The Slides Revolution

Since the early days of the mold industry, many mechanical solutions have been developed to help release undercuts during the ejection process. Through times, as a result of the technological evolution, machinery, or materials, like additive production, many mechanisms have become redundant.

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However, there is one mechanism which has lasted through many changes with almost no redesign: THE SLIDE.

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Slides are robust components with precision guiding; they mostly function in the parting line to form complex geometries or external undercuts. In a simple way, we use the closing of the mold to push it forward and block it into molding position and the opening to pull it back and released the plastic part.

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The slide is basically composed of 3 separate elements, two of them being the sliding base and the moving element, located on the core side. The third one is the angled pin on the cavity side, that by its length and angle determines the stroke of the moving element.

Traditional slides are dependable and solid, nevertheless they are not free from difficulties and limitations. On one hand the angled pin takes a lot of tension depending on its angle, length, and strokes. Slides with long strokes can be very challenging to adjust. The longer the stroke the harder it is to adjust them.

On the other hand, the robust guiding of the moving element takes up a lot of space, resulting in a larger mold.

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But… does it need to be like this?

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At CUMSA we believe there is more than one way to accomplish a goal. Considering the need for improved quality, lower costs, and shorter production times,?we wanted to think outside of the box. We went through several redesigns , trials, ran tests using different materials and working temperatures. We finally were satisfied with the product and came out with a new slide design that will bring proven advantages to the users.

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This new slide has a floating insert, free to move in both a horizontal and vertical way.?The floating insert just requires a simple lateral adjustment cone to self-center to the molding position.?There are many examples in the mechanical industry where a cone is used as a self-centering system with high precision, so why not use it in a slide? CUMSA did it and found a way to simplify the adjustment into the mold, reducing the tooling, drilling, and cutting down on the space needed.

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The housing for the entire system is done with all-round clearance. This means it can be machined quickly and without the need for precision, since it only requires accuracy in the area that comes in contact with the plastic. This quicker and simpler installation can bring savings of up to 30% in machining time.

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Also, keeping in mind the new realities and demands of the industry, these new slides are using turcite as a sliding base material with magnetic hold. One of the advantages turcite is that does not require any type of lubrication and guarantees its durability. Such features will make these slides suitable to use in molds for the medical, pharmaceutical industries, or any cleanroom environment.

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The new slides are estimated to bring an overall cost savings of 50% per unit with respect to the current systems. This is based on the reductions of housing, milling, faster assembly, tuning, and finally, the smaller space required for its installation.?

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At launch, this product will come in 6 standard sizes that can accommodate a range of different strokes. The new slides offer design flexibility and time savings. They are a perfect solution for designers for its design simplicity, to mold builders for its easy installation, and to molders for easier maintenance.?