Programming change raises productivity 50%

WorkNC has raised productivity by up to 50% at a US mould making company and the reason is, machine tools now spend more time cutting metals than in 'cutting air', said the company

WorkNC raises productivity by up to 50% at Innovative Mold. George Kasper, President of Innovative Mold, incorporated the company in 1989 together with his brother David. The Michigan, USA firm began by making molds for the plastics industry, then rapidly grew into its third building. It now employs 26 people and produces 90% of its molds for the automotive industry, to suit presses between 50 and 500 tonf.

Kasper said, 'We manufacture single shot molds and two shot rotational molds, producing interior parts, structural components and sound dampening items.' The appearance of many of the interior parts is critical, for example a radio bezel may require two different resins injected to produce the required quality and appearance.

Innovative Mold can offer rotational molds or pick and place robot transfer solutions to achieve the desired results in these demanding applications.

Tool try-out facilities are provided by the company's Toshiba and Cincinnati molding machines, while prototype tooling is manufactured in aluminum or steel depending on the customer's individual requirements.

It installed its first CNC machinery in 1996 but, as mold complexity increased and machine tools became more sophisticated, it found that its existing CAM package had some shortcomings, especially on P20 steel.

When the company initially looked at WorkNC, it felt that it could not justify the cost.