Chrome Plated, Molded Plastic Component

Application:
A specialized molder of chrome plated plastic automobile components wanted to improve their production efficiency, and enhance the quality of their final product in a very competitive environment. Their existing process called for installation of a steel threaded Insert into their various door handle covers after the molding process. They were manually installing the steel Insert by using an induction heating unit and a simple press. The installation process was extremely slow due to manual loading and the poor thermal conductivity of the steel Insert. In addition, if the Operator unloaded the assembly too quickly before the Insert cooled, the Insert would float out of position in the molten plastic. This process yielded erratic performance results. Production time was approximately 30 seconds per assembly, and the scrap rate was 8%.

Solution:
After a comprehensive evaluation, SPIROL Application Engineers recommended replacing the steel Insert with a SPIROL Series 28 headed brass Insert, and installing it with a standard Model HA Automatic Heat Insert Driver. This machine automatically feeds, orients and delivers the Inserts to a heat chamber. The Inserts are quickly heated and ready for installation upon demand. The operator simply loads the component into a fixture, and activates the machine via dual opto sensors. The machine advances, installs the Insert, retracts and resets. The brass Insert begins cooling the moment it starts to enter into the plastic, and by the time it is fully installed, it cools enough to stay in its final position. The production time is less than 10 seconds, scrap is eliminated, and the final product yields consistent performance.

Complimentary Applications Engineering Support: SPIROL Engineers will review your application needs and work with your design team to recommend the best solution.