In injection workshop production, mold change time directly determines equipment utilization, order delivery speed and production cost. Especially in the multi‑variety and small‑batch production mode, improving mold change efficiency is the key to reducing costs and increasing capacity.
Before Mold Change: Prepare in Advance to Reduce DowntimeMore than half of the improvement in mold change efficiency comes from early preparation. The main reason for slow mold changes in many workshops is that tools, parts and parameters are only prepared after the mold arrives, resulting in long idle time of equipment. A complete pre‑preparation system must be established before production to complete all work that can be done outside the machine in advance, which can directly reduce more than 30% of invalid downtime. Special personnel shall check mold information and prepare all necessary accessories and tools in advance, and process parameters shall be preset to avoid on‑site adjustment.
During Mold Change: Standardize Processes to Simplify OperationsThe mold change process is the core of improving efficiency, and standardized, synchronized and simplified operations must be implemented. First, unify the disassembly and assembly sequence to avoid rework: turn off water, electricity and gas first, then loosen the pressure plate, and finally lift out the mold; when installing the mold, position first, then lock, and then connect water, electricity and gas. Use a two‑person cooperation mode for synchronous operations to shorten the operation time. Use quick connectors for water, gas and circuits to replace traditional threaded connectors, which can save more than 60% of the connection time. Pre‑adjust ejection stroke, mold opening position and manipulator position outside the machine, and only make fine adjustments after installation.
After Mold Change: Debug Quickly to Enter Mass ProductionAfter mold installation, quickly entering stable mass production is the last step to improve overall efficiency. First check whether the positioning, locking, water, electricity and gas are normal. After confirmation, start the equipment according to the preset parameters and conduct first‑piece inspection. Once the first piece is qualified in size, appearance and weight, enter mass production directly without unnecessary adjustments. Establish a standard mold parameter library, and directly call mature parameters when the same mold is used again to reduce the number of test molds. Clean the site in time to prepare for the next mold change.
Equipment & Mold: Rapid Transformation for Long‑Term Speed‑UpHardware optimization is the most stable and long‑term way to improve mold change efficiency. Unify the sizes of mold lifting rings, locating rings, waterway interfaces and oil pipe interfaces to achieve standardization and generalization. Workshops with conditions can install quick clamping, hydraulic clamping or pneumatic clamping devices to replace manual wrenches, shortening the locking time from more than ten minutes to 1–2 minutes. Add positioning blocks and reference locating pins to the injection molding machine to ensure that the mold is in place at one time without repeated adjustment of the center position. Use water collecting blocks and multi‑channel quick connectors for cooling water to realize quick plugging and unplugging of the whole row. Manipulators and conveyors adopt a unified docking method, eliminating the need for re‑disassembly and assembly of brackets during mold change.
Management & Training: Solidify Standards for Continuous ImprovementImproving mold change efficiency requires long‑term habits formed through management and training. Formulate standard operating procedures for quick mold change, clarifying steps, time, responsible persons and tool lists, so that everyone operates according to the unified process. Implement a mold change timing system, record the time of each mold change, analyze waste points such as tool searching, part waiting and parameter adjustment, and optimize them in a targeted manner. Conduct regular mold change skill training and practical competitions to improve employees' proficiency and coordination. Establish a mold management account to record mold status, applicable machines and standard processes, avoiding prolonged mold change time due to mold problems. Continuously promote SMED improvement, convert internal operations into external operations, and continuously shorten mold change time to form a virtuous cycle of continuous improvement.
SummaryImproving injection mold change efficiency is a low‑cost, high‑return improvement work. Through continuous optimization in advance preparation, standard operation, rapid debugging, hardware transformation and management solidification, the equipment operating rate can be significantly improved, waiting waste reduced, and overall capacity enhanced. For injection enterprises with multi‑variety and small‑batch production, quick mold change is a core capability to enhance market competitiveness. The shorter the mold change time, the more flexible the production, the more stable the delivery, and the higher the profitability of the enterprise.
