Preparing for Production – Hot Runner Maintenance Guide
This guide includes the blog post below and an adjoining slide deck. The blog post below is a reference guide with links to detailed explanations and visual examples we have compiled over the years (photos and videos). Use the adjoining slide deck for a speedy review of hot runner maintenance best practices. See the bottom of this page for the table of contents.
Download the adjoining slide deck here: >231110-SPAR-Production Ready Maintenance Guide
Training
Firstly, this section focuses on maintenance training and includes our tips, outside resources for reference, 3rd party training opportunities, and a software recommendation to help manage tooling maintenance responsibilities.
Click here for the entire training post: >Training w/ Cleaning & Repair Checklist.
- >Hot Runner Pre-production Checklist
- >MoldMaking Technology Article
- Special Note: You Must Check Grounding the Hot Runner, Mold Box, Cables, Controller, and Incoming Power!
- >Hot Runner Troubleshooting & Repair Course – American Injection Molding Institute
- >MoldTrax Tracking Software
Hot Runner Cable Testing
Secondly, Click here for the full post: >The Problem with Hot Runner Cable Testing
- Easy to Make Mistakes
- Importance of Checking for Shorts
- Time-Consuming
- >Connector Anatomy and Typical Problems
Hot-Half Inspection
Click here for the full post: Hot-Half Wiring Inspection the Old Way vs. MoldXChecker®
- Includes How to Test:
- Resistance of Heaters and Thermocouples
- Direct Shorts
Further, please check your Productivity Series, Topic 2 Maintenance email for downloads of our Maintenance Guide for Fast Heat Hot Runner Controllers.
Adjoining Slide Deck Table of Contents:
Slide 1 – Intro
Slide 2 – Production-Ready Checklist w/ link to our full training post.
Slide 3 – Inspect hot runner components at room and operating temp to determine actual “Soak Time.”
Slide 4 – Features of MoldXChecker®
Slide 5 – Importance of Measuring Thermocouple Ohms
Slide 6 – Hot-Half Ohms and Direct Short Testing the “Old Way”
Slide 7 – How to use the MoldXChecker®
Slide 8 – Checking for Hot Runner Ground
Slide 9 – The Problem with Shorts in a Hot Half
Slide 10 – Intro to CableXChecker®
Slide 11 – How to use the CableXChecker®
Slide 12 – How to Build or Repair a Cable
Slide 13 – The “Old-Way” of Checking Cables
Slide 14 – The Problem with Shorts in Cables
Slide 15 – Summary of CableXChecker®
Slide 16 – Connector Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Slide 17 – Recommended 24-Pin Connectors
Slide 18 – Hot Half Measure and Heating Procedure
Slide 19 – Quiz
1. Why measure t/c ohms?
2. Can you repair a shorted heater cable?
3. At what temperature should you check a hot half for direct shorts?
