DME LLC, Madison Heights, Michigan, a manufacturer of mold technologies and molding supplies, has announced the launch of the new and improved design of its proprietary Accualign lifter.
For years mold designers have faced a challenge when deciding how best to accommodate undercuts and find a way to successfully eject the part from the mold. A lifter is commonly the preferred solution but there is always an element of the unknown. Any flaws in the original manufacture of the tool or any movement of the plates caused by thermal expansion during the molding process can result in misalignment placing pressure on the lifter causing it to bind or possibly even break.
Michael Rayman, DME director of design and engineering, stated that the design structure of lifters with their extended travel distance makes them particularly prone to any misalignment during the molding process. The implications can be extremely costly with unplanned production shutdowns, part quality problems and possibly catastrophic damage to the mold surface itself. The company has studied this problem for a considerable amount of time and have tested numerous different product designs. The new Accualign lifter is a breakthrough product. All current lifters only move in a single direction but the Accualign lifter features a unique multi-axis self-adjustment system which compensates for misalignment. The 3D movement is achieved using a carbide ball adapter which rides in a hardened shoe and allows the rod and bar to self-adjust to the correct non-binding position vertically. This is complemented with a novel dovetail connection between the rod/bar and the ball adapter to adjust horizontally, making this lifter a superior dependable, self-adjusting, precision lifter unit.
The DME Accualign lifters is available in both imperial or metric dimensions, in rod with a guide bushing (and optional keeper key to secure the lift head) or square/rectangle bar with carbide roller guides for support and long life.
For more information, visit www.dme.net.
