MOLDER Mould Conditioning and Temperature Control Unit

The MOLDER Series circulates temperature-controlled water or a water-glycol mixture through the cooling channels inside the mould by means of a pump. The fluid absorbs the heat gained by the mould during production and returns to the unit. The control system monitors supply and return temperatures. When the fluid temperature rises above the setpoint, cooling is activated; when it falls below the setpoint, heating is activated, keeping the mould temperature within the specified range.

Mould temperature directly affects the flow of molten plastic, cooling rate, shrinkage behaviour and the conditions under which the part is released from the mould. Uneven or unstable temperature distribution can cause warpage, sink marks, gloss differences, incomplete filling and dimensional deviations. By keeping mould temperature stable throughout production, the MOLDER Series helps preserve repeatable part quality under the same production parameters.

Removing the mould’s thermal load quickly and evenly allows the part to reach its ejection temperature sooner. Controlled flow and a stable fluid temperature reduce fluctuations in cooling time. Even an improvement of a few seconds in cycle time can significantly increase daily and annual capacity on high-volume production lines.

Capacity selection considers the processed plastic material, hourly production quantity, melt inlet temperature, the amount of heat to be removed from the mould, target mould temperature and cycle time together. Mould weight, cooling-channel design, water inlet and outlet temperatures, flow rate and the number of moulds operating simultaneously are also taken into account. Selection must not be based on machine tonnage alone.

The difference between supply and return temperatures provides information about the thermal load removed from the mould and the water flow in the circuit. An excessively high temperature difference may indicate insufficient flow or a high localised heat load. To achieve uniform temperature distribution within the mould, this difference must remain stable and appropriate for the process requirement. Technical sources recommend keeping the difference as low as possible in optimised mould-temperature control, ideally at approximately 3°C.

At production start-up, cold moulds or moulds at an uncontrolled temperature can cause the first parts to have different shrinkage and surface characteristics. Before production begins, the MOLDER Series brings the mould to its target temperature in a controlled manner. Starting injection after the mould has reached production temperature reduces start-up scrap and enables a faster transition to normal production quality.

The MOLDER Series is used in industrial processes where mould or production-equipment temperature must be controlled precisely and steadily. Its primary application is plastic injection-moulding machines, where it brings the mould to target temperature before production, removes the thermal load generated during injection and keeps mould temperature within the specified tolerance throughout the cycle. The series can be used to manufacture automotive parts, appliance components, packaging products, closures and bottle preforms, medical parts, electronic enclosures, technical plastic products and precision injection-moulded parts. It can also be engineered for plastic extrusion dies, blow-moulding systems, rubber presses, thermoforming machines and other moulded-production processes in which temperature directly affects product quality. The MOLDER Series offers particular advantages where surface quality, dimensional stability, low scrap rates, short cycle times and repeatable production quality are critical.