All-In-One Centering System

Agathon Machine Tools (Bethel, Conn.) will introduce its Guide System Plus all-in-one system for guiding and centering mold halves at PTXPO (March 29-31; Donald E. Stephens Convention Center; Rosemont, Ill). Agathon notes that precise positioning of mold halves and/or mold components depends on the centering systems. Agathon says its reinterpretation of existing guidance and centering systems now allows for guiding and centering of the mold halves to be accomplished with a single product.

The company says the Guide System Plus is flexible and can be adapted to many tool designs. Each bushing and pillar comes with a freely positioned retaining ring that is adjustable to various plate thicknesses. This function allows the system to adapt when repairing tools or converting them to newer guide systems. In this way, one component can be used in multiple designs and while spares are kept on hand.

Instead of sliding, the guide system bushing is equipped with heavy-duty rollers that allow for faster travel speeds than conventional slide guides. The rollers have minimal line contact, which reportedly increases the serviceable life of the components by a factor of five to 12 times compared to slide guide systems. High precision rollers provide consistent, accurate movement of the mold halves and plates, ensuring proper repeatability in alignment which results in consistent part quality. The Guide System Plus comes in sizes of 15, 25, 32, and 40 mm.