Trials & Debug - Tooling Control Method

many tools. many decisions

What do you do when you have loads of tools running at the same time?

There isn’t enough time in the day to give them all equal attention.


You feel like your hair is on fire.

And that you may be missing some serious tooling issues.

This can be stressful.


Some tools are at T1.

A few are at T6.

That T6 later becomes a T13. Oh boy, what a mess.

Too many tools have issues.

All are being trialled and debugged at the same time.

Others are running to get DVT production out the door.


AaaaGGhhhhhhh..!

How do you manage these situations?



getting to efficient

After a hectic week of this type of running around,

I decided to take the weekend to come up with a few systems to make life easier.


And make the tooling bring-up process more effective.

Effective = doing the right things.

Efficient = doing things right.


First thing I decided is to attempt cleaning up the data.

Are all tools running the same process, the process that was agreed at EVT?

Each part had 3-4 tools. That means 3-4 machines.

Let’s stabilize the process between all tools + machines.

If we find that the process was very different between machines, then take that as good data.

Does that tell us that this tool has issues?

Is the machine bad?

Any issues with material?

What about the operator?



tool, machine, material, operator

Tool Issues

  • Venting

  • Cooling

  • Shut offs

Machine

  • Hydraulics

  • Barrel and screw

  • Heaters

Material

  • Material feed

  • Material drying

Operator

  • Too busy pushing buttons

  • Not following process sheet

  • Most operates are fantastic



time for a walk

My morning process evolved into the following.

Get to the factory.

Say hi to everyone. Start the day with good positive vibes.


Then, it was time for a walk.

Around all the tools and all the machines.


My process was simple.

I decided to collect and record a subset of data that would capture the whole tooling/molding picture.

What were the parameters I focused on?

  • Cycle time

  • Injection time

  • Cushion

  • Barrel temps + hot runner temps

  • Pack and hold

  • Screw speed

  • Clamp tonnage setting


screw + clamp

Screw rotational speed and clamp tonnage setting are sneaky parameter settings. Sneaky and dangerous.

Better to track these upfront.

It’s a nightmare to uncover these two as root causes.

Do it in advance.


Here’s what your note book entry will look like

just feels different

Oh. One more thing.

Always have a notebook and pen.

Factories get nervous when you have phones and cameras.

Pen and paper are your best friend

Better for capturing details.

Taking notes in meetings.

Scribbling down thoughts and ideas as they arise.

Taking out a phone or a laptop can look anti social.

A bit rude.

Notebook and pen is seen as thoughtful and considerate.

It just feels different to the other people in the room.

bigger picture

Lets look at the parameters selected.

  • Cycle time

  • Injection time

  • Cushion

  • Barrel temps + hot runner temps

  • Pack and hold

  • Screw speed

  • Clamp tonnage setting

Cycle time and injection time give you both ends of the process.

Variations here will tell you a lot.

Filling too fast or too slow….why?

Cycle time too long or too short. Why?

Cushion tells you the technical team”s awareness level.

Repeatability is key.

Cushion can give you the pulse on machine health.

Cushion lets you know how the machine is performing.

program full picture view

Pack and hold are worth tracking. They have a huge influence on cosmetics and dimensions.

Screw speed and clamp tonnage are, again, two sneaky variables.

Always good to keep an eye on these.

There you have it.

If you go to all machines, check these details and quickly record a few points.

You will get a full picture of your program and be able to debug and get tools running faster.

You will also know which tools need attention first.

Sequence is everything.

There is still some work to do here. The data has to be interpreted. What is the overall picture telling me?

Are there any tools or machines that simply need a revamp?

Consider putting the tool on another machine as a data variable eliminator.

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What is MFR? Melt Flow Rate

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Breaking Barriers - Customer + Vendor