Industry experts estimate that there are 75,000 or more compression or transfer presses currently in operation in the United States. Of those, approximately 30%, or 22,500 presses, are in excellent working condition. These presses represent a significant cost-saving opportunity for businesses struggling with the decision of whether to add new equipment or adapt their existing equipment to the task at hand. Businesses operating a compression or transfer press, but needing an injection unit can reduce their costs by 50-percent or more by converting the unit, rather than replacing it.

Adapting a screw/ram injection unit to an existing press is a service that Hydratecs Injection Equipment, Inc [H.I.E.] has been offering for the last 30 years. Their expertise in converting presses to injection has been tested over the years, with some 17,000 units in their portfolio.

In the past, according to Carl A. Chiofolo, Jr., president, H.I.E., Inc., most conversions consisted of adding an injection unit to an altered top bolster. Some bolsters were solid, or had the structural integrity to be used without modification. However, if the existing bolster was inadequate, a replacement bolster was required.

In addition, an operator control panel was added to the system and the injection unit was connected to the customer’s central oil hydraulic system. Further modifications were required if the hydraulic system was water-soluble. In those cases, only the injection ram could be connected to the existing system and a small oil hydraulic power unit was added to supply the screw motor. Existing steam or electric platens were altered and used, and existing molds had to be adapted to the injection system, or replaced all together.

"Those conversions cost about 30-percent of a comparable new injection press and offered about the same reduced cure times," said Mr. Chiofolo. "In most cases, cure times were reduced to only about 25-percent of the original cure times."

With the innovation of offering jack cylinders with prefill systems and a hydraulic unit, customers have achieved faster opening and closing press speeds, further reducing total cycle times, and realizing a cost savings in the production process. This increased the cost of the project, but offered customers a press that was comparable to a completely new injection press, along with the increased efficiency. "The result has been a converted injection press at half the cost of a new one, and the significant savings in both production time and cost going forward," added Mr. Chiofolo.

Conversions are still quite common for presses 300 tons to 1,500 tons, and shot sizes from 5 pounds through 105 pounds. Depending on the shot size and tonnage, converting a compression or transfer press to injection delivers significant value when compared to the purchase of a new unit.

An industry pioneer in the conversion of presses to injection, H.I.E., Inc., has been instrumental in the process of customizing molds, either by alteration or replacement, for converted presses.

"Our modern day conversions offer the same sophistication as our completely new presses," said Mr. Chiofolo. "Depending on the customer’s requirements and budget, these conversions also can be supplied as a simpler system. For the customer, the decision to convert an existing press translates straight back to their bottom line."

Customers struggling with a project that does not justify the cost of a new injection unit would do well to consider converting an existing press to maintain their competitive edge in the marketplace.

In the past 30 years, Mr. Chiofolo said H.I.E., Inc., has converted virtually every type and brand of compression and transfer press, ranging in style and including slab-side and strain rod, barrel style, corner post and window frame. Most conversions have been vertical, but he adds that his company also has converted a number of horizontal presses.

More recently, in the past 15 years, H.I.E., Inc., has added the service of updating older rubber injection presses, along with adapting some plastic presses to rubber.

H.I.E., Inc., is headquartered in Akron, Ohio and offers a complete line of new rubber injection molding presses, ranging from 75 tons to 2,000 tons. In addition, H.I.E., Inc., offers special injection systems and conversions with 12 shot sizes, ranging from ½ pound to 105 pounds.

For more information, or to discuss specific options regarding the conversion or replacement of your existing press, please contact Carl Chiofolo, president, Hydratecs Injection Equipment, at (330) 773-0491.