Page 40 - Injection Molding Advanced Troubleshooting Guide
P. 40
22 2 Troubleshooting Tool Kit
2.3 Pyrometer
The melt temperature cannot be judged by reading barrel temperatures nor can it
be judged by reading a thermolator. For determining actual temperatures, a pyro-
meter with a fast-acting melt probe and a contact probe must be available. Actual
temperature readings are critical when troubleshooting!
2.4 Spotting Blue
To check the surface contact of mold surfaces spotting blue is used. It should be
brushed on one surface of the tooling and then the mold is closed and opened and
then inspected for transfer of blue onto the clean surface. This is used to verify
shut offs and if vents are open.
2.5 Measurement Tools
It is very handy to have a variety of measurement tools on hand. Calipers and
micrometers will help give wall stock measurements. Often times a tape measure
is more fitting for examining larger dimensions such as size of mold versus plat-
ens, total flow length, etc. A depth micrometer is useful for checking actual vent
depth.
2.6 Multimeter
In trained hands, a multimeter can be a useful tool for troubleshooting. Whether
verifying volts to temperature for thermocouple or checking continuity on a hot
runner cable, there are things that need to be checked with a multimeter.
