiveness), essential for a profitable moulding process.
Tried and tested, the newly designed and upgraded DME LT-Series LifeTime lock helps improve part quality, reduce cycle times, increase production uptime and lower mould repair costs.
Designed for the best possible lifetime performance.
Challenges Of Alignment
Several factors can challenge alignment through the life time of the tool: thermal expansion, aged equipment, worn leader pins and bushings are just some of the variables.
Heat Variations Can Cause Misalignment Of The Mould Over Time
Temperature changes in stationary and movable mould halves is caused by these factors:
Mould Cooling, including the temperature differential between mould halves. For example if steel has a thermal expansion coefficient of 11,7×10⁻⁶ 1/ºC and when A and B halves vary by as little as 5˚C, and the mold is 746 mm long, the difference in plate lengths is about 0,044 mm… enough to start wearing of the alignment components.
To extend mould life, try to keep the all of the mould plates (mould halves) at a consistent temperature.
Hot runner system heating. Since these systems are driven by electric heaters, they can be a major contributor to mould temperature variations if proper cooling is overlooked.
Insulator plates. As production begins, insulator plates (top and bottom of the mould) will create a temporarily controlled closed environment. Any heat generated within the mould will eventually migrate through the insulating materials into the press platens and affect the alignment of the mould halves.
Parting Line Alignment
Improper mould alignment can cause dimensional problems, flash, damaged components, or even a mould that won’t run anymore.
Initial Engagement Interlocks must be able to allow for interference/angled engagement as the movable platen tends to lean forward and sag out of alignment due to mould weight and the toggle function. Also the cavity/core alignment is influenced by the quality/condition and location of guide pins and bushings, if these components are worn or out of place the alignment of the movable and stationary halves will be off.
Early Alignment for Precision Shutoffs Interlocks align mould halves to protect precision tapered shut off inserts from being damaged. This is especially true with cross over telescoping cavity and core inserts.
Final Lockup Holding Strength Interlocks provide constrains to counter the pressure produced during injection ensuring the A and B plate do not shift which results in a constant moulded part thickness and matched parting lines.
THE BIG 3 REASONS
For DME’s LT-Series Roller Lock Success
- Carbide Rollers Can Reduce Or Eliminate Galling During Initial Engagement. Movable platen tends to lean forward and sag out of alignment because of mould weight and the toggle function.
- Early Alignment for Precision Shutoffs Interlock aligns mould halves to protect precision tapered shut off inserts from being damaged. This is especially true with cross over telescoping inserts from one half to the other half
- Triple & Penta-Locking Configurations (Patented) Constrains counter-pressure of the injection to ensure constant moulded part thickness and matched parting lines, resulting in the most precise location and holding power on final lock-up in the industry.
DME LT-Series LifeTime Roller Locks
Triple Lock Configuration - Lock size 1-2 inches
Locks are coated with Slide® Mold Shield Rust Preventive part number 42910P. Prior to installation wipe lock down with Slide Mold Cleaner 46910 to removal all saver. Apply Slide Super grease part number 43900 (included) to each carbide rollers to ensure high performance and long life. Super Grease Operating Temps: -43°C to + 343°C (-45°F – +650°F) and is Ideal for mould assemblies used in the food and medical markets. Contains PTFE, no silicones.
*NOTE: SS series includes Stainless Steel SHCS
DME LT-Series LifeTime Roller Locks
Penta-Lock Configuration - Lock size 3 Inches
Penta-Lock Is Ideal For Moulds With Increased Closing Force & Higher Injection Pressures To Ensure A Precision Lock Up At Final Close.
Locks are coated with Slide® Mold Shield Rust Preventive part number 42910P. Prior to installation wipe lock down with Slide Mold Cleaner 46910 to removal all saver. Apply Slide Super grease part number 43900 (included) to each carbide rollers to ensure high performance and long life. Super Grease Operating Temps: -45°F – +650°F/-42°C and is Ideal for mould assemblies used in the food and medical markets. Contains PTFE, no silicones. ** * NOTE: SS series includes Stainless Steel SHCS**
3 Superior Base Materials To Fit Your Application
1. Standard LT-Series LifeTime Roller Lock (D2 Steel)
Made of D2 outperforming competition
D2 Tool Steel: a versatile high-carbon, high-chromium and air-hardening tool steel. It is rich in chromium alloy carbides in the microstructure. These carbides provide resistance to wear from sliding contact with other metals and abrasive materials.
2. High Heat LT-Series LifeTime Roller Lock (HT / High-Temp Steel)
Made from DC53
2X the strength of D2, builds on the standard LT-Series LifeTime Lock but offers the Industry’s first lock designed specifically to withstand the demands of high temperatures (400˚C / 750˚F) processing applications. Today’s locks often anneal and prematurely wear due to the higher heat.
Increasing market demands for energy efficiency and fuel economy in the automotive industry are generating significant interest among design engineers to replace metals with high-performance thermoplastics. These materials also offer light weight, corrosion resistance, high dimensional stability, and design flexibility for a wide range of applications in the electrical/electronics, medical, aerospace, and telecommunications industries.
High performance plastics are high-heat materials, meaning they require much higher mould and melt temperatures than typical plastics like polypropylene, nylon, and polycarbonate. As a result, conventional moulding parameters are not effective with these materials and require moulders select steel types that are compatible high-heat injection moulding.
3. Stainless LT-Series (SS Series)
Made of 440C stainless-steel
These locks have the same long lasting performance design features as our standard lock and have been developed to meet the requirements of clean room and packaging applications.
Clean productivity meeting the challenges of medical moulding
Moulds for high precision plastic parts can benefit from several features for increasing speed and lowering costs.
Moulders of plastic medical products are actively looking for ways to boost productivity of high-quality parts in a clean room environment to lower low costs, minimize investments and meet customers demands for flexible supply.
The single use nature of many medical products requires production in high volumes often manufactured to precise geometries. Given the strict regulatory approval process changes to part design are relatively and tool long tool life is commonplace. Profitability is determined via O.E.E with production cycle times, uptime and part quality being key.
The DME LT-Series LifeTime Stainless Roller Lock meets all the needs of cleanliness and its reliable long-life performance.
Performance tested
Lab Testing
- Millions of Cycles
- Virtually No Wear
- Grease on rollers were still evident after 200,000 cycles
Field Production Testing
- Minimal wear after a million cycles or 14 months of fast cycle production
- No locks have seized or fractured
- Locks did not need position rotation
Benefits of DME’s Patented Roller Lock
Precision Alignment Combining the Technology of:
- Straight
- Tapered
- Carbide Roller Bearing
- Made in 3 materials to fit your application needs.
Advantages
- Non-binding low friction alignment
- 30% earlier aligned engagement
- Final taper lock up strength
- Full Interchangeability male and female
- Retrofittable to industry standard foot-print, no additional machining required
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