iFLOW hot runner manifolds, first introduced over 30 years ago, is an original technology that is available exclusively from Mold-Masters. It has since been proven to be essential for applications that demand exceptional part quality produced in medium to high cavitation hot runner systems.
Advantages of iFLOW Technology includes:
- Best in-class melt management.
- Industry leading mold fill balance.
- Rapid color change performance.
- Reduced stack height.
- Extensive flexibility for design optimization.
- Enhanced durability and longevity
FLOW manifolds begin as 2 separate pieces of steel, each piece is a half of the manifold. Runner channels are CNC milled from each piece which are then carefully polished to promote optimal resin flow. In the final step, the two halves are brazed together, producing an advanced manifold design with the same strength and durability as if it was made from a single block of steel. This unique manufacturing process allows our designers to have complete flexibility when optimizing hot runner performance and helps avoid design conflicts. Mold-Masters designers have the use of patented melt flow geometry, flow path options and runner shapes which includes curved paths. Designers are not restricted to the conventional straight or 90° turns of runner channels produced by traditional gun-drilled manifolds. iFLOW also simplifies maintenance by eliminating the need for any plugs or screws which can easily be misplaced.
In terms of performance, iFLOW Manifolds have no equal. In conjunction with our CAE optimization services, iFLOW delivers uniform shear generation delivering industry leading fill balance. This translates into enhanced part uniformity and improved molded part quality. For example, on a very small (0.35g), difficult to mold technical medical application like Rear Barrels, 1.7% total variance was achieved. The iFLOW CNC milled/polished runners with curved paths, eliminate sharp corners and dead spots at flow transitions which significantly improves color change performance by up to 45% and further enhances shear control. Multiple melt channels for processing different materials can also be incorporated into the same manifold reducing overall stack height by up to 22%. Lastly, iFLOW manifold layout design can influence robustness of the hot half and maintain long term production quality (preventing flash from plate deflection for example). iFLOW offers greater structural integrity by providing up to 4x more bolting area, allowing for the use of more mold assembly screws.
iFLOW manifolds can be found on our Master-Series, Summit-Series, Sprint, Axiom and select Fusion-Series G2 hot runner systems.