Hot Runner Mold for a Multi-Cavity Lighting Housing
A 16-cavity hot runner mold replaced a cold-runner tool, cutting cycle time by 22% and eliminating gate trimming for a lighting housing program.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
"A lighting housing program needed 16-cavity output with a cosmetic gate mark requirement that cold-runner molding could not meet. The previous tool ran 8 cavities with manual gate trimming, limiting throughput and adding labor per part."
PAIN POINTS
- Cold runner gate scars on the visible housing surface
- Manual gate trimming labor on every part
- 8-cavity output limited the program volume
OUR SOLUTION
- 16-cavity hot runner system with valve-gate nozzles for clean gate marks
- Balanced manifold with equal flow to every cavity, verified by mold flow simulation
- Full temperature control wiring and tuning done in-house before trial
MEASURED RESULTS
| Cavity count | 8 → 16 cavities |
| Cycle time | 22% faster (cooling + gate-free fill) |
| Gate trimming | Eliminated entirely |
| Gate marks | Clean valve-gate witness, within cosmetic spec |
YOUR APPLICATION MAY DIFFER
"If your part has a visible surface or a volume target that cold runner cannot meet, ask us for a hot runner payback estimate — DFM review is free."