Recently, a large automotive injection molding company in the southern region of the US was having trouble with a commercial purge they were buying. They had been using this purge for roughly 2 years. When they initially made their decision on a vendor, it ultimately came down to what was the least expensive option per-pound.
Once the decision was made, of course they moved on to the next project and didn't give it any more thought. At first the issues of down time and scrap decreased slightly, but only because every one’s eye was on the issue to keep these metrics down. Other things played a part in the decrease.
As time went by and the old issues of scrap and down time started to get worse. I spoke with several people in the plant who informed me there was more to the story. They were told what purge to use not and not what worked the best. They told me, "what we have in house doesn’t work."
As I became more familiar with there problems, their equipment, and their process, I was able to determine a purge product that would work for their issues. I visited their plant for trials and they were blown away. CPC usage was cut by 50%, down time was cut by 47%, and there start up scrap was reduced by 45%. This was a huge win for the plant. Not only is it a huge savings for the plant, but the performance improved the overall attitude of the production team.
Selecting the correct commercial purge material is very important. We are all cost conscious, but you get what you pay for. Looking for a purge based on cost per lb is like buying a car based on the cost per mile. Sure, a 25 year old beater might get you from A to B, but you will end up paying for the decision in the long run.
Also, most Injection molders just purge the machine empty and shut down, either for interim or even extended shut downs. I would like to discuss a shut down and seal process that will cut your start up time and scrap to a minimal. Get up and running faster.
If you would like more information about setting up a sound purge process, or would like for me to take a look at your color change or material change procedure and cost, please comment below or email sales@asaclean.com.
Ready to reduce your production downtime to protect your profits? Learn more about how purging compounds and process efficiency work in tandem.
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