Is Your Cooling Manifold Properly Sized?
A cooling manifold may seem like a simple component, but proper sizing can have a significant impact on cycle time, part quality, operating costs, and energy efficiency.
An undersized manifold can restrict cooling flow, starving some cooling circuits while overfeeding others. The result is uneven mold temperatures, longer cycle times, dimensional variation, and increased scrap. The objective isn’t simply to supply a cooling medium – it’s to deliver the right amount of cooling to every circuit for efficient, turbulent cooling.
Just as importantly, more cooling isn’t always better. Excessive flow increases pumping energy and operating costs without improving heat transfer once the optimum flow rate has been reached. A properly balanced cooling system delivers only the flow each circuit requires, maximizing cooling efficiency while minimizing energy consumption.
Smartflow makes this process straightforward with engineered cooling manifolds and online sizing tools that help processors select the correct manifold based on the number of circuits, required flow rates, hose sizes, and application requirements. The result is balanced cooling, lower energy usage, improved process repeatability, and maximum productivity.
Turner Group can help evaluate your mold cooling system and utilize Smartflow’s sizing tools to recommend the right manifold solution for your application.