System 3R pallets help Mouldline deliver consistent high quality tooling to the world’s blow moulders.
Tucked away in a quiet corner of Norfolk is one of the world’s unsung heroes – Mouldline UK – manufacturing moulds for plastic bottle production; bottles that contain so many of today’s household brands of fizzy drinks, hot beverages, household cleaners, detergents, polishes and cosmetics.
But it is a door on which System 3R knocked some eight years ago when it introduced its GPS 240 pallet system to them.
Repeatable accuracy is obtained in milling intricate blow mould tools with System 3R’s pallets.
“Repeatable accuracy is vital to the manufacture of a successful, high quality blow moulding tool especially to ensure that the split lines don’t pose problems,” explained Mouldline’s M.D., Ronnie Cole. “When we have workpieces mounted on the pallets we know that whatever metalcutting processes are required the accuracy will be maintained throughout.”
Mouldline have seven Hurco CNC milling machines with speeds of up to 10,000rpm. Work is prepared on pallets outside the machine so that downtime is minimized and, with J-I-T principles abounding with their customers, unmanned production through palletisation is easily achieved. For example, it can take as much as 24 hours to make a blowmould tool for a 5 litre container.
“We set up as many workpieces on one pallet as we can and the size of the GPS240 gives us enormous flexibility – we also mount our vices on the pallets,” said Ronnie Cole. “Any polishing, finishing refurbishment and repair work on the moulds uses the same pallet system, so you can see how we rely upon it!”
Ronnie sees palletisation with GPS240 as a step on the road to greater automation. And when he bought the Company from its French owners just over a year ago, he was determined to compete with low economy overseas suppliers by putting these ideas into practice.
Pre-setting on System 3R pallets ensures the minimum of downtime – increasing productivity and machine utilisation.
“We have introduced an innovative laser welding system which is far less invasive in, for example, more intricate cosmetics containers where access is difficult. Our customers will also enjoy the benefit of a new fast-track ‘concept-to-bottle’ test run service. And we are also launching a rapid prototyping service in which System 3R pallets have an important part to play,” continued Ronnie Cole.
Mouldline have customers all over the world – from Spain to Saudi Arabia – and their reputation is vital to maintaining the highest levels of quality and service. Clearly System 3R are contributing to their unrivalled performance.
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