Different Types of Mold Temperature Controllers
Mold temperature controllers are used to pre-heat and maintain molding tools' temperatures and can be used for various production purposes and scenarios, such as injection molding, extrusion, blow molding, forging, and the shoe industry. Water and oil temperature controllers have individually suited features, making them more suitable for some applications than others. See below to learn how they work and identify differentiating characteristics of both types of mold temperature controllers.
Temperature Controllers
Constant and proper mold cooling and heating is the key to ensuring standardized injection molding, extrusion, and production outputs. It contributes to the manufacturing process in terms of high precision, working stability, improvement of the characteristics of the finished product, and a general increase in productivity.
Water Temperature Controller
Flying Tiger’s water temperature controllers feature stainless steel piping with a direct cooling and indirect cooling design, based on temperature differences. The maximum temperature of control is 180 degrees Celsius with the water type. (Higher temperature can be customized design.) A water temperature controller is a unit designed for controlling the temperature via a water medium.
During the process, high-temperature water is back and forth from the mold to the water temperature controller and simultaneously heated and cooled inside the machine. In this process, the water flow is returned and reused to increase energy efficiency.
- First, it gets pressurized by a high-pressure pump and sent to the heater.
- Then, the water is sent to the mold, maintaining a stable and substantial flow and temperature.
- Finally, the water flows back to the mold temperature controller. With the P.I.D., the system will automatically cool and heat the water to reach an accurate target temperature.
More importantly, Flying Tiger’s branded water temperature controller doesn’t need a water tank. Without the water tank, the temperature is adjusted more quickly, and it can heat up the cavity surface faster.
Some features of our high-temperature water controllers include:
- The microprocessor controller monitors the operation status easily.
- PID temperature controller to ensure the precision temperature within ± 0.5℃ tolerance.
- The control method can be upgraded to PLC program with a 4.3 "color touch panel.
- Machine automatic venting, and automatic cooling after motor delay shutdown to protect the heater to ensure safety.
- Temperature high-low monitoring, more precise control of temperature setting.
- The high-temperature controller adopts stainless steel piping and an indirect cooling design. The maximum temperature is 180℃.
- Comprehensive safety protection system:
- Non-fuse breaker
- Motor reverse protector
- Pump overload protector
- Fluid shortage protector
- Buzzer
- Overheat protector
- Auto pressure-relief device
- Adjustable by-pass circulation
Visit our Water Temperature Controller product page to learn more information.
Oil Temperature Controller
Oil temperature controllers use heat transfer oil as the heat medium and utilize an indirect cooling design. As a result, these temperature controllers can reach a much higher temperature than water temperature controllers, reaching a maximum of 350 degrees Celsius.
The process of oil temperature controllers begins with the heat transfer oil entering the system from the oil storage tank, and it is driven into the mold or other equipment that needs to be temperature controlled through a circulation pump.
The heat transfer oil is typically heated by the heater, and the heater stops when the oil temperature is detected to reach the set value. When the temperature is lower than the set value, the heater starts to work. This is a continuous cycle that ensures consistent heat medium temperature levels.
Furthermore, not only does the heater work during operation but also the cooling system: the PID (proportional–integral–derivative controller) enables both systems to work accordingly. This is also applied to the operation of water mold temperature controllers.
Some features of our high-temperature oil controllers include:
- The microprocessor controller monitors the operation status easily.
- PID temperature controller to ensure the precision temperature within ± 0.5℃ tolerance.
- The control method can be upgraded to PLC program with a 4.3 "color touch panel.
- Machine automatic venting, and automatic cooling after motor delay shutdown to protect the heater to ensure safety.
- Temperature high-low monitoring, more precise control of temperature setting.
- Comprehensive safety protection system:
- Non-fuse breaker
- Motor reverse protector
- Pump overload protector
- Fluid shortage protector
- Buzzer
- Overheat protector
- Auto pressure-relief device
- Adjustable by-pass circulation
To get more information, visit our Oil Temperature Controller product page here.
What to Know Before Selecting a Mold Temperature Controller?
When selecting your mold temperature controller, you must look into the product's different features to determine if it caters to your needs. Some noteworthy points include:
1. Heat Conducting Medium: Water or Oil?
Heat-conducting mediums can be either water or oil; as discussed above, both systems have unique benefits. For example, water heat conducting mediums allow precise control over the exact temperature, but the temperature can only reach up to 180℃.
Whereas, if you use a system with oil as the heat conducting medium, you can reach much higher temperatures, up to 350℃, which is more suitable for product manufacturing that uses compounds with higher melting points.
2. Cooling Mode
Internal and external cooling systems can be used in temperature control units. It will depend on the cooling capacity you need for production, if you need extra cooling capacity Flying Tiger can add an external cooling system. Our standard products feature internal temperature controls, which is a fast, and efficient cooling method. This keeps the temperature consistent throughout the process and limits temperature variations.
3. Control System
The control system can be either analog or digital. With digital controllers, you can use an intuitive digital screen to set your temperature and turn the controller on or off; this is the most straightforward method. Both systems are precise. And yet if a customer chooses a PLC system, it is easier to connect and communicate with other machines and add additional sensors for data collection.
4. Production Environment
Production environments can impact the functionality of temperature control units. For example, analog control systems are suitable for harsh production environments as they can withstand significant electronic noise without disrupting the process. This is due to the analog controls that do not rely on an electronic screen.
On the other hand, whether production is conducted in a clean room or not also matters. Because oil temperature controllers operate on an oil vapor. If there is oil leakage, it can be challenging to clean the environment. Therefore, an oil temperature controller model is generally not recommended for a Cleanroom environment.
Final Thoughts
Which type of mold temperature controller makes sense for your business goals? To answer this question, you must consider your production needs and evaluate each unit’s key features to determine which type of model is the most suitable. For example, if you need to reach high temperatures, an oil heat medium will be more appropriate. In contrast, a water-based heating medium would be preferable for lower temperature management.
Choose from Flying Tiger’s range of temperature control units, including water and oil heating systems. Our products produce high-quality plastic molding for applications, including injection, extrusion, and blow molding machines.
If you are looking for the perfect solution for your plastic molding needs, contact Flying Tiger to find your ideal temperature control model.
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