How Can We Clean Rotomolding Molds Faster And Safer?
With the continuous development of science and technology and people's increasing attention to the environment and occupational safety, clean technology is also constantly developing and improving. In the industrial field, high cleanliness can improve product reliability and repeatability.
The following problems are often encountered in the cleaning of roto-molding molds. The following is a specific analysis of the causes of these problems:
1. The mold is not clean
There are generally three reasons for the unclean cleaning of roto-molding molds.
（1） The mold temperature is too low or too high, and it is not within the appropriate use temperature range of the cleaning agent. The cleaning agent does not react fully with the surface of the roto-molding mold, resulting in poor cleaning effect.
（2） The mold deposit is too thick, making it impossible to completely clean the roto-molding mold at one time.
（3） The cleaning agent reacts on the surface of the roto-molding mold for too short a time, fails to fully soften the free dirt substances, and the decontamination is not thorough.
2. Mold damage after cleaning
In order to quickly remove stubborn stains and achieve the effect of roto-molding mold cleaning, some people will choose strong acid and strong alkaline mold cleaning agents for cleaning. Although this can solve the cleaning problem of roto-molding molds, it will corrode roto-molding molds and equipment, thereby shortening the service life of roto-molding molds and equipment.
3. Mold sticking after cleaning
The mold sticking phenomenon may be due to the insufficient finish of the roto-molding mold processing. When the dirt on the roto-molding mold is completely removed, the small grooves and the rubber produce an "anchoring" effect. It is also possible that the surface of the roto-molding mold is slightly activated after cleaning, just like a new mold that has just been used, and it is easy to produce slight adhesion with the rubber.
Will grease, dirt, mold release agents, resins and colorants cause mold discoloration and mold performance deterioration? The following are three methods for cleaning roto-molding molds and improving part quality:
1. Dry ice cleaning
Dry ice cleaning is a non-abrasive cleaning method that uses high-speed spraying of solid carbon dioxide particles to remove residues on molds and tools. It can provide strong cleaning power.
However, dry ice cleaning has serious drawbacks:
（1） Too much noise: produces more than 102 decibels of noise;
（2） Worker safety: a little carelessness can cause serious injuries to employees;
（3） Inconvenience: the mold needs to be moved to another place for cleaning;
（4） Rust removal is not effective;
（5） Equipment and dry ice are expensive;
2. Solvent cleaners
Solvent cleaners are very effective for removing grease, dirt, mold release agents, resins and colorants from molds. But in fact, solvents are a common cleaning method in injection molding.
Due to the large size of most rotomolding molds, a large amount of solvent will be required to clean them effectively. The price of solvents often rises and falls with the price of oil, and such treatment methods are particularly expensive.
3. Water-based cleaners
Water-based products are ideal for cleaning rotomolding molds. Unlike solvent-based products, water-based cleaners do not produce fumes and are non-flammable, which improves the working environment.
Water-based mold cleaners are powerful and contain high pH values that can remove the buildup of colorants, grease, oil, dirt, stains and mold release agents in minutes.
Advantages of water-based cleaners:
（1） Economical: Water-based cleaners are concentrates and can be diluted with 5 parts water;
（2） Safe: Water-based products are safe to use and store;
（3） Powerful: Removes grease, oil, dirt, stains and other tough bonding materials within seconds of application.