Mold conditioner is a chemical that is used to prevent other materials from bonding to the surfaces. They act as an obstruction between surfaces facilitating the separation of a cured part of the mold.
CAPLINQ offers a varied range of mold conditioners that allow thermosets and thermoplastics to come out of the mold.
Though thermosets and thermoplastics sound same, they have very different properties and applications. The main difference is that thermoplastics can be re-melted, but thermosets remain in a permanent solid state.
Mold conditioners protect and condition your mold that increases the number of shots for which your mold can be used.
The techniques for conditioning of your molds are-
- Silicon-based mold release sprays
- Carnauba wax-based mold release sprays
- Compression-grade wax-based mold conditioning sheets
- Compression-grade melamine based mold conditioning products
Procedure for conditioning using melamine compounds
The melamine cleans the mold to bare metal. Once the mold is clean, the steps you need to follow are-
- Set press to standard processing parameters.
- Prepare the mold by lightly waxing it.
- Mold 3-5 shots of melamine conditioning compound using a longer curing cycle.
- The first three shots of the compound should be cured 2 to 3 times longer than normal.
- Resume molding under normal conditions.
Procedure for conditioning using wax sheets
Once the mold is clean, you can use this procedure for conditioning using wax sheets-
- Set the press to standard processing parameters.
- Cut the wax sheets to the best size for your mold.
- Cover the mold with the wax conditioning sheets.
- Use the regular curing cycle and mold a shot of wax conditioning sheets.
- Repeat this process with 2-3 shots of wax sheets and resume it under normal processing conditions.
Each of the molds conditioners technique comes with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. But if they are properly used or in combination, they are more efficient than the method itself. Also, Carnauba was based conditioning products gives the best results with epoxy compounds.
If you are using silicon-based products, make sure that the product states specifically it is compatible.
You can also make use of mold release sprays in combination with the regular conditioning process to obtain even better results.
To learn more regarding the mold conditioners, visit www.caplinq.com . You can also contact us if you have any queries regarding CAPLINQ’s cleaners, conditioners, and lubricants
