Ask your processing technicians and engineers this question:
v "Is there more than one correct way to set-up an injection molding machine to produce 'good' parts?"
What answer did you get? Ask them to explain or justify. Now carefully read the answer below and then consider the benefits of bringing injection molding process training to your processing personnel.
Often each shift has their own 'preferred' set-up (regardless of what the set-up sheet calls for), and yet all the parts produced from each shift are shipped out the door. Thus, the obvious answer to the above question would appear to be "yes". However, when something goes wrong, can your technicians immediately and logically diagnose and then solve the problem permanently? Too often the answer is "probably not". That's because the ability to trouble-shoot the process quickly and accurately depends completely upon the actual process set-up. They must understand that the final result from a particular process parameter change can vary significantly if the original process set-ups are different. Thus, from the standpoint of being able to accurately assess and then quickly solve a processing problem, there is really "only one correct set-up per machine/tool/material" combination that will allow logical trouble-shooting methods to be used with success. Can your process engineers and technicians obtain this same set-up for every job? Do they even know what this set-up 'looks' like?
Your set-up personnel MUST be able to achieve that "one correct set-up" for each machine/tool/material combination. All process personnel should understand what that one correct set-up is and how to obtain it. In other words, all process technicians, across all shifts should have the 'same' process set-up on all jobs. This will now make trouble-shooting a logical process. In addition they will all have a common vocabulary, a common 'goal' to pursue and a common understanding of the injection molding process. This will provide a basis for true information exchange and enable all your process technicians, across all shifts, to work as a team. This cannot possibly be accomplished without proper process training. Let Guiness Technologies, Inc. provide customized Injection Molding Processing Training for your company.