In a hot runner mold, the runner is situated internally in the mold and kept a temperature above the melting point of the plastic. Runner scrap is reduced or eliminated. The major disadvantages of a hot runner is that it is much more expensive than a cold runner, it requires costly maintenance, and requires more skill to operate. Color changes with hot runner molds can be difficult, since it is virtually impossible to remove all of the plastic from an internal runner system.
Hot runners have many advantages. They can completely eliminate runner scrap, so there are no runners to sort from the parts, and no runners to throw away or regrind and remix into the original material. Hot runners are popular in high production parts, especially with a lot of cavities.
Types of Hot Runner Molds
Hot runner molds are two plate molds with a heated runner system inside one half of the mold. A hot runner system is divided into two parts: the manifold and the drops. The manifold has channels that convey the plastic on a single plane, parallel to the parting line, to a point above the cavity. The drops, situated perpendicular to the manifold, convey the plastic from the manifold to the part.
There are many variations of hot runner systems. Generally, hot runner systems are designated by how the plastic is heated. There are internally and externally heated drops and manifolds.
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