2011 The American Mold Builder Magazine - Fall

Fall 2011

The Official Publication of the American Mold Builders Association

• HotRunnerTroubleshooting• ExportingMolds• AvoidEmployeePoaching

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Time flies when you’re having fun and this year is certainly flying by. With the fourth quarter upon us, the staff and board of directors of the AMBA continue to work very hard for our membership and partners, and yes, have some fun along the way. I mentioned in my last letter that it is an exciting time to be a part of the AMBA. I am happy to report the excitement, and benefits, continue.

We recently held our second, sold out Plant Tour Workshop on November 10th in Twinsburg, OH, hosted by one of our AMBA Board Members Wendy Wloszek of Industrial Mold & Machine. Her team shared with us how it has utilized 21st century technology and advancements in social media to engage the next generation workforce.

Our Legal Resource Program from Schottenstein Zox & Dunn Co., LPA (SZD) has been rolled out. This program includes access to legal advice on many topics such as contractual disputes, doing business overseas, employment/HR/immigration, intellectual property (patent, trademark, trade secret and copyright) and so much more.

In September, the AMBA Chicago Chapter hosted a dinner meeting featuring a keynote address from Alan Tonelson, research fellow at the US Business and Industry Council, which represents almost 2,000 domestic manufacturing companies. Alan translated for almost 60 attending members the status of current policy in Washington as it relates to US manufacturing. (See article on page six of this issue.) I appreciated Alan’s presentation because he not only reported on many of the problems that continue to plague the US manufacturing sector, but offered sound solutions as well. His key speaking points focused on the need for drastic reductions in the trade deficit, including the phase-in process to bring the trade deficit under control, the implementation of tariffs on countries with value-added tax systems and the need to revisit the Buy American requirements imposed on federal agencies, to name a few. Alan’s Bloomberg report can be found at AmericanEconomicAlert.org.

Alan complimented the AMBA on its efforts in Washington DC, reflecting on our trips to the Hill over the past four years. He strongly encouraged, however, the need to invite our local representatives into our places of business, letting them see and hear what we are up against. Many members of Congress have told us the same. With the election year right around the corner, if you’ve been considering inviting your representative(s) to your shop, now is the time to act.

Your AMBA staff and board of directors continue to work hard to prepare for next year’s AMBA annual convention in May 2012 in Grand Rapids, MI. We have an excellent program in the works. As I’ve said before, being part of the AMBA will far exceed your dues investment as long as you take the time to participate!

Proud to be an American Moldmaker,

Mike Armbrust, Mako Mold CorporationAMBA President

The American Mold BuilderPublished by the

American Mold Builders Association 3601 Algonquin Rd., Suite 304

Rolling Meadows, IL 60008p 847.222.9402 • f [email protected] • www.amba.org

OfficersandBoardofDirectorsPresidentMike Armbrust, Mako Mold Corporation

Vice PresidentTodd Finley, Commercial Tool & Die

SecretaryShawn McGrew, Prodigy Mold & Tool

TreasurerMichael Bohning, Creative Blow Mold Tooling

Legal CounselAlan Rothenbuecher, Schottenstein Zox & Dunn

BoardofDirectorsAndy Baker, Byrne Tool & Die Robert Earnhardt, Superior ToolingDan Glass, Strohwig IndustriesRoger Klouda, M.S.I. Mold Builders Justin McPhee, Mold Craft Tim Peterson, Industrial Molds GroupScott Phipps, United Tool & Mold Steve Rotman, Ameritech Die & MoldMike Walter, MET PlasticsWendy Wloszek, Industrial Mold & Machine

AMBATeamTroy Nix, Executive DirectorKym Conis, Managing DirectorSusan Daniels, Member Services CoordinatorShannon Merrill, National Chapter Coordinator

Managing Editor: Kym ConisAssistant Editor: Sue DanielsContributing Author: Clare GoldsberryArt Director: Cara PedersonAdvertising/Sales: Shannon MerrillCirculation: Shannon Merrill

Opinions expressed in this publication may or may not reflect the views of the Association, and do not necessarily represent official positions or policies of the Association or its members.

Speak Out

4 the american MOld Builder Fall 2011

Features 6 Market Trends •TheRealStateofAmericanManufacturing •BusinessConditionsRemainSteadyforMoldIndustry

12 Focus ExportingMolds:WhatYouNeedtoKnow

16 Technology •TheInsandOutsofCoatingsforBetterMoldPerformance •HotRunnerTroubleshooting-KeepingyourSystem inTopCondition

28 Strategies •Q&A:MoldMaintenanceforRevenueGeneration •StepsforSuccessfulSuccessionPlanning

36 Inside Track •HowtoAvoidEmployeePoaching •IntellectualPropertyinMoldBuilderContractTerms andConditions

departments

3 Speak Out

22 Association

32 Industry

42 Product

46 Calendar

46 Ad Index

Visit our website:www.amba.org

Contents

Fall2011

22

6 16

20

departments

3 Speak Out

22 Association

32 Industry

42 Product

46 Calendar

46 Ad Index

Visit our website:www.amba.org

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MarketTrends

Despite the title’s confident tone, American manufacturing has presented a puzzle recently. The national manufacturing-wide data, and even much industry-specific data, point to major structural weaknesses and to mounting dangers. Yet for nearly two years, individual company owners and executives have reported they’ve performed solidly and feel cautiously optimistic.

My long-time dealings with smaller manufacturers – like many AMBA members – have taught me never to count them out, either as individual companies or as a group. The numbers and trends I analyze in my office can be tremendously informative. But they cannot measure the can-do spirit making up the DNA of such entrepreneurs, as well as the raw talent that’s enabled so many smaller companies to survive and often prosper for so long despite challenges from so many fronts – including, of course, governments at home and abroad.

I also know that there are some exciting new markets that many AMBA members have been supplying lately, including medical equipment, aerospace, mining machinery and energy extraction equipment. Of course the auto industry’s emergence from a coma hasn’t hurt either.

Nonetheless, the headwinds facing domestic manufacturing look stronger than the stimulative forces and are picking up steam. For even though domestic manufacturers have significantly out-performed the US economy recently, its fate will still make or break the industry’s outlook. For all their ingenuity and perseverance, domestic manufacturers will never find an adequate substitute for the kind of genuinely healthy US recovery that’s by no means assured. So it should be useful to review the kinds of timely, and often prescient, reality checks that the US Business and Industry Council (USBIC) has specialized in providing for political leaders, journalists and manufacturers themselves.

One cautionary note: although I’m a data hound, the data nowadays aren’t what they used to be. In fact, since the

economic and financial crisis broke out, most of the standard indicators that dominate the news

and the analytical world have been virtually meaningless. The reason: these indicators,

whether measuring output, employment or earnings, are almost never presented with any policy context.

Generally, economic performance and the policy environment – e.g., the federal

funds rate, government deficit spending and the money supply – have been treated

separately as of late, though it’s obvious that the policy environment for the last few years has

been in uncharted waters. The bottom line: at a time when Washington has been throwing trillions of dollars at the economy to generate the minimal growth that’s been recorded, the conventional indicators by themselves say almost nothing about the economy’s real health. More specifically, there’s no case for bullishness and no evidence any growth is possible without the massive steroid injections to which the economy looks addicted.

The USBIC has continued to note that the previous decade’s recovery was largely a sham – a bubble – because of the huge disparity between the Washington stimulus and the completely lackluster growth of the time. We’ve continually fingered offshoring-focused trade policies (which stunt the growth of America’s manufacturing sector) as a prime culprit. Our overall worry: it looks like Washington is inflating another bubble. The economy still relies overwhelmingly on debt creation for its growth and employment.

We keep pointing to ongoing trade policy failures, which disproportionately affect manufacturing because manufacturing dominates US trade flows. For example, we’ve reminded decision makers and the media that the President’s goal of doubling US exports in a few years won’t by itself create a single new job or dime’s worth of new growth. Why not? Because changing trade flows only creates growth if the trade balance improves. In other words, imports cannot be ignored. Given America’s huge deficits, they need to be the focus of trade deficit reduction.

By Alan Tonelson, US Business and Industry Council

MANUFACTURINGThe Real State of American

7www.amba.org

USBIC also has made the startling argument that the economy’s openness to trade is undermining the President’s recovery strategy and will sabotage the main Republican alternatives. America has become so import-heavy (and so many US investment dollars now go overseas) that promoting spending and consuming, and even cutting business taxes, can’t deliver the same growth bang to which we’ve become accustomed.

And finally, we’ve explained that trade deficit reduction is the economy’s only realistic hope of generating growth without piling on more debt. In fact, trade deficit reduction can generate growth even if domestic demand begins to fall again. After all, it would enable us to supply the remaining demand from domestic production and companies like the AMBA members – than from foreign production, which adds nothing to US Gross Domestic Product or job creation. Unfortunately, Washington hasn’t yet taken heed. Worse, three trade agreements left over from the Bush years, which repeat the major trade policy mistakes of the past, seem all teed up for Congressional approval. The three markets in question – Colombia, Panama and South Korea – represent less than five percent of total US exports, and three-quarters of that is Korea, one of the world’s most protectionist economies.

USBIC publishes the only report available from a business group that details the manufacturing trade deficit. The fact that this gap is larger than the overall goods and

services deficit indicates that domestic manufacturing still suffers from major global competitiveness problems. The continued deficit growth in high-value, capital- and technology-intensive industries like mold building is even more revealing.

USBIC has recently developed a better measure of manufacturing competitiveness than the trade balance in our studies of import penetration rates. These reports show that the share of domestic markets in manufacturing controlled by imports rose from about 25.5 percent in 1997 to about 35.5 percent in 2009. In many sectors, the increase has been much faster, and in these and other

sectors, imports control well over half the US market for their particular product. These reports make it absolutely clear the enormous gains the entire economy could realize by simply limiting imports – not eliminating or reducing them, but just limiting their growth. Hundreds of billions of dollars of new markets are eminently achievable.

We’ve also highlighted many government measures of manufacturing’s performance that do seem solid, point to troubling weakness and rarely receive enough attention. For example, all the analysts follow industrial capacity utilization. But almost no one follows the trends in capacity itself – except us. That’s why we were able to discover that during this last recession (which of course still may be going on), manufacturing capacity actually shrunk in absolute terms for only the second time since the end of WW2! Indeed, capacity growth has virtually flattened starting about ten years ago. Some of this stagnation of course is due to consolidation at the company level. But clearly much reflects the loss of manufacturing companies and their facilities.

How can you help turn Washington from part of the problem into part of the solution?

1. Take advantage of the information USBIC offers to help strengthen advocacy efforts. USBIC research can help mold builders close the lobbying gap by telling a story that’s more truthful and therefore more convincing.

In fact, USBIC materials genuinely educate policymakers by making points they haven’t already heard.

2. Another major key to successful advocacy is con-sistency. Owners of smaller businesses like mold builders simply can’t stay in touch with the Washington staffs of their Senators and House Members in the kind of ongoing fashion needed to establish the strong relationships crucial to real effectiveness. But companies like yours can get in touch with state and local House and Senate staff and buttonhole the lawmakers on their visits home. Invite them to visit your shop.

page 9 u

In fact, trade deficit reduction can generate growth even if domestic demand begins to fall again. After all, it would enable us to supply the remaining demand from domestic production and companies like the AMBA members – than from foreign production, which adds nothing to US Gross Domestic Product or job creation.


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9www.amba.org

3. Collectively, each AMBA chapter may represent a good chunk of a Congressional district’s economic and tax base. House members and their staffs need to hear this constantly, including at business meals and company tours. The effects can be magnified if AMBA chapters link up with other groups of manufacturers. NTMA is one obvious example, since membership overlap already exists.

4. Networking also can range beyond the manufacturing community. Many AMBA members also are members of other local business and civic groups, including chambers of commerce, Lions, Rotary, Kiwanis Clubs and the like. All these groups should be mobilized behind the domestic manufacturing cause and added wherever possible to communications with local Congressional and Senate offices. After all, these groups have a big stake in domestic industry’s health, too. USBIC staff is available to speak before these organizations’ meetings.

5. AMBA can help strengthen the domestic manufact-uring movement by boosting its own membership. Numbers matter big-time in politics; the more members an organization boasts, the more attention it tends to get. Just as important, a bigger, more effective AMBA means

a bigger, even more effective USBIC speaking on behalf of all domestic manufacturers with an even stronger voice.

Of course, this is a formidable agenda. But when has that ever stopped a domestic manufacturer worth his or her salt? The economy’s ongoing woes and the approach of an election year represent a major opportunity to advance our interests, promote real recovery and strengthen our country’s future prospects. Mold builders have shown that in business, a smart strategy and a can-do attitude can move mountains. The same ingredients can bring big payoffs in politics and policy too.

Alan Tonelson is a research fellow at the US Business and Industry Council, a national business organizat-ion founded in 1933, which currently represents nearly 2,000 small- and medium-sized domestic manufacturers. A contributor to the Council’s manufacturing and econ-omics website www.AmericanEconomicAlert.org, Tonelson also writes and speaks widely on manufacturing and related subjects and is the author of The Race to the Bottom (Westview Press, 2002). He can be reached at atonelson.aol.com.

t page 7

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The AMBA Business Forecast Survey was developed to provide AMBA members with informationon the current business conditions and a projection of the upcoming months. The Fall 2011Survey resulted a response rate of 37% from AMBA members. Business remains "Good"for 49% of the respondents, and for 29% of the respondents it is "Excellent."

AMBA Fall 2011 Business Forecast Survey Results

AMBA Members Current Business Conditions

49%

19%

3%0%

29%

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Bad

Projection of Business Over the Next 3 Months

30%

4%

0%14%

52%IncreaseSubstantially

IncreaseModerately

Remain theSame

DecreaseModerately

DecreaseSubstantially

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Up Same Down

Current Level of Business in Last 3 Months

Quoting

Shipments

Backlog

Profits

Employment

Current Work-Week Hours

49 48

0

10

20

30

40

50

Wor

k H

ours

Average Shop Hours Average Design & Engineering Hours

Current Number Plant Employees

256

0

10

20

30

40

50

Pla

nt E

mpl

oyee

s

Average Shop Employees Average Design & Engineering Employees

Do you export molds?

58%

42%

Yes

No

If "Yes", how many molds do you export annually?

71%

16%13%

1 through 5

6 through10

More than10

their shops had decreased compared to 28 percent in the Summer survey, so it appears with increased workloads, employment levels also are taking a good jump.

But, the mold manufacturing industry still needs good, skilled workers. “We currently see a need to attract young people into this trade,” commented one respondent.

Work week hours held steady from the Summer survey at 49 hours for shop employees and 48 for design and engineering employees in the Fall survey. With shop employment showing such an increase in many of the respondents’ companies, the average number of shop employees increased substantially, up to 25 from 22 in the Summer survey. Design and engineering employees were down by one in the Summer survey to an average of four, and up by two to an average of six in the Fall survey, which reveals a good bit of hiring during the past quarter.

The survey included questions about companies that export molds, and the Fall survey revealed that almost half of the respondents export molds to other countries (42 percent). Of those who export molds, 69 percent export them directly from their facilities, while the remainder of the respondents send the molds to their US-based OEM and let it handle the exporting to its foreign facilities.

Of those who export molds, 71 percent export 1-5 molds annually; 16 percent export 6-10 molds and 13 percent export more than 10 molds per year. This would indicate that building molds bound for molding facilities in foreign countries represents a fair amount of business for those 42 percent who export finished molds.

The results of the American Mold Builders Association (AMBA) Fall Business Forecast Survey show that business conditions remain steady for the mold manufacturing industry. Current business conditions remain between Good – Excellent for 78 percent of the respondents, the same as the Summer 2011 survey.

Projections of their company’s business conditions over the next quarter have the majority of respondents at 82 percent optimistic, expecting business to either remain the same (52 percent) or increase moderately (30 percent). None of the respondents to the Fall survey are currently seeing bad business conditions, nor do any of them see any substantial decrease in business over the fourth quarter of 2011.

Most of the business activities also held constant from the Summer survey, quoting the Same for 53 percent of the respondents, and up for 27 percent. Shipments of completed molds are up or the same for 92 percent of the respondents. Backlog is up for 40 percent of the respondents and the same for 42 percent, which continues to support a good book of business for companies responding to the AMBA Fall survey.

“Quoting is still good,” commented one respondent, “but pricing remains competitive - still no good profit margins.”

Despite that comment, profits continue to hold up, with 84 percent of the respondents saying that profits are up or the same in the third quarter as the second quarter. Employment among respondents’ shops saw a nice bump upwards with 38 percent reporting an increase in the number of employees in the third quarter compared to only a 2 percent increase in the Summer survey. 55 percent reported that employment levels remained the same. Only 7 percent of the respondents reported that employment at

The AMBA Business Forecast Survey was developed to provide AMBA members with informationon the current business conditions and a projection of the upcoming months. The Fall 2011Survey resulted a response rate of 37% from AMBA members. Business remains "Good"for 49% of the respondents, and for 29% of the respondents it is "Excellent."

AMBA Fall 2011 Business Forecast Survey Results

AMBA Members Current Business Conditions

49%

19%

3%0%

29%

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Bad

Projection of Business Over the Next 3 Months

30%

4%

0%14%

52%IncreaseSubstantially

IncreaseModerately

Remain theSame

DecreaseModerately

DecreaseSubstantially

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Up Same Down

Current Level of Business in Last 3 Months

Quoting

Shipments

Backlog

Profits

Employment

Current Work-Week Hours

49 48

0

10

20

30

40

50

Wor

k H

ours

Average Shop Hours Average Design & Engineering Hours

Current Number Plant Employees

256

0

10

20

30

40

50

Pla

nt E

mpl

oyee

s

Average Shop Employees Average Design & Engineering Employees

Do you export molds?

58%

42%

Yes

No

If "Yes", how many molds do you export annually?

71%

16%13%

1 through 5

6 through10

More than10

MarketTrends

Business Conditions Remain Steady for Mold Industry

11www.amba.org

The majority (58 percent) of the respondents who do not engage in exporting activity, say that it is either too much trouble to export (10 percent) or that their OEM customers export the molds. Comments on why US moldmakers don’t engage in exporting more of their molds range from “no current need as we have ample local business” to “no opportunity to do so.”

Some just feel they lack the knowledge. “We’re not educated on how to export and find customers outside the US,” commented one respondent. Another noted, “I am interested but it seems like a mountain that requires more time than I have.”

Another respondent who exports molds commented, “Exporting is a total nightmare, but we have to do it.”


Focus

Exporting is big business, but most mold manufacturers don’t engage in much export business primarily because they don’t deal with many manufacturers outside the US. Also, they are reluctant to engage in exporting because of the complex rules and regulations that must be adhered to when shipping products outside the US.

According to the latest figures from the International Trade Administration (ITA), the US tool, die and industrial mold industry is comprised of approximately 6,300 small- and medium-sized businesses that manufacture highly customized tools, dies and molds for use with machine tools and other types of production machinery. Many of these tool and die manufacturers are small ‘mom and pop shops’ that have been deeply affected by the current economic crisis.

Exports of tools, dies and mold shipments totaled $1.31 billion in 2008, an increase of 11.8 percent from 2007 figures of $1.17 billion. Mexico, Canada, Germany and China remain the top four markets for US exporters. Brazil and Singapore saw jumps of 54.7 percent and 40.9 percent respectively as US manufacturers seek out and capitalize on opportunities in new export markets.

Conversely, 2008 imports were valued at $4.78 billion, an 18.6 percent decrease from 2007 figures of $5.88 billion. Japan held the top spot with 39 percent market share, Canada with 18 percent, the Netherlands with 13 percent and Germany at 7 percent.

The primary factor affecting the small number of exports of molds to foreign countries is the fact that the industry tends to be comprised of small, family-owned businesses

that are accustomed to serving nearby manufacturers or at least US-based OEMs. They don’t have the internal knowledge that it takes to be a major exporter and operating in a globalized marketplace. For that reason, US companies supply approximately 70 percent of the domestic demand for industrial tools, dies and molds, says the ITA report.

Additionally, although the US tooling sub-sector is world-class in terms of skill and ingenuity, it is not particularly competitive in the world market, notes the ITA report. “US producers are at a significant competitive disadvantage as a result of high labor costs and a lack of access to inexpensive capital.”

However, US tool builders do export products, but shops that are the most successful in exporting are those that produce high-end, sophisticated tooling. The advantage they hold is likely to evaporate as lower cost countries continue to acquire the skills and equipment necessary to compete.

Top Countries of Origin for US Imports of Molds (2nd Quarter 2011)

Austria$4,313,174

2%

France$3,290,951

1%Japan

$35,448,95113%

Canada$114,640,810

42%

Portugal$1,930,323

1%

Korea, South$15,883,044

6%

Germany$18,485,330

7%

Taiwan$8,773,715

3%

Italy$14,856,220

6%China

$51,256,85619%

Canada

Germany

Austria

Korea, South

China

Taiwan

Italy

France

Japan

Portugal

Exporting Molds: What You Need to Know

By Clare Goldsberry

13www.amba.org

page 14 u

The best opportunities for US tool, die and mold manufacturers are in developing industrial markets, such as China, Brazil, India and Mexico. US firms typically have been quite active in the Mexican market and the domestic capacity for China to service its tooling needs remains insufficient, states the ITA report.

Mexico continues to present good opportunities for mold manufacturers. There are literally hundreds of molding facilities, primarily OEM proprietary molding plants, and a dearth of mold manufacturers in Mexico.

Jim Meinert, president of Meinert Market Services, (www.meinertmarketservices.com) has been involved in exporting molds for many years, starting when he was with Snider Mold. Meinert has exported molds to a number of countries both near (Mexico and Central America) and far (South Africa), and believes that any mold company that does business with a multi-national company needs to understand exporting.

“I’ve always encouraged people to export their products, but there’s reluctance on the part of many to get involved,” said Meinert. “I think it’s a fear of the unknown, uncertainty about different cultures, and it’s long term. It sometimes takes a year to get a job from a company in another country, and it takes travel. Many people don’t want to be running around the world in hopes of getting business, and it’s more dangerous now. But, I just did two pallet molds for a customer in Mexico and I handled it from my office in Wisconsin and shipped it. I also have a good customer

in South Africa and am currently redesigning a new pallet mold for them.”

Meinert often took advantage of trade missions that were sponsored by the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) as a way to get acquainted with the manufacturing environment in a particular country. Trade missions to places such as Mexico and China were a valuable way to introduce mold manufacturing firms to opportunities and the culture of a country.

Exporting – 10 steps to engaging in exporting molds Jim Meinert offers the following steps to mold manu-facturers wanting to participate in exporting molds:

• Assess the needs of the potential market; identify potential customers. [Often those customers are US OEMs that have global manufacturing facilities – a good place to start.]

• Assess your own capability to meet those needs.

• Identify the required tools – technology, finances, regulatory expertise – to help you with the exporting process.

• Begin to match your specific capabilities to specific needs.

• Lay the groundwork for an initial meeting with the client.

• Hold the first face-to-face meeting – this is very important especially if you are dealing directly with a

foreign-based company.

• Focus on the ‘soft’ side of the business relationship, the cultural and philosophical differences. Assess the meeting’s results.

• Hold a second face-to-face meeting to discuss specific business relationships and to agree on follow-up.

• Implement the sales or partnership agreement.

• After an agreed-upon period, evaluate the arrangement, analyze the lesson learned and review the experience for its applicability to other markets.

Top Countries of Destination for US Exports of Molds

(2nd Quarter 2011)

France$1,522,491

1%

Brazil$3,099,380

2%

Singapore$1,619,884

1%

Canada$41,196,610

27%

Malaysia$808,159

1%Germany

$3,789,9122%

China$5,624,670

4%

United Kingdom$2,623,099

2%

Mexico$90,996,924

60%

India$660,723

0%

Mexico

China

Germany

UnitedKingdom

Malaysia

Canada

Brazil

France

Singapore

India


Focus

According to Roger S. Cohen, president of Cohen International (www.rogercohen.com), an import/export consulting firm, “Exporting your firm’s products provides a valuable opportunity for growth. It takes a special approach however, to successfully access foreign markets.” (Cohen has written “Tips for Successful Exporters,” in which he provides some sound advice for companies seeking to export their products, which can be found at his website.)

“I’m seeing more importing than exporting, yet the high exchange rates are now favorable for us to export,” he noted in an interview. “When you’re selling [to foreign companies] that’s your advantage and people need to take advantage of it.”

Insufficient access to finance is one of the major barriers to exporting identified by US small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), reports the US International Trade Commission (USITC) in its report of July 15, 2010, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises: US and EU Export Activities, and Barriers and Opportunities Experiences by US Firms. (Resources: A Basic Guide to Exporting, www.export.gov/basicguide and www.ita.doc.gov)

Cohen concurs with that assessment. “When you get an order from an overseas company, you sometimes need working capital to build the mold, and in many cases you have to borrow that money,” he said. “Often small companies don’t have the resources to get the loan, so rather than borrowing the money the lender gets a guarantee from the US government and the credit is drawn against the customer. If you have a written order and are satisfied that the customer has good credit and there is a high expectation they will pay you, the Small Business Administration (SBA) will guarantee the loan as high as 90 percent. You only need to come up with 10 percent of the working capital. There’s a fee and some interest to be paid, but if your pricing is good you can build that into the price of your product.”

Meinert said that the best advice he can offer moldmakers is to “Take the leap, become an international marketer and enjoy the experience, the enrichment and finally the financial rewards that will ultimately result.”

t page 13

15www.amba.org

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From hard chrome to diamonds

Hard chrome may be the answer if the mold will be molding very intricate parts using glass-filled materials. Its main advantage is that it offers a tough 72 Rockwell hardness and is applied at a very low temperature, providing great protection from corrosion and abrasion. Hard chrome also provides the ability to achieve any SPI finish. However, hard chrome can be costly, especially if the parts are very intricate and detailed, because it requires the construction of an anode to apply it. The more intricate the part, the longer and more involved the construction of the anode, which also means a higher price. For very high wear conditions that even hard chrome cannot effectively protect, consider using diamond-chrome. With a Rockwell hardness of 85+, this chromium matrix diamond composite coating boasts a high dispersion of nanometer-sized, spherical diamond particles. It is these diamond particles that give this coating its impressive ability to offer superior abrasion protection.

A noted benefit is that diamond-chrome will not compromise the integrity of the tool like other, similar products on the market because it is applied at a very low temperature (about 130 degrees F). Plus, it will plate all commonly used tool steels evenly when they are heat-treated, nitrided or pre-hardened. Diamond-chrome is easily strippable with the use of reverse electrolysis in a caustic solution and can be deposited in any controlled thickness, from 20 millionths of an inch to 0.001 inches. Add to that its coefficient of friction (COF), which measures 0.15 against steel, and one can see it offers great release properties.

The first step in choosing the best coating for a mold is to assess the needs and ask the right questions: • What kind of material is being molded? • What kind of steel is the mold built from? • How intricate is the part or parts being molded? • How many cycles is the mold expected to perform during its lifetime? • What are the tolerances expected?

Technology

The Ins and Outs of Coatings for Better Mold Performance

Electroless nickel for corrosion protection

Choosing the right coating for better mold performance can be a challenge, especially with all the choices available today. This article will provide readers with solid

information on which to base their choices.

17www.amba.org

Coatings for aluminum

As the use of aluminum tooling for injection molding continues to gain in popularity, plating aluminum tooling also should be discussed. As with traditional tool steels, there are questions that should be asked prior to plating the mold: What is the final finish required so that the tool may be plated for better part release? Does it require a paper finish, a diamond finish or perhaps a light bead blast? What is required to prevent corrosion and wear?

Besides extended tool life, the manufacturer may also wish to maintain a certain gloss level on the aluminum tooling due to molding decorative parts. For example, electroless nickel is recommended because it will help maintain the surface finish longer, producing decorative parts with relative ease. Because aluminum is soft, abrasion from the plastic can break it down and alter the resulting gloss level of the molded parts if the aluminum is left uncoated. Electroless nickel adds a 50 Rockwell hardness that will protect and extend the gloss or texture on the mold’s surface.

In addition, electroless nickel can obtain a much better quality surface finish than aluminum can by itself with a surface preparation that is required before the tooling can be plated. For example, to get a lens-quality finish, it is recommended that one first brings the aluminum up to an SPI A-3 surface finish, and then apply 0.0003 – 0.0005 high phosphorous electroless nickel before further polishing it to achieve a diamond quality finish.

This process also offers a tremendous time and cost savings in other ways. Often, aluminum brings with it various imperfections that are not always visible with the naked eye but can be very detectable on molded parts, resulting in wasted material and back-to-the-bench time to analyze and

correct the problem. Electroless nickel will help to smooth over and minimize these imperfections before the tool is put into production.

Because electroless nickel is deposited uniformly on all surfaces, it will fully envelope the part and include all tapped holes, dowel pin holes, etc., and will actually improve the structural integrity of the aluminum tooling. Another plus is that an electroless nickel application will not compromise the aluminum properties because it is applied at a low temperature of 180 degrees F.

Other coatings work equally well on aluminum tooling, depending on what production characteristics are required.

Nibore for release and corrosion protection

Diamond chrome for abrasion protection from glass- or mineral-filled material

page 18 u


t page 17

Technology

Nickel-boron nitride

For superior release properties and better protection against wear, heat and corrosion, an electroless nickel-phosphorus matrix containing boron nitride particles is recommended. Called Nibore® (nickel-boron nitride), its COF measures 0.05 and its hardness rating is higher than nickel-PTFE at 54 RC. This technology makes it ideal for unscrewing cores for closures where reduced cycle times are essential. An added benefit (and quite unique) is that the hardness rating can be increased to 67 RC if the tool is heat treated at 500 degrees F.

Nibore can be applied to any substrate at only 185 F and can be easily stripped without compromising the base material. Though it is a bit more expensive than nickel-PTFE, it will outperform nickel-PTFE at up to 1250 degrees F, which far surpasses the 550 degrees F maximum limit for all PTFE-based coatings.

Nibore requires no anode for its application. Rather, it is an autocatalytic process. It saves time and money, and it will not compromise the thermal conductivity of the tool.

Masking is being applied before plating.

Obtaining excellent release

When excellent release is the main objective, Nicklon®(Nickel-PTFE) can fill the bill. With a COF as low as 0.10, it can greatly improve part release and even enhance resin flow by as much as four to eight percent over other coating options. This, of course, is due to the PTFE, but applying PTFE alone is not the answer because it will wear down. It has no hardness. But create a dispersion of 25 percent PTFE by volume in an electroless nickel co-deposit and a 45 Rockwell hardness for corrosion and wear protection is an added benefit, not to mention the excellent release properties. Consider applying Nicklon on zero draft cores, deep ribs and textured surfaces. It also can solve the problem of sticky polymers.

These tips should provide a good starting point when considering what mold coatings to choose for optimal mold production. More importantly, nearly any objective can be achieved by dealing with a knowledgeable coatings specialist who knows his way around the many options available.

The AMBA would like to thank Bales Mold Service for contributing this article. For more information, contact Harry Raimondi at Bales Mold Service at [email protected] or 630.852.4665.

Working with a knowledgeable plating vendor will ensure that the right plating material is applied correctly and that molds will perform

optimally. Here, electroless nickel plating is being applied to aluminum by Bales Mold Service.

19www.amba.orgDW Sales

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Technology

High pressureHigh or inconsistent pressure can burn material and create silver streaks on the parts. One of the most common causes for high pressure is incorrect nozzle orifice size. To remedy this, start by ensuring the molding machine nozzle radius is the same size as the nozzle seat radius of the manifold. Proper sizing prevents material “drooling” and creates a leak-proof seal. Adjusting the machine nozzle orifice to match will drop the pressure and allow more material flow, thereby fixing the burning and streaking problems.

Material leakageLeakage occurs between the molding machine nozzle tip and the seat of the hot runner system if they are not properly centered. An easy way to check nozzle centering is to put a sheet of paper between the nozzle tip and the seat. Move the barrel forward so the nozzle tip touches the seat and look for a clean circle cut in the paper. Make adjustments to the molding machine carriage as needed.

Burrs on the manifoldPlastic leaks caused by burrs on the manifold are the result of improper hot runner startup, a common error. Molders in a rush turn on all zones of the manifold at the same time. The nozzles heat up fast and then snug up to the manifold, which is still heating up to operating temperature and needs room to expand. To avoid this problem, heat the manifold

Hot Runner Troubleshooting Keeping your System in Top Condition

By Craig Kovacic, DME Company

first to allow expansion. Once it’s up to temperature, a green light will appear on the controls. Then turn on the nozzle zones.

Improper start-up won’t cause problems right away. But after about six months, a burr will develop and a damaged manifold is inevitable. This is especially true if using a seal ring on the nozzle heads.

Extruding with the mold openA hot runner system must start full of material in order to operate. However, some molding machines are not built to extrude plastic with the mold open, making pre-filling difficult. If that’s the case, use the following process to pre-fill the hot runner system:

• Close the mold • Jog the screw forward • Open the mold and look for plastic.

Repeat this process until plastic starts coming through the gates. Once plastic is visible, clear the gates and mold surfaces of material and start molding.

Material sticking after start-upIf material sticks to the mold at the start of the day, it’s because material was left in the system and it degraded

Hot runners are continuing to grow in popularity as more and more moldmakers realize their cost-saving potential. Not only do these systems reduce material costs, they also offer many other efficiencies and benefits as well, such as minimizing lead times and increasing production speed and process efficiencies.

However, hot runners are only as good as they are allowed to be. To keep them functioning at their maximum potential, a moldmaker needs to have a proper understanding of how they work and how to fix problems that arise. The following is a list of troubleshooting pointers that will help with some of the most common hot runner issues.

A proper understanding of your hot runner system can help you avoid or correct serious problems.

21www.amba.org

overnight. This problem is especially prominent when working with heat-sensitive material such as nylon. When this happens, heat up the nozzles to compensate for loss of heat soak. Remember to turn the temperature back down to normal process temperature after about five minutes to avoid overheating the material.

Eliminate this problem completely by purging the system with a commodity material such as polypropylene or polystyrene at shut-down.

Material gas-offHot runners often are blamed for material gas-off incor-rectly. Most service calls for material gas-off reveal that the molding machine is not set to the material manufacturer’s recommendations and the material is over-heating, causing hot runner problems.

Materials often have so many additives that no one can know all the correct machine settings and critical material gas-off temperatures without documentation. Previous experience working with some nylons, for example, may not help when using a different nylon material.

Spitting/bubbling plastic or gas from the nozzle tipsSome will utilize the hot runner to melt the plastic. A hot runner system is an extension of the machine barrel; it’s meant to keep melt flow the same as it enters the mold. If hot runners are used to get all the material up to temperature, many problems will occur. Gases won’t free-off, and spitting or bubbling plastics and/or gas coming out of the nozzle tips will occur. In addition, material residence time may be increased because the material is too hot going into the mold.

Additional pointersKeep in mind that it’s difficult to produce a perfectly flat thermal profile from the entrance of a hot runner system to the tip of each nozzle assembly. Some hot runner systems get close, but there are times when resins require a drop in temperature right at the gate to prevent drooling or stringing.Also, remember that flow rate and injection speed have great effects on resin processing, as well as on color changes. It’s not uncommon to have hot runner system designs that work perfectly with one resin, but not another. A small tweak to the thermal profile will usually correct these problems. No matter what hot runner solution a designer chooses, the intended resin and molded part application should be considered.

Hot runner systems were created out of a need to do things better, faster and at a lower cost. And when they’re working properly, they do just that. With a proper understanding of the hot runner system being utilized and a little troubleshooting know-how, a moldmaker will be able to experience all the advantages of a hot runner long into the future.

Craig Kovacic is the hot runner service center manager at DME Company. For additional information and tips, visit www.dme.net/hotrunner.

Leakage occurs between the molding machine nozzle tip and the seat of the hot runner system if they are not properly centered.

When a critical tool is out of commission, productivity is lost and production schedules can be threatened.


Association

A year has passed since Tim Bartz (co-owner, AMBA member company Mold Craft, Inc., Willernie, MN) heard the stories of young Marines returning early from 6-month tours in Afghanistan with severe injuries. The returning Marines were members of the 3rd Battalion 5th Marines based at Camp Pendleton, CA. The 3/5 is an infantry unit made up of about 800 men that were deployed to the Sangin district in the Helmand Province in the Fall of 2010.

Tim learned of the high injury and casualty count from friend and colleague Bob Byers, whose son Will was a member of the 3/5. The 3/5 suffered the highest injury and casualty count in the 10-year Afghan war. Many of these Marines returned as single, double and triple amputees as a result of injuries inflicted by IEDs (improvised explosive devices). When asked by Tim what he could do to help, Bob suggested care packages for the Marines recovering at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego. Tim was moved to do more. He decided to challenge other AMBA members to match the $400 he and co-owner Justin McPhee had donated. His idea was to purchase iPads for the injured Marines to help them stay in touch with family, friends and fellow Marines during their long months of reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation at the hospital. Over the next two weeks donations rolled in and nearly $10,000 was raised by AMBA members and partners. The money was used to purchase iPads, carrying cases, earbuds and iTunes® cards for all 15 Marines.

The iPads were personally engraved with the name of each individual Marine. In March 2011 Tim, his wife and their son traveled to Balboa Naval Hospital to distribute the gifts. The following month, three other AMBA members, Steve Rotman; Ameritech Die & Mold, Robbie Earnhardt; Superior Tooling, and Scott Phipps; United Tool & Mold traveled to Washington D.C. to deliver iPads to two additional Marines at Bethesda and Walter Reed Medical Center. All of those involved were moved by the Marines’ positive attitudes and uplifting spirits.

Over the past few months, a non-profit organization and website have been set up called www.iWarriors.org. Visit the website to read more about the 5th Marines and make a donation to this program. Also visit the iWarriors Facebook page for updates on the 5th Marines. With continued support from AMBA and its members, the hope is to raise funds to outfit every Marine amputee with an iPad. iWarriors will continue to support all members of the 5th Marines as long as the need is there.

AMBA Legal Resource Program from Schottenstein Zox & Dunn Co., LPA (SZD)

The American Mold Builders Association has partnered with Schottenstein Zox & Dunn Co., LPA (SZD) to bring AMBA members a new Legal Resource Program. Offering legal advice and a host of legal resources on a number of industry-related topics, SZD specializes in meeting its clients’ needs quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively. SZD offers complimentary legal advice (limited) on topics such as contractual disputes, creditors’ rights and bankruptcy issues, employment/HR/immigration, intellectual property (patent, trademark, trade secret and copyright),

AMBA Members Support iWarriors.org

page 24 u

Recuperating wounded

Marines were presented

with iPads purchased with funds raised by

AMBA members.

Tim Bartz on left.

Tim Bartz, Mold Craft, presents an iPad to a wounded Marine at California's Balboa Naval Hospital.

23www.amba.org

• (2) New series of slides

• A total of (18) new sizes

• In stock ready to ship

• CAD files are available on our website

• Call for more information

Proudly madein the USA

OMNI Mold Systems customers have been asking for more size options for our Versa-Slides®.We have listened and are now stocking two new series (45 series) and (55 series).

• The (45 Series) will fill the gap between the 40 and 50 series slides with a 4.375”slide face width.

• The (55 Series) will fill the gap between the 50 and 60 series slides with a 7.125”slide face width.

That’s 18 new sizes in all! No more need to custom build those in between sizes.

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• Basic considerations in developing severance/ separation packages, including OWBPA • WARN Act • Social media issues

To register go to www.amba.org/Webinars.php

2012 AMBA Convention Heads to Grand Rapids, MI – Save the Date!

The convention will kick-off on Wednesday, May 16, with ample time to drive (or fly) in that morning and attend the first session. The convention will conclude in the early afternoon on Friday, May 18, to end the work week. Spread out over fewer days, the 2012 convention will actually provide more value-add programming than

Association

joint venture and sales arrangements with domestic or foreign partners, mergers and acquisitions, real estate (leases, property acquisition or development), restrictive covenants (non-compete agreements), wage and hour matters, workers’ compensation claims and more.

In addition to the complimentary legal advice, SZD offers AMBA members special set rates and fixed fees on items such as terms and conditions review and confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements. SZD also offers a wealth of advice and information through timely podcasts and relevant webinars, monthly online articles addressing the latest legal needs and opportunities and timely updates of the most recent inventions patented throughout the industry. To take advantage of this new program, simply fill out the short form (online in ‘My AMBA’ at www.amba.org) when the need arises and fax or email to the AMBA. Shortly thereafter, you will be contacted by an SZD associate who can address your particular question. If you have questions, please call the AMBA at 847.222.9402 or visit ‘My AMBA’ at www.amba.org.

Upcoming Webinar:Hiring and Terminating Employees in Today's Economy

November 16, 2011, 12 - 1pm CT AMBA members - $25; Non-members - $50

Employment at-will is really all but a theory now. Just as there is always a reason to hire a new employee, there will always be a reason to let the employee go. Prior to the current tough economic times, employees who were let go would often find new work quickly and did not want to burn any bridges on the way to their new job. Now, employees are competing more for employment; and employees will fight on the way out the door to keep their jobs or receive compensation. Filing a lawsuit or administrative charge against their employer, even on questionable cases, is something that employees will consider when future job prospects are fewer and farther between. This 60-minute webinar is a refresher on what to do and what not to do when hiring and firing, and will highlight some of the new issues raised with the boom of social media. Paul Bittner of SZD will present the following guidelines during this presentation:

• Things you can and cannot do when terminating employees

t page 22

ever before, including a supplier trade fair. Additionally, the convention will provide several key networking opportunities such as the Welcome Reception on the banks of the Grand River and the time-honored Awards Banquet on the final evening.

“Our goal moving forward with our annual convention is to engage more of our AMBA membership, attract new potential members and continue to drive better content and take-away value,” said AMBA President Mike Armbrust. “We accomplished an integral part of this goal by providing outstanding content to the attendees at our most recent convention in Las Vegas,” Armbrust continued.

25www.amba.org

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PLASTEC Midwest Leads OnlineAMBA exhibited at the PLASTEC Midwest 2011 show, September 20-22, 2011, in Chicago, IL. The AMBA’s purpose when exhibiting is to promote the US mold manufacturing industry, the AMBA, AMBA members and to distribute the AMBA Sourcebook to OEMs and mold purchasers. A qualified list of potential mold buyers has been assembled from the attendees that visited the AMBA booth. Please note: every company on this list also received a copy of the AMBA Sourcebook. This list of leads is presented as an Excel report that includes contact names, email addresses, phone numbers and the comments and notes made by the staff and booth volunteers about each company. This list is available to AMBA members only at “My AMBA” on www.amba.org (navigate to "Trade Show Lead Lists" to download this spreadsheet of trade show leads).

page 26 u

“We’re on an upward trend and it’s going to keep getting better.” Programming is already in the works for the 2012 convention and operational and financial benchmarking are definitely on the schedule! For more information on the 2012 AMBA Convention, visit www.amba.org.


Chapter News

ChicagoThe chapter held a general meeting in conjuction with the TMA on September 29. The speaker for the evening was Alan Tonelson, Research Fellow, for the US Business and Industry Council and one of the foremost economists on domestic manufacturing. The networking hour was sponsored by DMS.

MinnesotaThe chapter held its annual Golf Outing at Oak Glen Gold Course in Stillwater, MN on Thursday 21, 2011. The day was spectacular with sunshine, light winds and mid-80 temperatures! The field of 96 golfers had a great time!

The chapter feels very fortunate to have so many dedicated suppliers coming from all over the upper Midwest helping generate money for the chapter scholarship program. Every year these scholarships go to individuals entering into the moldmaking field. An additional thanks to all the companies that donated golf balls for the event.

The first place team, with a score of 62, was Lynn Bachman; EDM Network, Scott Goal; Sodick Inc.; Chris Norman, Erowa; and Marlow Roberts, ARC.

Best looking team was “Team Progressive” with Glenn Starkey, Linda Starkey, Todd Steinhoff and Mark Casey. Thanks to all the attendees!

West MichiganThe West Michigan chapter of the AMBA held its 4th Annual Golf Outing on August 26th. The prestigious Egypt Valley Country Club in Ada, MI, hosted 92 golfers for an 8:00 am shotgun start. Blue skies and warm weather made the challenging course enjoyable for all, not to mention the sirloin burgers and beer roasted brats afterwards! Many vendors, members and community businesses donated some great prizes for the contests and raffle. Congratulations go out to this year’s winning team from Byrne Tool & Die, featuring Dan Byrne, Tim Warwick and their guests. Other contests included closest to the pin, longest drive and straightest drive, along with the chance to win $10,000 cash or a two-year lease on a new Ford vehicle for a hole in one. Unfortunately, there were no holes-in-one, but the chance to win one of these great prizes made the Par 3s very exciting! The chapter extends a very gracious thank you to all of the participants and those that donated to this event. Raising just under $10,000, the money will be given to scholarship winners next May.

For those that want to get a jump on next year, the 5th Annual West Michigan Chapter Golf Outing will be held on Friday, August 24th. The event again will be held at Egypt Valley Country Club. Mark the date and watch for details throughout the coming months.

The winning team with a score of 58 was (left

to right) Dan Byrne, Byrne Electrical;

Mike Maas, Byrne Electrical; Mike Seay,

Cadillac Engineered Plastics and Tim

Warwick, Byrne Tool.

Associationt page 25

Pictured from left to right: Glenn Marx, Progressive Components; Craig Karman, General Die & Engineering; Al Pike, General Die & Engineering and Shawn Schwartz, Sescoi.

The first place team, with a score of 62, was (left to right) Marlow Roberts, ARC; Scott Goal, Sodick, Inc.; Lynn Bachman, EDM Network; and Chris Norman, Erowa.

The team voted "Best Looking

Team" was "Team Progressive”

with (left to right) Mark Casey,

Glenn Starkey, Linda Starkey

and Todd Steinhoff.

27www.amba.org

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Welcome New Members & Partners

JSP Mold, Milledgeville, ILMichael McDaniel, Plant Manager815.225.7110 ● www.jspmold.comJSP Mold is located west of Chicago in Milledgeville, IL, serving industrial, manufacturing and engineering comp-anies in the Midwest and beyond. Established in 1975, and in1996 became a subsidiary of JSP, North America's premier producer of expanded polypropylene molded. JSP offers design, engineering and manufacturing capabilities in an à la carte selection of tool building, tool repair, CAD/CAM programming, custom parts and short-run production services with a background in the design and manufacture of aluminum tools used in the steam chest molding of expanded foam plastics.

Engis Corporation, Wheeling, ILBill Brennan, Product Specialist847.808.9400 ● www.engis.comEngis Corporation is a leading provider of complete superabrasive finishing solutions for lapping, honing, poli-shing and grinding. With extensive expertise in the science of industrial diamond and related superabrasives, coupled with its three process developments labs, Engis is able to develop leading-edge superabrasive products of superior quality such as diamond slurries, engineered diamond compound and electroplated grind wheels. The company can design and kit out machine tool systems.

GrandRapidsPolishing&Buffing,Inc., Wyoming, MI Ben Bishop, President 616.241.2233 ● www.grpolishing-buffing.comGrand Rapids Polishing & Buffing, Inc. is a metal finishing company that has been family-owned and operated since 1964. Its metal finishing services include deburring, poli-shing and buffing of zinc, steel and aluminum, as well as vapor degreasing and tumble blasting.

Groeditz Steel North America, Schaumburg, IL Thomas Bell, Director of Sales847.873.7396 ● www.stahl-groeditz.de/uk/home.htmlGroeditz Steel North America is the USA office for Schmiedewerke Groditz of Germany. Groeditz produces forged tool, mold and specialty steels.

Gyro, Cincinnati, OH John Dobbs, SVP - Group Account Director513.671.3811 ● www.gyro.comGyro is a full-service integrated marketing communications company 600 creative minds-strong spread across continents, acting as one. United by a single purpose, Gyro produces ideas that ignite.


Question: Where does a mold shop begin to determine if establishing a mold maintenance program is right for its operation?

RW: There are several points to consider, starting with whether it fits into your company’s business plan. Also, it’s important to evaluate the local opportunity. How many current and potential customer facilities are located within a reasonable driving distance from your shop so that picking up and dropping off molds is manageable? Talk to your customers. Is there a need in your area? Evaluate your baseline capabilities.

Question: What baseline capabilities are needed and why?

RW: The most critical baseline capabilities that must be evaluated include personnel and skills. Do you have the staff available to dedicate to mold maintenance services? If you do, are those staff members trained according to standard industry best practices? Keep in mind that mold repair and mold maintenance are two different animals.

Strategies

AMBA recently hosted a webinar titled “Turning Over the Maintenance Rock to Uncover a New Revenue Stream,” co-presented by Randy Winton (RW) of ToolingDocs and AMBA member company Custom Mold & Design (a ToolingDocs Certified Maintenance Provider). The following Q&A forum addresses the topic of a mold maintenance program as a viable path to increasing revenue and developing new customers.

Question: Why is mold maintenance a viable way for mold shops to increase revenues?

RW: The current conditions within most molding facilities – and I’ve assessed many molding operations from all over – point to the fact that they are running very lean, even understaffed, and they do not have the proper equipment that would be required to run an in-house mold maintenance operation. Given that every molder’s mantra is to efficiently produce quality parts on time, they have a vested interest in having a qualified vendor care for their molds so that they can meet or exceed their production goals.

Mold Maintenance for Revenue Generation

Pictured, from left to right, are Tom Caron, VP-Sales; Lester Jones, VP; Mark Morris, General Manager and Keith Katnis, Mold Maintenance Manager of AMBA member company Custom Mold & Design.

The design, cleanliness, organization level and general working atmosphere of the shop where mold maintenance work will be done must be taken into consideration. It will help eliminate unnecessary steps and the frustration of hunting for the right tools to do the job.

29www.amba.org

Mold repair is reactive, and at times performed for no charge, whereas mold maintenance is a proactive service – one that can be marketed as a value-added advantage to customers old and new that will help keep their molds running optimally and profitably.

Other baseline capabilities include shop equipment, shop rates (What will you charge?) and documentation practices. Does your shop have a comprehensive Electronic Maintenance Management System in place? You cannot run an effective mold maintenance program without a proper system to collect and use historical data as a tool to understand, discover, target and measure continuous improvement solutions through the run/repair cycle.

Question: If a company decides to implement a mold maintenance program, how can it market this new service to customers?

RW: Marketing is essential and can take the form of press releases, newsletter and magazine articles, email marketing, brochures and more. ToolingDocs’ CMP program includes assistance with marketing to help launch the program and this incorporates assistance with initial sales calls.

Randy Winton is the global assessment and training manager for ToolingDocs. For more information about the Certified Maintenance Provider program, email [email protected] or call 419.281.0790.

Mold Maintenance for Revenue Generation

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To implement an effective mold maintenance program, it’s important to have dedicated personnel available that are trained

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Maintenance Center during a certification training class.


Steps for Successful Succession Planning Steps for Successful Succession Planning

Patrick F. McNally, Blackman Kallick

Strategies

Y ou’ve put a lot of effort into starting and growing your business and it has provided for you and your family throughout your career. But how will the

business provide for you after you retire? It is not an easy question to answer. Behind that question are many others: When will I retire? What do I want out of retirement? What does my spouse want? How much money do I need for retirement? Is my business worth enough to make me financially secure in retirement? Is the right management in place to run my business? Will my children carry on my business or will I sell? What about income, payroll and estate taxes? Where do I even start?

The answers to these questions are a jumble of personal, family, financial and business decisions. The analysis can be complex and since no one can predict the future, the decisions must be made in the face of uncertainty. It is little wonder that faced with this seemingly overwhelming task, many business owners continually put off succession planning. But the sooner you start, the more flexibility and options you will have. Understanding the questions you need to ask yourself, where to find the answers and where to start can make the job of succession planning a lot less overwhelming.

Successful succession planning starts with your goals. Know what you want and what you will do in retirement. Many business owners have looked forward to retirement only to find themselves unhappy six months after retiring. Do you want to retire or is your work your passion? Discuss your plans with your spouse. If you don’t plan together, you might find yourself at odds after you retire. More than one business owner has retired at 65 only to be divorced by 70.

Once you identify your goals for retirement, you need to determine your financial resources. For most business owners, their business makes up the bulk of their net worth – yet they don’t know what it is worth! Get a valuation of your business now. If the business is worth less than

you think, you will have more time to react. In addition to telling you how much your business is worth, a business valuation can highlight steps you can take to increase the value of your business. If the business is worth more than you think, you might retire earlier or decide that you can redeploy some of your assets outside the business today. A business valuation also can be used to implement tax-saving strategies.

Valuing a business is a complex undertaking that requires training, experience and access to data sources that most business owners do not have. Don’t try to take shortcuts. Hire a professional who specializes in valuing businesses.

You also need to determine how much you need for the retirement you have planned. This is another complex undertaking. It is impacted by many things, including the economy, investment markets, yours and your spouse’s

health and life ex-pectancy and what you want out of retirement. Again,

don’t take shortcuts. Hire a professional experienced in financial planning. The sooner you do the better. Based on your current assets and goals if it looks like you will not have sufficient assets for the retirement you want, you will have more time to plan. Perhaps you can improve the value of your business. Maybe you can delay your retirement or change your goals for retirement. If, on the other hand, you discover that you are better positioned financially than you thought, you might move up your retirement or decide you can afford more in retirement than you thought. For example, maybe a second home is an option. The sooner you know, the more time you have to react.

You also need to talk to the rest of your family. You might be planning for your son to take over the business, but have you asked him if he wants to run the business? I have worked with business owners who have held on to a business because they thought their children wanted to take over, only to find that they could have retired sooner because their children did not want to run the business.

"Where do I even start?"

31www.amba.org

Steps for Successful Succession Planning

If your child does want to run the business, does he have the necessary skills and drive to do it? This is especially important if you will be looking to the business as a continuing stream of income in your retirement. I have seen retirements ruined and family bonds strained when ill-prepared offspring have taken over the family business. Be sure your children want to be responsible for your retirement and that they have what it takes. Ask!

Taxes also can be an important driver in succession planning. The current law allows a $5,000,000 lifetime gift exemption per person and a $5,000,000 estate exemption per person, less the amount of the $5,000,000 lifetime exemption used. Therefore, a husband and wife can currently transfer up to $10,000,000 to their children without incurring an estate or gift tax. However, the current law expires December 31, 2012. As the law is currently written, for years 2013 and beyond, the lifetime gift exemption drops to $1,000,000 per person and the lifetime estate tax exemption drops to $1,000,000 per person. There is a good chance the law will be rewritten at some point in the future, but no one knows what that law will look like. The limits might very well be substantially lower than they are today.

There is currently an opportunity to transfer assets and avoid estate and gift taxes, but that opportunity could

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go away when the law changes. Unfortunately, where proper succession planning is not undertaken, businesses must sometimes be sold in order to pay estate taxes when an owner dies, taking the business out of the family. Sometimes, business owners do not undertake succession planning out of fear of losing control of the business or not having enough assets for retirement. However, proper succession planning can allow you to maintain control of the business while reducing your exposure to estate and gift taxes. Not only will proper estate planning reduce the amount of taxes paid, but it will increase the likelihood of the business staying in the family for future generations.

Succession planning seems at first like a daunting task. However, when broken down into the right-sized steps, it is not quite as overwhelming. A professional experienced in succession planning can make the task easier and be certain you are maximizing your retirement. You might even find that you like planning how you and your family will enjoy the wealth your business has created!

Patrick F. McNally, MBA, CPA, ABV, CFF is partner in charge, corporate finance consulting, for Blackman Kallick in Chicago. Contact him at 312.980.2934 or via email at [email protected].


Flambeau Acquires Mastercraft Mold & Polycraft Industries

Arle Rawlings, founder and owner of Mastercraft Mold and Polycraft Indu-stries (aka Mastercraft Companies), Phoenix, AZ, recently sold his business to Flambeau Inc., a member of the Nordic Group of Companies. Rawlings was a moldmaker by trade, founding Mastercraft Mold in 1968. In the early 1980s, he founded Polycraft Ind-ustries, a custom injection

molding company. He put both companies under the umbrella of Mastercraft Companies. Mastercraft had evolved over the past decade to become approximately 70 percent medical in its contract manufacturing operations. The company’s customer base includes some well-known Fortune 500 medical OEMs in the device, diagnostics and instrumentation manufacturing. According to Jason Sauey, president and CEO of Flambeau Inc., “They (Mastercraft Companies) have a nice presence and good foundation in the medical market, which gives us a good platform on which to build.” Mastercraft Mold brings a different level of expertise in building high-volume, multi-cavity precision molds for small parts. “While we can make complex molds, the parts and products Flambeau has made have typically been larger than those produced by Mastercraft. With the Mastercraft purchase we will have an ability to serve a full range of size requirements for our customer and market interests on a turnkey basis,” Sauey said, adding that Flambeau management plans to develop a Tooling Technologies Group that will encompass both the Phoenix and Baraboo, WI, locations. Rawlings will serve as a director on Flambeau’s Board, among other duties that have yet to be determined. For more information on Flambeau, Inc., visit www.flambeau.com.

Alpha Star Tool & Mold Earns ISO Certification

In a record five months, family-owned Alpha Star Tool & Mold, Inc., Crystal Lake, IL, obtained ISO 9001:2008

registration, allowing the company to diversify its customer base and do business with major corporations. Alpha Star Tool and Mold is a manufacturer of high-end precision tooling and molds. Like other small manufacturers fighting to adapt to the economic downturn, the company knew that building a diversified customer base from consumer goods and laboratory equipment to aerospace and energy products was essential. According to Vice President Matt Thurow, the business started by his parents in 1988 is a “well-oiled machine, highly respected in its industry.” To achieve its goals, Alpha Star looked to the credibility only an ISO registration could bring. Seeking assistance from US Representative Donald Manzullo, the IMEC and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (to help obtain a grant for partial funding), Alpha Star worked diligently to meet the five-month completion date stipulated by the grant. IMEC quality specialists worked with Alpha Star to document its existing processes to conform to ISO 9001:2008 procedures, and prepared company leaders to conduct their own internal audits. With the certification in hand, Alpha Star is now equipped to approach larger companies and plans to pursue additional quality registrations in the future. For more information on Alpha Star Tool & Mold, visit www.alphastartoolandmold.com.

Custom Mold & Design Earns ToolingDocs Certification

ToolingDocs, a leading authority on mold maintenance, announces that Custom Mold & Design (New Hope, MN) has recently achieved certification in the new Certified Maintenance Provider (CMP) program.

“All mold builders perform repair work, typically only for molds that they have built,” explains ToolingDocs Global Training Manager Randy Winton. “However, an increasing number are pursuing maintenance as a lead strategy for new business growth. To assist, ToolingDocs developed this unique program.” Tom Caron, vice president of sales for Custom Mold & Design, said, “We didn’t have a comprehensive plan in place that addresses common issues that come up for our customers. It’s not easily recallable. This certification helps us stay on the cutting edge of technology to align ourselves with customers.”

Industry

Arle Rawlings, founder and owner of Mastercraft Mold and Polycraft

Industries (aka Mastercraft Companies), Phoenix, AZ

33www.amba.org

Plastics Processing Solutions at PLASTEC West

Slated to take place February 14-16, 2012, at the Anaheim Con- vention Center in Anaheim, CA, PLASTEC West will provide attendees the opportunity to explore first-hand the latest developments, technologies and products and services affecting their industry, including primary processing machinery, computer-aided design and manufacturing, production machinery, materials, molds and mold components, automation technology and more. From live demonstrations and free educational sessions right on the resource floor to numerous networking opportunities, PLASTEC West offers solutions and resources to tackle process challenges, source equipment and supplies and explore potential alliances, partnerships and joint ventures. While at PLASTEC West, stop by the AMBA booth for the new 2012 AMBA Sourcebook and information on the 2012 AMBA Convention, May 16-18, 2012, in Grand Rapids, MI. For more information on PLASTEC West, visit www.plastecwest.com.

Mold-Tech Named Mfg. Company of the Year

Mold-Tech Inc., Albertville, MN, recently was named Manufacturing Company of the Year by Minnesota Business magazine. Founded in 1978, Mold-Tech has served the injected molding industry through the design and construction of high-quality injection molds. From 2009 to 2010, Mold-Tech has seen an increase in sales of 21 percent and has created multiple programs to attract and retain employees. Mold-Tech, along with other winners, were honored at the Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association (MPMA) annual meeting in late October and will be featured in the December issue of Minnesota Business.

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AMBA Mold Builder of Year Presents DonationB A Die Mold (Aurora, IL) Founder Alan Petrucci, AMBA’s 2011 Mold Builder of the Year, presented a $5,000 donation to the CNC/MTT department at College of Lake County. Petrucci had received the $5,000 award from Progressive Components on behalf of AMBA. Jeff Hines, chair of the CNC/MTT program, stated, “This donation would not have been possible if it were not for the efforts and professional relationship that Rich Stueber, adjunct MTT faculty, has with Alan ... and because of Rich’s passion and enthusiasm for what he does in his teachings. Thanks go out to Alan, Rich and Progressive Components.” For more information about the AMBA Mold Builder of the Year Award, visit www.amba.org.

SPE Honors Jay Shoemaker as Mold Designer of the Year

Jay Shoemaker, product design engineer for the Manu-facturing Industry Group at Autodesk, was recently honored as this year’s Mold Designer of the Year by the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Mold Making and Mold Design Division. Wayne Hertlein, the 2010-2012 SPE Division chairman, presented the award at Autodesk in Novi, MI. The Mold Designer of the Year award is given annually and is sponsored by Progressive Components. In addition to a plaque, Shoemaker was awarded a $500 scholarship to give to the technical school of his choice. Criteria for the award includes contributions to the industry or society, strong technical experience and possessing a reputation for conducting business in a fair and honest manner. Individuals are nominated by industry colleagues. “We are extremely proud to be able to honor Jay with this well-deserved award,” said Hertlein. “We would like to thank Progressive Components for its support and sponsorship and Autodesk for supporting Jay’s work and commitment to the industry.”

Industry

Manufacturing Orders UP 101 Percent from 2010According to AMT, The Association For Manufacturing Technology, and AMTDA, the American Machine Tool Distri- butors’ Association, August US manufacturing technology orders totaled $460.61 million. This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTO program, was down 9.4 percent from July but up 88.5 percent when compared with the total of $244.35 million reported for August 2010. With a year-to-date total of $3,439.21 million, 2011 is up 101.0 percent compared with 2010. These numbers and all data in this report are based on the totals of actual data reported by companies participating in the USMTO program. Despite news reports that wider economic growth may be stagnating, the manufacturing technology industry is sustaining its momentum,” said Douglas Woods, AMT president. “With orders still up substantially over last year, there is clearly optimism within the industry as firms are seeing future growth opportunities that merit new capital investment.” The United States Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) report, jointly compiled by the two trade associations representing the production and distribution of manufacturing technology, provides regional and national US orders data of domestic and imported machine tools and related equipment. Analysis of manufacturing technology orders provides a reliable leading economic indicator as manufacturing industries invest in capital metalworking equipment to increase capacity and improve productivity. US manufacturing technology orders also are reported on a regional basis for five geographic breakdowns of the United States. For more detailed information, visit www.amtonline.org.

NPE2012 Marks New Beginning in OrlandoAccording to SPI, exhibit space purchased for NPE2012 has surpassed the amount occupied at the previous NPE, and exhibit sales continue to mount. Scheduled for April 1-5, 2012, NPE2012 will take place for the first time in Orlando, FL, after 40 years in Chicago. NPE2012 will have as its core the 27th edition of the world-scale NPE trade show, with a large international participation among exhibitors and attendees. In addition, NPE2012 will be a multi-faceted experience, with activities, discoveries and opportunities enough to satisfy the needs of anyone who works in the plastics industry or has a need to know about plastics. Key aspects of NPE2012 include Super Sunday (including 14 hours of back-to-back technical sessions, panel discussions and industry golf tournament and networking events that truly break the mold for NPE Week), the 2nd International Plastics Design Competition, ANTEC® 2012, Emerging Technology Pavilions and so much more. For complete details on NPE2012, including exhibiting, registration, hotels and more, visit www.npe.org.

Jay Shoemaker (center) receives the SPE Mold Making and Mold Design Division’s 2011 Designer of the Year Award from Wayne

Hertlein (left), 2010-2012 Division Chairman, SPE Moldmaking & Mold Design Division, with Scott Reese, Senior Director, Digital Simulation,

Manufacturing Industry Group, Autodesk.

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InsideTrack

With cautious optimism as the operative words, recent indications point to a recovery of sorts in manufacturing, in particular on high-tech factory floors. In fact, manufacturers added 25,000 new jobs in April, which marked the seventh month of gain in a row. While these numbers are encouraging, they also create a potentially serious problem for “baby boomer” business owners eyeing exit plans, for there might not be enough trained and experienced talent to adequately fill their shoes upon succession... and those who do have “all the right stuff” may be lured away by rival companies.

Recently Bloomberg/Businessweek and the Wall Street Journal ran prominent articles about the reawakening in manufacturing and the enormous challenge companies are having recruiting and retaining skilled workers. But this issue extends beyond the workforce to management; as such, there is a growing trend toward “poaching” key executives away from one company to take over at a rival’s business.

It may be that they’ve heard good things from shared vendors, observed and admired demonstrated performances at tradeshows and other industry events or been within earshot when a business owner was singing the praises of his top-shelf crew. Regardless of how these so-called poachers have come to realize the skill set of another company’s key employees, be forewarned that competitors can and will attempt to lure them away.

The imperative is to prevent outside temptation and that starts with having “the conversation” with these key employees regarding their future within the organization, particularly if they have been identified as potential successors to the business. In the absence

of this all-important one-on-one, the probable departure of valued employees increases, often to competitors promising substantial profit-sharing plans and other incentives. But if they know where the company is headed and where they stand within those long-range plans, the chance of their staying is greatly increased.

It’s essential to identify one to three people with successor potential and create long-term incentive plans for them. These complete compensation packages should include both financial incentives and personalized benefits, for while money certainly does talk, most executive-level employees would likely agree that a hefty paycheck alone does not define job satisfaction.

Chosen potential successors already have demonstrated their engagement and commitment to the organization, but they will become even more invested within their roles if they have a clear understanding about how they, as key employees, will be rewarded based on how well the company performs.

As such, a properly designed incentive plan − one that motivates the management team to increase the value of the company in a measurable way − is essential.

Successful plans share four basic elements:

• First, the plan must be specific and leave nothing to interpretation. As such, key employees know, in advance and in writing, what precise standards need to be met to receive the incentive.

• Second, the incentive must be substantial; otherwise key employees may not be in it for the long haul. However, this substantial amount should be awarded only upon the attainment of the performance standards set by the business owner.

• Third, the plan should tie the key management team to the business. In this way, regardless of who owns the company, these individuals have an incentive to remain. Payments of these incentive plan awards to

How to Avoid Employee Poaching By Bob O’Hara, O’Hara & Company

It’s essential to identify one to three people with successor

potential and create long-term incentive plans for them.

37www.amba.org

the key employees are not immediate. There should always be some type of vesting schedule associated with any incentive plan award. Normally, a continual or “rolling vesting” schedule is used. This approach requires each year’s award to vest on a separate schedule. Employing this type of schedule will tie the key employees to the business longer as they are never fully vested in the most recent awards.

• Fourth, the key employees should receive the incentive award based on performance standards that when attained, increases the value of the business. This element is critical to a properly designed incentive plan.

It is essential that employers consult with a legal and tax advisor when establishing any incentive program.

While monetary incentive is unquestionably the largest component to a comprehensive long-term incentive plan, consideration also must be made to key employees’ unique needs. Therefore, don’t overlook other more creative add-ons to a complete compensation package. Could be a key employee wants to devote a few days each year to a volunteer effort; perhaps someone desires the

flexibility to work from a home office one or two days a week. Others may consider continuing education benefits or reimbursement for costs associated with advanced professional certifications a big plus.

Also, acknowledge that needs change. What may have been an important benefit to someone when they first joined the company might now be replaced by a more urgent need.

By offering a complete compensation package that addresses the specific needs of those employees critical to the company’s future, the odds are greater that they will say “thanks, but no thanks” to poachers.

Bob O’Hara is president/CEO of O’Hara & Company, founded in 1995 to address the growing need for entrepreneurs to create a comprehensive exit strategy for their businesses. O’Hara & Company hosts an educational website for business owners at www.exitplanning-edu.com. For more information visit www.oharaco.com or call 978.244.9860.


InsideTrack

Copyrights protect works of original art or authorship from being copied, distributed or incorporated into a new version. These rights arise as soon as the work of art or authorship is put in some tangible form. Copyright registration, though not required to preserve the rights, gives many legal advantages, and should be sought as soon as practicable.

Trademarks are symbols of a company’s goodwill, whether words, symbols or other device such as color combinations.

These rights start once, and to the extent, the mark is used. Federal and/or state trademark registrations enhance and extend these rights.

These often interwoven rights sometimes can make a simple contract for manufacturing product into fertile ground for legal conflict.

The nightmare scenario

Suppose an injection molder suc-cessfully responds to an RFP by a sensor company to produce components for a medical sensor to be sold by its customer, a down-stream medical device company. The parts to be produced are for a medical sensing device that has a housing and specially arrayed vapor openings and associated controls. The housing is to be produced by a specialized molding process

that allows portions of the housing walls to be molded to a specific attenuation to make it permeable to gas. The technique is to be disclosed to the successful bidder, and a proprietary patented resin is to be specified and is to be blended by the injection molder.

The RFP also provides that a logo is to be embossed upon one of the housing parts: an archer with a drawn bow and arrow; a new logo designed by an independent artist for the

The terms and conditions in most contracts deal with the standard nuts-and-bolts aspects of production,

schedules, delivery and payment, as well as general warranties and representations. Intellectual property issues concerning the ownership, control, sharing and enforcement of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets are rarely completely covered.

In a business environment where interests may be shifting toward new markets with technologies and customers (and their competitors) unfamiliar to the mold builder, care should be taken to be sure that the company’s business interests are protected. Protection takes the form of the ability to produce a product and/or practice a technology, as well as gaining and holding valuable rights against competitors.

Forms of IP protection

Intellectual property (IP) law covers a relatively complex patchwork of largely invisible, intangible property rights that vary in what they cover, and how each may be created, owned, maintained (or lost), licensed and enforced. Utility patents may cover any useful machine, process, material composition or manufactured article, and US patent rights are owned initially by the inventor(s) until assigned. The same is true of design patents that cover the aesthetic appearance of any useful article.

Trade secrets can protect any valuable information kept in confidence, whether or not of a technical nature, and may include everything from technical know-how, designs and data, to best practices, pricing, business plans and the identities of customers or suppliers. These rights have value simply by acquiring the information and keeping it secret.

Intellectual Property in Mold Builder Contract Terms and Conditions By Roger A. Gilcrest, Schottenstein Zox & Dunn Co., LPA

In a business environment where interests may be shifting toward new markets with technologies and customers (and their competitors) unfamiliar to the mold builder, care should be taken to be sure that the company’s business interests are protected.

39www.amba.org

sensor company. The new logo bears some resemblance to a depiction of the Sagittarius Centaur (the half man, half horse mythical creature), also drawing a bow and arrow, that is a registered trademark of the medical device company’s competitor.

The injection molder wins the contract and the injection molder provides the mold builder with renderings of the proposed device and confidential information needed to make the mold work with both the proprietary molding process and the specified resin, and asks that the mold builder design a portion of the device body to make it more ergonomic. While working with the mold set, the mold builder develops an improved handle and clasp, and associated molding technique, to make the device easier to use while maintaining a sterile environment in an operating room. Unknown to — or unforeseen by — the mold builder:

1. The sensor has been copied by the injection molder’s customer who in turn sells it in competition with its own competitor that owns trade secrets relating to the molding process that were given to the customer by a competitor’s former employee.

2. The specified resin is covered by a patent owned by a large chemical company who exclusively licensed the technology to the competitor.

3. The medical device company’s competitor also sells an array of medical devices and supplies that are used in the same clinical setting as the manufactured medical device, in association with the Sagittarius Centaur logo, a federally registered trademark.

4. The artist was never paid for designing the archer artwork. She demands that the customer not use her copyrighted artwork, the same artwork that is now embossed on 4,000 sensor housings.

5. The customer claims ownership in the invention made by the mold builder because they paid for the work.

Under this nightmare scenario, the mold builder might face legal action by the competitor for contributing to trade secret misappropriation, infringement of the chemical company’s patent, infringement of the competitor’s trademark and for infringing the artist’s copyright.

It is important to note that liability for the types of intellectual property violations may attach to the mold

builder under a number of legal theories, no matter the source of the information or the mold builder’s place in the commercial stream.

From a defensive standpoint, terms and conditions should address situations that might place the mold builder in the legal cross-hairs of intellectual property infringement, typically by providing representations, warranties and agreements relating to the defense and settlement of legal challenges. The mold builder also may wish to check its insurance policy for coverage and limits for these types of injuries and claims.

In this scenario, it turns out that the mold builder’s own employee may have created a patentable invention or design and/or valuable confidential information which should be claimed and secured for the mold builder’s benefit. Often there are misunderstandings regarding the ownership of intellectual property rights and contract terms also should allocate ownership of rights that may arise as work proceeds. While typically one party may be in a position simply to demand ownership (and the other party is willing to comply in the interest of preserving the business relationship), it is best to spell out ownership in the contract to be sure the rights to exploit inventions and confidential information are preserved. Intellectual property rights also can protect business from competitors in the future, so some thought should be given to future use of intellectual property.

In this case, if the mold builder were to own the patent on the improved handle and clasp, and associated molding technique, it could prevent its own competitors from using the invention, including competitors that might compete for the on-going business of the injection molder or its original customer. That is, having a patent could help lock in the on-going contract(s) with the injection molder or original customer for which the invention was made. If not secured for the mold builder itself, these rights might be assigned or licensed to provide added value to its relationship with its injection molder or end customer. Securing patent rights also helps demonstrate that the mold builder itself may be a valuable partner able to bring to bear innovative thought and design to a project. Contract terms should therefore provide for obligations of assignment and cooperation, as well as reciprocal confidentiality provisions to protect know-how that may remain

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InsideTrack

confidential. It also is beneficial to secure obligations of future cooperation to mature patent and copyright rights through the required filings.

Responses to proposals and negotiations, especially between previously unfamiliar parties, should go hand-in-hand with diligent investigation of the nature of the technology to be applied, its source and the third parties involved or that might become involved. In some manufacturing scenarios, it may be advisable to provide contractual obligations that parties keep each other informed under confidence of on-going development efforts, so that they might cooperate to secure, apportion and license intellectual property rights to plan for their future exploitation.

Understanding the nature of all forms of intellectual property — what they protect and how they are created and secured — allows a company to provide contractual terms and conditions to prevent accidental or intentional loss of rights, avoidance and/or defense of infringement of third parties’ rights (and pursuit infringement by third parties),

as well as to preserve the relationship between the parties before unanticipated developments forestall development of profitable ventures.

Early due diligence, alertness to possible scenarios where important intellectual property may be created or infringed and timely involvement of counsel are keys to the development of both standard terms and conditions, as well as more detailed contractual language tailored to specific situations of greater complexity that arise or are anticipated.

Where these important rights are concerned, an ounce of prevention is easily worth a pound of cure.

Roger Gilcrest is a partner in Schottenstein Zox & Dunn’s intellectual property practice group in the firm’s Columbus, Ohio, office. He can be reached at 614.462.1055 or [email protected].

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[email protected]

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41www.amba.org

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New 06E "Plug 'n Play"™ Hot Runner System

Synventive Molding Solutions, Peabody, MA, has introduced two additions to its hot runner product line: the new model 06E threaded/screw fit hot runner nozzle and the PNC3008 pneumatic bolt-on actuator for valve gate hot runner systems. Ideal for small part applications and suitable for use with virtually all materials, the model 06E threaded hot runner nozzle features a large internal flow bore (6mm) and a small external diameter. This allows for a pitch of only 20mm between nozzles or 42mm between PNC3008 valve gate actuators. It is designed for shot weights up to 100g per nozzle and available in lengths ranging from 60 – 200mm. Designed for long life and easy maintenance, 06E nozzles are provided with easily replaceable external heaters and have integrated, replaceable thermocouples. When Synventive 06E nozzles are used as a valve gate system and combined with the Synventive PNC3008 bolt-on actuator, the complete hot runner system is supplied pre-wired and pre-assembled without the need for hoses, since lines are drilled in top clamp plate allowing for simple ‘Plug ‘n Play’™ mold installation. Visit www.synventive.com for more details.

VERO-S Quick-Change Pallet Toolbox

SCHUNK, Morrisville, NC, announces the VERO-S quick-change pallet toolbox with all functional components made of hardened stainless steel. Among the many benefits, the pull-in force of the new module is up to 9,000 lbs. With the VERO-S, machine set-up times can be reduced by up to 90 percent, paving the way to greater precision, efficiency, process reliability and setup reduction in metal cutting. Locking of the new quick-change pallet system is done

mechanically via a large spring package. It is self-lock-ing and clamps with a form-fit. Holding forces of up to 16,800 lbs can be achieved. The maintenance-free mod-ule is completely sealed and protected against the penetra-tion of chips, dust and coolant. An air purge connection has been integrated into the standard module, which also can be used for part recognition. Each module is compat-ible for automated loading out of the box and has com-plete mounting flexibility. For more information, visit www.schunk.com.

New Composite ToolArmor™ Molding Surface from SurfatekSurfatek, LLC, Longmont, CO, announces its new Tool-ArmorTM Advanced Composite Molding Surface (ACMS), which extends mold and tool life 4 to 10 times and increases throughput 25 to100 percent. The ToolArmor ultrathin nanotech composite structure prevents cracking, crazing and premature wear, and allows repeated resurfacing to extend mold life again and again with no loss of part fidelity. With a hardness of 85 Rockwell C and a Coefficient of Friction of 0.05, ToolArmor reaches well beyond the performance of traditional mold coatings, including DLC, chrome, titanium nitride, zirconium nitride and all others. Originally developed to extend the life of intricate, high-value molds, ToolArmor now delivers very attractive savings when applied to a broad range of molds and tools. For more information, call 612.886.8900 or email [email protected].

Makino Offers the New PS-Series Vertical Machining Centers

Makino, Mason, OH, announces the PS-Series - the new standard in vertical machining centers for production machining, offering a reduction in cycle time, increased productivity, improved quality and minimization of capital investment. The PS-Series features a field-proven design with key technologies from several of Makino’s most reliable production machines. Its rigid construction, thermal stability and versatile spindle are ideal for a variety of applications, including automotive, aerospace, medical and other small-component manufacturing applications. The smaller PS65 features X-, Y- and Z-axis travels of 26", 20" and 18.1",

Product

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respectively; a 36.2x20" table and a maximum workload of 1,323 lbs. The larger PS95 features X-, Y- and Z-axis travels of 36.2", 20" and 18.1", respectively; a 46x20" table and a maximum workload of 1,763 lbs. Both models are standard equipped with an easy-to-access, highly reliable, 30-tool-capacity automatic tool changer (optional 50-tool-capacity available). Find out more at www.makino.com.

Haimer Safe-Lock System Ensures Secure Heavy MetalRemoval

Haimer’s, (Augsburg, Germany), Safe-Lock system is a pull-out protection for round shanked cutting tools that combines a positive form fit with an accurate torque press fit locking. It ensures optimum process reliability, longer cutting tool life and higher productivity – especially where demanding high-performance cutting (HPC) or high-speed cutting (HSC) are concerned. The Safe-Lock allows all the benefits of the latest tool holder systems, such as shrink-fit technology, because it can be used without hesitation for both high-speed as well as heavy chip removal. The clamping process is simple. The chuck is heated and the tool inserted with a slightly twisting movement. The locking elements of the Safe-Lock find their own way into the grooves when the tool is turned. A spring can be used to aid in the play-free positioning of the tool. The holder cools down after a few seconds creating the press-fit and positive locking. For more information, visit www.haimer.com.

New DoveTail Collapsible Core Improves Undercut Molding Efficiency

The DoveTail Collapsible Core, now available from DME Company, Madison Heights, MI, is an essential tool for molders seeking to master undercuts. Eliminating the need for complex unscrewing mechanisms, the patent-pending

DoveTail Collapsible Core provides solutions for hard-to-mold internal undercut features such as o-ring grooves, slots and snap-fit details. Its compact design and simplified mold approach help reduce cycle times, maximize the number of mold cavities and increase part design and application flexibility. Available in four standard sizes, as well as custom sizes, the DoveTail offers advantages such as positive, mechanically actuated collapse of 5 to 7 percent, customizable collapse angles, quick-lock system for installation and removal while the mold is in the press, elimination of costly rack-and-gear systems, center cooling channel, gradual release from undercut, large, robust segments, reliable shut-off with front half of mold, shorter stroke on mold staging, deeper undercuts and taller parts and high-quality construction of A2 steel and other durable materials. For more information, visit www.dme.net.

New Mist Collector Features 99.7 Percent Capturing Efficiency

With its patent-pending diffusion cone and dual filters, the new Amano MZ-15 Mist Collector from Vega Tool Corporation (Schaumburg, IL) features a 99.7-percent capturing efficiency of 2μm particles. Its high-efficiency motor and low consumable costs allow the MZ-15 Mist Collector to provide the best cost performance of any filtration style mist collector available today. Assembled in Sparta, NC, the Amano MZ-15 Mist Collectors utilize premium efficiency, NEMA-compliant 1hp (0.75kW) motors. These motors help the MZ-15 to achieve a collection capacity of up to 460 cubic feet per minute (13 cubic meters per minute), while consuming far less energy than similarly powered models. Additionally, these motors operate at a low noise level of less than 72db. The Amano MZ-15 Mist Collector has a compact design and can be mounted directly on virtually any machine tool. These mist collectors are ideal for a wide variety of filtering applications including machining centers, lathes, EDMs and grinding machines. For more information, visit www.vega-tool.com.


t page 43

I Advanced Manifold Technology

I True Rheological Balance

I Superior Part Performance

I Reduced Cycle Times

Opti-Flo® BalancedHot Runner Systems

Technology

with

INCOE® Hot Runners TodayOpti-Flo® systems with patented MeltFlipper® technology from Beaumont Technologies Inc. delivers unmatched Cavity-to-Cavity consistency and productivity advantages, only from INCOE®. That’s INCOE® performance ... Right From The Start.

North America | Europe | South America | Asia

INCOE® Corporation1740 East Maple Road Troy, Michigan 48083 USAT: +1 (248) 616-0220F: +1 (248) 616-0225E: info @incoe.comwww.incoe.com

New ULTRA-MAX® MF from Gesswein

Gesswein, Bridgeport, CT, proudly unveils the new ULTRAMAX® MF – a multi-function polishing and de-burring system allowing users to reduce finishing time dra-matically. The ULTRAMAX MF is capable of operating brush-type, brushless and ultrasonic hand pieces all in one package. The ULTRAMAX MF polishes slots, ribs and in-tricate details with ease and deburs in sensitive areas with-out collateral damage. Short stroke and fast reciprocation provide total control over the most demanding finishing tasks. Special control functions make any finish possible, allowing polishing right up to a wall or finishing to an edge. ULTRAMAX MF is unaffected by today’s complex al-loys and tungsten carbide. Everything from milled surfaces to rough EDM surfaces can be polished to a mirror finish. Ceramic finishing stones, sintered or plated diamond tools, as well as metallic and nonmetallic lapping tools with dia-mond compounds can be used. For additional information, visit www.gesswein.com.

5-Axis HSC-System MC 500Lang GmBH & Co KG, Huttenburg, Germany, creates rock-solid 5-axis machining equipment! The basis of this machine is a bed made of granite millions of years old - material that has outstanding thermal and vibration dampening characteristics. These are prerequisites for high-precision HSC milling of steel (up to 64 HRC), aluminum, copper, graphite and plastic, etc. These characteristics, together with the horizontal milling spindle for optimal chip removal, make a truly unique combination. With milling, drilling and threading up to max. 26 kW and gearless drives on the rotating and swiveling axis up to 100 min-1, the 5-axis simultaneous machining allows much shorter production time of the work pieces. The reason for this is the reduction of the number of converting processes and the reduction of manual rework, paired with a high-machine availability. The machine MC 500 is equipped with sliding doors, which allow loading and unloading by crane or other devices from two sides. The increasing demands of automation and technology require a close cooperation between machine building and open-control technology.

45www.amba.org

the same time. Abrasive filaments work like flexible files, conforming to part contours, wiping and filing across part edges and surfaces. Because of the linear construction, sharp new grains constantly come in contact with the work surface and wear off exposing fresh cutting particles. This provides consistent deburring action throughout the length of bristles. Nylon filaments are excellent in toughness and are moisture and chemical resistant. These disc brushes are manufactured with a molded thermoplastic base using a tough engineering plastic to provide greater rigidity and stability with less vibration resulting in a more balanced tool that provides improved tool performance, greater process repeatability, greater safety and longer tool life. Nampower™ Disc Brushes are easily integrated into today's automated machinery, VMC, HMC and CNC machining centers, transfer lines and robotic cells. For more information, visit www.brushresearch.com.

Representing The Top Brands In The Industry

Call us when you need it now! Ph: 800-289-6387 or 909-923-3270 Fax: 800-621-0951 or 909-923-0152

1057 E. Acacia St., Ontario, CA 91761 [email protected]

Custom Components

CUSTOM COMPONENTS WITH EXACTING TOLERANCES & COMPLEX GEOMETRIES

Mold Cavities · Strippers · Gate Inserts · Water-Cooled Cores Rotating Cores · Syringe & Catheter Tooling · Ejector Sleeves

Luer Taper Core Pins · Ejector Pins & Blades · Punches Die & Stripper Inserts · Die Blocks

In-house capabilities include CNC Wire EDM, Conventional EDM, CNC Lathe and Machining Centers, Jig Grinding, Centerless Grinding, OD/ID

Dedtru Grinding, Surface Grinding, Honing, and Polishing.

Precision Die & Mold-Ready Tooling

Ezell Precision Tool Co. 727-573-3575 Fax: 727-572-6235

[email protected] www.ezellprecision.com

Core Pins • Ejectors • Sleeves • Blades

Standard Components

THE ULTIMATE COMBINATION OF TOUGHNESS AND WEAR RESISTANCE FOR THE MOST DEMANDING PRECISION

MOLDING APPLICATIONS

+.0005” +.001” +.002” & +.005” Diameters from Stock

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Custom Components

CUSTOM COMPONENTS WITH EXACTING TOLERANCES & COMPLEX GEOMETRIES

Mold Cavities · Strippers · Gate Inserts · Water-Cooled Cores Rotating Cores · Syringe & Catheter Tooling · Ejector Sleeves

Luer Taper Core Pins · Ejector Pins & Blades · Punches Die & Stripper Inserts · Die Blocks

In-house capabilities include CNC Wire EDM, Conventional EDM, CNC Lathe and Machining Centers, Jig Grinding, Centerless Grinding, OD/ID

Dedtru Grinding, Surface Grinding, Honing, and Polishing.

Precision Die & Mold-Ready Tooling

Ezell Precision Tool Co. 727-573-3575 Fax: 727-572-6235

[email protected] www.ezellprecision.com

Core Pins • Ejectors • Sleeves • Blades

Standard Components

THE ULTIMATE COMBINATION OF TOUGHNESS AND WEAR RESISTANCE FOR THE MOST DEMANDING PRECISION

MOLDING APPLICATIONS

+.0005” +.001” +.002” & +.005” Diameters from Stock

800-760-5715 ww.regalcomps.com

The MC 500 has great flexibility and possibilities for customer solutions, for example automatic insertion and removal of the work piece and coupling machines together for sequential operations. Learn more at www.lang.de

New Line of Tools for Machine In-Line Deburring

Brush Research Manufacturing, Los Angeles, CA, has released a full range of truly unique finishing and deburring tools for machine in-line deburring (MID). The abrasive disc brushes contain a combination of ceramic and silicon carbide filament that produce maximum burr removal rates while providing an ideal surface finish at


NOvEMBER2011AMBA Plant Tour Workshop, November 10, Industrial Mold & Machine, Twinsburg, OH, 847.222.9402, www.amba.org 2011 Mega-Tech (Tooling in America), November 10, Vadnais Heights, MN, www.uppermidwestspe.org/events.htm

AMBA Webinar: Hiring and Terminating Employees in Today’s Economy, November 16, 847.222.9402, www.amba.org

DECEMBER2011Silicone Elastomers Technology & Fabrication, November 30 - December 2, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, www4.uwm.edu

EuroMold 2011, November 30-December 3, Frankfurt/Main, Germany, www.euromold.com

AdIndexA. Finkl & Sons Co. ....................................................www.finkl.com .........................................................................37 AMBA.........................................................................www.amba.org ....................................................................15, 35Boride ..........................................................................www.borideabrasives.com ........................................................11Crystallume Engineered Diamond ..............................www.crystallume.com ...............................................................27CVD Diamond Corporation ........................................www.cvddiamond.com ................................................................9DME Company ...........................................................www.dme.net .............................................................................14D.W. Sales .................................................................. email: [email protected] ...................................................19Dynamic Surface Technologies ..................................www.dynablue.com ........................................ Inside Front CoverEllwood Specialty Steel ..............................................www.ess.elwd.com ....................................................................33Erowa Technology, Inc. ..............................................www.erowatech.com .................................................................27Ezell Precision Tool ....................................................www.ezellprecision.com ...........................................................45Gibson Insurance Group .............................................www.GibsonIns.com .......................................Inside Back CoverIncoe Corporation .......................................................www.incoe.com .........................................................................44M & M Tooling ...........................................................www.MMTOOLING.com ...........................................................9Makino ........................................................................www.makino.com........................................................................5Millstar, LLC ..............................................................www.millstar.com .....................................................................29NPE .............................................................................www.npe.org ...............................................................................8OMNI Mold Systems, LLC ........................................www.omnimold.com .................................................................23Osco ............................................................................www.oscosystems.com..............................................................31Plastec West ................................................................www.PLASTECwest.com .........................................................41Progressive Components .............................................www.procomps.com ...................................................Back CoverRocklin Manufacturing Co. ........................................www.rocklinmanufacturingco.com ...........................................40Ultra Polishing Inc. .....................................................www.ultrapolishing.com ...........................................................31Wisconsin Engraving Co. Inc. / Unitex ......................www.wi-engraving.com ............................................................40Wounded Warrior .......................................................www.iwarriors.org .....................................................................11YRC ............................................................................www.enrollhere.net ...................................................................25

CAlENDAR FEBRuARY2012

PLASTEC West 2012, February 14-16, 2012, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA, 310.445.4200, www.plastecwest.com APRIl2012NPE 2012, April 1-5, 2012, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL, 703.259.6132, www.npe.org

MAY20122012 AMBA Convention, May 16-18, 2012, Amway Grand Hotel, Grand Rapids, MI, 847.222.9402www.amba.org

JuNE2012amerimold 2012, June 13-14, 2012, Novi, MI, 513.527.8800, www.amerimoldexpo.com

Protecting AMBA

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Successful mold builders know that their viability in the years

ahead comes from the performance of their tools today.

Progressive understands this and has developed these advantages:

• Unmatched performance from Friction Free Alignment Locks,

Slide Retainers, Undercut Release and Plate Control Devices.

• Innovations such as Collapsible Cores and Expandable Cavities that

offer alternatives to reduce cost, cycle time and mold maintenance.

• Dimensional integrity maintained to exacting standards for the

extensive range of off-the-shelf catalog standard items.

It’s your name on the outside of the mold. With Progressive Components

inside, your customers can achieve profitability for the lifetime of your tools.

“Quality molds need quality components. That is why our source is Progressive.”

receive our new catalog by calling 1-800-269-6653

longterm thinking

Tom Andrews, Dynamic Tool & Design

2011 The American Mold Builder Magazine - Fall

Documents

Transcript of 2011 The American Mold Builder Magazine - Fall