Blog

Tunnel Gate Inserts Gain U.S. Distributor | Plastics Technology

Distributed by PCS Company, i-mold’s tunnel gate inserts allow automatic degating of parts from the runner system during ejection and can hide gate marks on a part’s underside.

PCS Company is now distributing tunnel gate inserts in the U.S. from Erbach, Germany-based i-mold Molding Innovations. Founded in 2004, i-mold’s focus is on tunnel gate technology and demolding. Developed and produced in-house at i-mold, PCS says the tunnel gate inserts can provide high savings potential for moldmakers and injection molders by eliminating secondary operations or other means of degating. Mold Making

Tunnel Gate Inserts Gain U.S. Distributor |               Plastics Technology

Made via metal injection molding, i-mold says the dimensions of its tunnel gate inserts remain consistent from component to component. Photo Credit: PCS Company

Also known as ‘cashew’ or ‘banana’ gate inserts, the tunnel gate inserts allow automatic degating of parts from the runner during ejection, and they can also can be used to hide gate marks on the underside of the molded part.

Made of M2 tool steel using metal injection molding (MIM), PCS says the i-mold inserts feature smooth feed channels and precise gate sizes that are repeatable from insert to insert. PCS adds that the inserts are suitable for all plastics thanks to their optimized feed channel geometry, including the ability to work with up to 60% filled materials. 

Applying a scientific method to what is typically a trial-and-error process. Part 2 of 2.

A poorly designed profile die—one that does not permit the part to be extruded with the same dimensions from run to run—coupled with a lack of understanding of the extrusion process, is a recipe for scrap generation.

Experiments reveal the relationship between vent depths and part thickness, allowing molders and moldmakers to more precisely determine vent dimensions.

Tunnel Gate Inserts Gain U.S. Distributor |               Plastics Technology

Blow Mold Design © 2023 Gardner Business Media, Inc. Privacy Policy [Log On]