Pre-Engineered Lifters accommodate angles up to 30 deg.

Press Release Summary:

VectorForm(TM) Lifters double undercut capability in plastic molds. Lifter rod is actuated from sliding base, rather than static base in ejector plate. Mold designers can accelerate or decelerate movement of lifter core relative to ejector plate. Modular design of VectorForm Lifters allows ganging of multiple lifter systems to accommodate very large lifter cores. Guide Rod support system permits extremely thin lifter cores with no flexing.


Original Press Release:

VectorForm(TM) Lifter System Doubles the Undercut

D-M-E Company introduces pre-engineered lifters with angles up to 30° and more September 2003 - D-M-E doubles undercut capability in plastic molds with the new VectorForm(TM) Lifter System. An innovation of Takao Injection Mold Engineering, the innovative lifter system offers unprecedented design flexibility to OEMs and mold designers. The VectorForm Lifter System allows application designers to incorporate undercuts into their designs that are twice as deep as previously possible. Alternatively, mold designers can cut their ejector stroke in half while maintaining existing undercut geometries. The VectorForm Lifter System utilizes an ingenious slide base concept to greatly extend lifter angles. With the lifter rod being actuated from a sliding base rather than a static base in the ejector plate, the lifter angle can be considerably more aggressive. While most lifter systems recommend a maximum angle of 15°, the VectorForm, with its sliding base, can easily accommodate angles of 30° and more. Mold designers can even accelerate or decelerate the movement of the lifter core relative to the ejector plate - something that is difficult to do with lifter systems that utilize a static base in the ejector plate. Modular design of the VectorForm Lifter System allows ganging of multiple lifter systems to accommodate very large lifter cores. Until now, pre-engineered lifter systems were not suitable for large lifter cores. With the VectorForm Lifter System, many applications, including automotive and large enclosures, can benefit from dramatically reduced design time, plus cost savings for initial installation and ongoing maintenance. Another "ganging" option with the VectorForm is the joining of multiple lifter cores on a single lifter system. In this situation, a part with multiple undercuts in the same line of draw no longer needs a separate lifter system for each undercut. The innovative slide base design makes it possible to cost effectively actuate multiple lifter cores with a single VectorForm Lifter System, resulting in a significant savings in cost and in space within the mold. Cell phones and other small housings and enclosures are examples of applications that can benefit. Enhancing design flexibility is a unique Guide Rod support system which permits extremely thin lifter cores with no flexing, and VectorForm's ability to easily incorporate cooling into the lifter core via the lifter rod. The versatility of the system allows a multitude of design options. D-M-E has developed a sales brochure that provides a sampling of design applications and a Design Guide that provides more elaborate examples and detailed, step-by-step design and installation guidelines. Besides impressive design benefits, VectorForm Lifter simplifies machining and installation. The design requires minimal diagonal boring and most pockets have clearance tolerances, while VectorForm components are self-centering during installation. And mold builders will appreciate that the VectorForm is available in six pre-engineered sizes to meet the needs of almost any application - even very large or very small.

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