Tooling components manufacturer DME Co. has developed a new hydraulic locking cylinder for actuating core pulls and mold slides in plastics injection molds.
It is designed to simplify design, fitting and maintenance compared with traditional alternatives.
The cylinder features a mechanical locking system, incorporating a segmented ring that is pushed outward and held by a tapered piston in a cylinder groove. This is claimed to provide quicker and more efficient operation than traditional cylinders, which require heel blocks to withstand the loads that result from high injection cavity pressures.
The cylinder has proximity switches to sense full extension or retraction, and the piston has a built-in cushion at the fully retracted stroke end.
The new locking cylinder is more compact and can be operated independently from the mold opening stroke.
DME is based in Madison Heights.