b'CASE STUDY:Mold Maker Shifts to Simultaneous Five-Axis MachiningPlastic Injection Mold Manufacturer Achieves Closer Tolerances and Lowers Cycle Time with Five-Axis MachiningSUMMARY Creatingplasticinjectionmoldsisexaminingnewwaystocreate ademandingprocess.Customersmulti-cavityplasticinjectionmolds. requireexactingtolerancesonGeneral manager Jamesashortdeadline,oftenservingCummingswantedamachine moredemandingendmarketsthatcouldprovideprecise COMPANY: X-Cellsuchasmedical,electronics,andtolerancesandlowercycletimes. Tool & Mold, Inc.telecommunications. X-Cell Tool & MoldCummings has been in the industry based in Fairfield, Pa. is a full-service shop that manufactures,formorethan45years.Heknows samples,tests,andanalyzeshigh-there are only a few machines on the PROBLEM:quality molds. marketthatcouldmeettheexact ManufacturingAboutthreeyearsago,thetolerances and level of precision he plastic injectionFairview, Pa.-based company beganwas looking for.molds is a time-consuming process that requires exact tolerances and precision cutting. X-Cell Tool & Mold was exploring new ways to manufacture multi-cavity plasticMaking the Switch to Five-Axis systeminplace,histeambolsteredmoldwastaskedwithcreatingfour injection molds, butYASDA was our number one choice,throughputandincreasedX-Cellstwo-shot molds in 10 weeks.wanted a machiningabsolutely, he said. competitivenessinthemarketplaceWithouttheautomationandthe process that wouldCummingsreachedouttohisby leveraging the automation systemtwoYASDAs,itwouldhavebeen reduce cycle times. longtime machine tool and automationto run the YASDA unattended.impossibletodo,Cummingssaid. SOLUTION: ThesupplierNicolasGiannotte,currentlyWewerecomplementedbyour company purchasedthe director of sales and operations atModern Automation forcustomerasbeingoneoftheonly multiple YASDAMaruka USAs Pine Brook, N.J. precisionModern Challenges shops that was on time.machines andtechnical center. The systems that are out there nowThecustomerwasamazedbythe automation systems.Giannotterecommendedtheare pretty much flawless, Cummingsaccuracy, he added.YASDA YMC430 RT10, a high-precisionsaid. The automation never seems toTheycouldntbelievethe RESULT: X-Cell wasmachining center with a tilting rotarybreak down at all. accuracyfrompiecetopieceto able to manufacturetable. The switch to five-axis machiningWhenX-CellpurchasedaYASDApiece, Cummings said. There were superior multi-cavitywas a bit daunting a first. YMC650,thesystems3RRobotwasno hidden snowflakes,plastic injectionThe machine itself was a learningalreadydesignedtoservicetwoSeeing the previous machines and molds. Additionally,curve, Cummings said. But once hismachines.WithX-Cellssetuputilizingautomationsystemssuccess,X-Cell the companyteamunderstoodtheprogramsandboth high-precision, five-axis machiningrecentlypurchasedaYASDAPX-fulfilled a contractsoftware,hisoperatorsweresooncentersandefficientautomation,30i,whichcomesequippedwitha for ventilatorengaging in full five-axis simultaneousthecompanyhasbeenableto32-palletautomaticpalletchanger components in justmachining, reducing cycle times andmanufacturesuperiormulti-cavity(APC).Thatmachinewillcontribute 10 weeks.achieving greater precision. plastic injection molds in record time. toX-Cellsabilitytorunsetups ButtogetthemostoutoftheThatsetupallowedthecompanyunattended,and,Cummingssaid,a machine,Giannotterecommendedtofulfillacontractforventilatorstaple in any purchase from now on.a 3R robot. Cummings is no strangercomponents during the onset of theIwouldntbuyanothermachine toautomation.WiththeautomationCOVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. X-Cellwithoutautomatingit,hesaid.'