Extrusion International 1-2023

32 Extrusion International 1/2023 EXTRUSION TOOLING Getting the Most from Your Extrusion Tooling By: Glen Guillemette, President Guill Tool & Engineering Tooling maintenance improves extrusion efficiency, enhances quality and boosts overall productivity for your medical tubing applications. B y utilizing state-of-the-art pro- duction equipment and process- es, machining tolerances are held ex- tremely close on today’s multi-lumen and multi-layer medical tubing. It is important to note that any misalign- ment of the tools may be exagger- ated in the final product output. Clean parts, especially with sealing and locating surfaces, are key to product performance and successful end products. These surfaces receive the most care and attention dur- ing manufacturing and are the con- trol surfaces that ensure uniformity throughout the tubing. Remember, precision-machined alignments are affected by even a speck of dirt mea- suring only a few thousandths of an inch. A human hair is about 0.003" (0.08 mm), and since there are many such surfaces in a quality tool, clean- liness is critical. Checking of the tools for any de- formities is also important. Burrs, scratches and scrapes are usually a result of careless handling and/ or storage of equipment. Double and triple-layer extrusion heads pose an even greater challenge for maintenance. The number of seal - ing and centering surfaces multi- plies and can magnify the results of dirty tools. During changeovers, the head may be disassembled in order to change compounds and/ or tips and dies. Foreign matter is usually introduced at this point and residual materials must be thoroughly removed. Physical tool damage often occurs during this phase, due to mishandling and poor storage techniques. These are highly precise parts, but can also be heavy and bulky to remove by hand. Use of a dedicated work cart exclusively reserved and equipped for extruder head maintenance is recommended. This cart along with a supply of spare components and hardware is easily justified, espe - cially when examining the poten- tial cost savings that result from well-maintained tools. The follow - ing should be considered: 1.) Maintain a clean, organized work area with soft and clean re- newable work surfaces; 2.) Use a vise with soft jaws, such as copper; 3.) Use special equipment, such as tip removal tools, etc.; 4.) Standard tools include wrench - es, soft-faced hammers, etc.; 5.) Maintain a supply of soft, clean rags; 6.) Use cleaning solutions in spray bottle; 7.) Use spare parts as suggested by your tooling supplier, properly organized and stored; 8.) Keep handy your equipment’s repair/maintenance manual; 9.) Have a small surface plate to provide a true flat surface; Guill 712 Series Guill 900 W-Stripe