Hot Runners: Need For Water Cooling of Actuators Eliminated

The new HRScool technology from hot runner supplier HRSflow, a division of Italian firm INglass, can reportedly eliminate the need for water cooling of actuators. HRSflow told Plastics Technology that HRScool is available for cylinders on manifolds for the company’s P, M and G series hot runners.

Key to the advance, according to HRSflow, is insulation of the support columns, which also have minimal surface contact, reducing heat transfer from the manifold. The company said the support columns are insulated with a special low heat conductivity material. Further, by using only the supporting pillars as contact points in an integrated telescopic design, the system minimizes the amount of heat transferred from the heating element of the manifold to the cylinder body thanks to diminished surface contact surface between the two.

By obviating the cooling lines, channels and connections that active cooling requires, HRSflow says assembly and handling costs are reduced, and system uptime is increased by eliminating potential problems with clogged cooling circuits and degradation of hydraulic fluids. In addition, the HRScool’s compact design takes up less space in the tool. The company noted that, overall, its hot runner systems are compact and modular such that, versions with active cooling do not require additional space compared with HRScool-equipped manifolds. The only exception is for G series which has been developed as a compact base solution with a reduced cut-out in Z by 10 mm.

In production, HRSflow says that because this new design results in an optimum uniform temperature distribution along the entire hot runner system, higher molding quality can be achieved. Also, applying bayonet coupling means the valve pin can remain in the hot runner system when cylinders have to be removed.