Chem-Trend & Husky Create a Simple and Effective Color Change Feature for Altanium® Mold Controllers

Chem-Trend and Husky collaborated on a system solution that creates repeatability during the critical color change process to ensure a faster, more accurate, and optimized approach for operators. The team devised a new guided procedure made easily accessible to operators within the Husky Altanium® Mold Controller operator interface. The instructions outline a simple, yet highly effective approach to setting up and performing the color change process explicitly for molds with hot runner systems.

The joint approach is based on the process for using Chem-Trend’s Ultra Purge™ brand of purge compounds, which is designed specifically to reduce color-change time and carbon formation in hot runner systems.

“We know a lot is at stake for processors if the right purge compound and process are not used in color changeovers amounting to significant time and cost,” said Graziano Pestarino, global account manager for thermoplastics solutions at Chem-Trend. “By combining our years of expertise in the field and our latest advancements in purging technology with that of Husky, one of the leading producers of hot runner systems in the industry, plastics manufacturers stand to reap immense benefits of productivity and control previously unachievable.”

Together, Chem-Trend and Husky aim to significantly enhance their customers’ operational margins by increasing equipment and labor uptime. In field trials, operators who followed the recommended approach showed up to an 85% reduction in scrap and an 80% increase in mold cleaning efficiency.

“Fast and effective color change processes are essential to our customers, and we are continuing to see an upward trend in color change applications,” said Mike Ellis, global business manager for Husky® Hot Runners and Controllers division. “Our partnership with Chem-Trend and the integration with our Altanium® Mold Controllers addresses this critical market requirement and helps our customers achieve the best color change performance in the industry.”

Details of the new approach are available in a flyer available for download, including:

• Integrated Ultra Purge™ color change step by step instructions include settings, such as Shot Weight, Conversion Ratio, and Ultra Purge™ Quantity, used by the Altanium® Mold Controller throughout the color change process.
• A Purge Booster feature which ensure an even faster color change time.
• A digital Cycle Count input from the injection molding machine can be configured to further automate the color change process by signaling when the correct amount of Ultra Purge™ compound has been used before moving to the next step.
• A color change or black speck removal mode.
• All Ultra Purge™ color change process settings are saved to a mold setup file for easy recall on the Altanium® Mold Controller based on the mold and color change process to be performed.