Impact

Des-MOLD project has a direct impact in the set-up time of injection processes, by optimizing the mold designs according to the desired features of the final piece, and suggesting the best location and type of sensors to optimize the production phase. As a result, set-up time is reduced and production phase more stable. Because of that, SME competitiveness increases since time-to-market is shorten. This is a key aspect because in the actual situation, the demand of molds has increased although the batch production for each mold is much shorter.

Nowadays, since batches are much shorter, this set up time represents a significant amount of time and should be reduced. The proper use of Des-MOLD system will imply the reduction of set up time in at least  25%, and an overall increase of productivity of at least 15%.

This innovation process related to injection molds for the Plastics Industry will first generate a significant time-to-customer reduction, offering a faster tool delivery to the converter or the tool maker. It will automatically increase productivity by shortening the duration of the set up process as well as the “scrap” ratio, thereby boosting the productivity and profitability of plastic parts suppliers’ companies. These two factors will undeniably have a strategic effect on the sustainability of the European plastics industry competitiveness.

Major Impact of Des-MOLD:

  • Extra cost can be partly balanced by the lead time reduction of mold tuning.
  • Shorten time-to-market for new and highly competitive products.
  • Des-MOLD will allow flexible production and higher production capacity.
  • Des-MOLD system will allow converters to produce plastic parts close to customers’ sites, without suffering from any productivity loss.
  • The use of Des-MOLD will significantly reduce scraps with a rejection ratio cut by a factor 2.
  • At the injection molding companies level, Des-MOLD will impact directly the profitability of a company, which most of them are SMEs.
  • Energy consumption reduction due to scrap reduction.
  • Reduction of spare parts change and metallic wastes by tool lifetime increase.