Pre-Changeover Preparation Checklist
Efficient changeover starts with thorough preparation before the current production run ends. Thirty minutes before planned changeover, begin the following. Verify the incoming mold is staged on a mold cart near the machine with all water connections pre-fitted and hot runner cables tested. Confirm the correct PP resin grade is available at the hopper, noting that different products may require different MFI grades ranging from 35 g/10min for thick-wall containers to 80 g/10min for 0.35 mm wall sauce cups. If changing materials, calculate the purge quantity needed: approximately 3-5 times the barrel volume of 475-1,078 cm3 depending on the SPV5 model. Pre-heat the incoming hot runner mold to operating temperature of 220-240 degrees Celsius, which takes 20-40 minutes using portable hot runner controllers. Retrieve the incoming mold parameter set on the INOVA controller and review it with the operator, confirming injection speed of 368-560 mm/s, hold pressure profiles, cooling time, and robot program selection for the SWITEK side-entry robot. Prepare all necessary tools including mold clamps matched to the platen T-slots, water hose connections, and safety equipment.
Key Specs
- •Confirm the correct PP resin grade is available at the hopper, noting that different products may require different MFI grades ranging from 35 g/10min for thick-wall containers to 80 g/10min for 0.35 mm wall sauce cups.
- •Retrieve the incoming mold parameter set on the INOVA controller and review it with the operator, confirming injection speed of 368-560 mm/s, hold pressure profiles, cooling time, and robot program selection for the SWITEK side-entry robot.
High-speed injection unit with linear guides
Mold Removal and Machine Preparation
Stopping the current production and removing the outgoing mold follows a specific sequence to protect both the machine and the mold. Complete the final production cycle and disable automatic operation on the INOVA controller. Retract the injection unit by pressing the carriage-back button, creating clearance between the nozzle and the mold sprue bushing. Shut off cooling water to all mold circuits and disconnect the water manifolds, then blow out residual water with compressed air at 6-8 bar to prevent corrosion during storage. Disconnect the hot runner cable from the machine junction box. Open the mold to the maximum daylight position of 1,160-1,710 mm depending on the model. Apply rust preventive spray to all cavity and core surfaces. Close the mold and release the mold clamps from the platen T-slots. Engage the crane hook to the mold lifting eye and raise the mold slightly to take the weight off the platen locating ring. Slide the mold out and lower it onto the mold storage cart. The entire mold removal process takes 20-30 minutes with a trained two-person team. Record the final mold cycle count from the INOVA controller for the mold maintenance tracking system.
New Mold Installation and Connection
Installing the incoming mold requires attention to alignment, connections, and safety interlocks. Lift the new mold with the crane and align the locating ring with the platen center bore. Slide the mold between the platens, ensuring clearance on all sides with tie bar distances of 580x570 mm for the HMD 270M8-SPV up to 830x780 mm for the HMD 600M8-SPV. Seat the locating ring fully and clamp the fixed-side mold half to the stationary platen using a minimum of 4 clamps. Activate the mold height adjustment on the INOVA controller to close the moving platen onto the mold. Once contact is confirmed, clamp the moving-side mold half with 4 additional clamps. Adjust clamping force to the value specified in the stored mold parameters, typically 70-85% of maximum rated force. Connect cooling water lines to all circuits, typically 8-16 circuits for multi-cavity molds, at a flow rate of 8-12 liters per minute per circuit. Connect the hot runner cable and verify all zone temperatures are reaching setpoint of 220-240 degrees Celsius on the INOVA hot runner controller page. Connect the ejector coupling. Mold installation takes 25-35 minutes.
Key Specs
- •Slide the mold between the platens, ensuring clearance on all sides with tie bar distances of 580x570 mm for the HMD 270M8-SPV up to 830x780 mm for the HMD 600M8-SPV.
- •Adjust clamping force to the value specified in the stored mold parameters, typically 70-85% of maximum rated force.
Servo-hydraulic drive system with energy recovery
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Parameter Recall and Machine Adjustment
The INOVA controller on SPV5 machines stores complete parameter sets for each mold, dramatically reducing setup time compared to manual parameter entry. Load the saved mold parameter set from the controller memory, which includes injection phase settings with speed of 368-560 mm/s and pressure of 158-182 MPa, hold pressure profile with position transfer point, cooling time, mold open and close speeds and positions, ejector stroke of 100-160 mm and force, charging-on-fly configuration, and robot interface signals for the SWITEK system. After loading parameters, verify critical values against the mold data sheet. If switching between significantly different products, such as from a 4g sauce cup to a 25g food container, adjust the screw position and shot size accordingly. The SPV5 machines with screw diameters of 50-67 mm offer sufficient range for both small and large shot volumes. Program the SWITEK robot for the new container geometry using the pre-saved robot program, which takes 2-3 minutes to load and verify. Set the quality monitoring windows on the INOVA controller for the new product weight and cycle time targets.
Startup Sequence and First Article Qualification
Starting production after a mold change requires a controlled ramp-up to avoid scrap and protect the mold. Begin with manual single-cycle operation at 50% injection speed and 70% hold pressure. Examine the first 3-5 shots for complete fill, gate quality, and ejection behavior. Gradually increase injection speed to the full setting of 368-560 mm/s over 5-10 cycles while monitoring cavity pressure. Switch to semi-automatic mode and run 20 cycles, checking part weight on each shot across all cavities. Acceptable weight variation between cavities should be within plus or minus 2% for balanced fill. Once weights stabilize, switch to full automatic mode with charging-on-fly engaged. Run 50 consecutive cycles and collect 5 parts from each cavity for first article inspection. Measure wall thickness at 4 points per part with plus or minus 0.05 mm tolerance, overall dimensions including diameter and height, part weight to plus or minus 0.15g for cups and plus or minus 0.3g for containers, and visual quality including gate appearance, surface finish, and IML position if applicable. Document all measurements on the first article inspection report and obtain quality approval before releasing production. The startup sequence takes 30-60 minutes including inspection time.
Key Specs
- •Begin with manual single-cycle operation at 50% injection speed and 70% hold pressure.
- •Examine the first 3-5 shots for complete fill, gate quality, and ejection behavior.
- •Gradually increase injection speed to the full setting of 368-560 mm/s over 5-10 cycles while monitoring cavity pressure.
Toggle clamping unit — high rigidity for thin-wall molding
Reducing Changeover Time: SMED Principles for Thin-Wall Molding
Applying Single-Minute Exchange of Die principles can reduce total changeover time from 4 hours to under 2 hours on HWAMDA SPV5 machines. Separate internal tasks that require the machine stopped from external tasks that can be performed during production. External tasks include pre-heating the incoming mold using portable controllers, pre-staging the mold on a cart at machine height, pre-connecting water hoses to quick-disconnect manifolds, loading the robot program on a secondary controller, and verifying the parameter set on the INOVA controller. Internal tasks remaining include mold removal at 20-30 minutes, installation at 25-35 minutes, and startup at 30-60 minutes. Further reduce internal time by investing in magnetic clamping plates that replace manual clamps, cutting clamping time from 10 minutes to 2 minutes. Install multi-coupling manifolds for cooling water that connect all 8-16 circuits simultaneously in 30 seconds instead of individually in 5-8 minutes. Use standardized mold heights within the machine's range of 220-900 mm to minimize mold height adjustment time. Target total changeover time of 90-120 minutes for experienced operators with these improvements in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
A complete mold changeover on HWAMDA SPV5 machines takes 2-4 hours with standard tooling: 30 minutes preparation, 20-30 minutes mold removal, 25-35 minutes new mold installation, and 30-60 minutes startup and qualification. With SMED improvements including magnetic clamping and multi-coupling water manifolds, total time can be reduced to 90-120 minutes. The INOVA controller parameter recall eliminates 15-20 minutes of manual parameter entry.
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