SPECIALISTS PERSPECTIVE

By
Paul Petit and Jack Sieman
Sealing Technology Company
Twinsburg, Ohio

CHESTERTON 8K SUPER PARACHUTE PACKING (RED/BLUE COMBO SETS):

Test results recorded at major Injection Molding manufacturers proved conclusively our Blue and Red
combo sets seal better and run cooler.

Tests were run comparing leading competitor fabric reinforced rubber stacked sets vs. AWC Red 8K sets
and Red & Blue combos. The test results indicated that our Red & Blue combo packing ran virtually
leak free and significantly cooler. Less heat can be attributed to less friction on rams that were measured
by monitoring oil and ram temperatures. Traversing pressures required were also significantly less. Leak
free rams combined with lower temperatures are very important as the industry is requiring faster, dryer
rams both of which create heat, spelling doom to lesser quality packings.

Sealing Technology is installing Red and Blue combo sets wherever possible and have been for
approximately a year. Two blue rings per eight ring set and three blue up to eleven rings has been
standard.

Some of the features we sell address thermal expansion challenges (rams binding due to packing sets
growth from frictional heat inside packing chamber) that we have had to deal with for years.

Some features of the softer blue rings are:

· They allow expansion to take place without the binding.

· They require less break away force.
· They seal slightly worn rams without increased gland load required by conventional sets.
· They can in some cases compensate for over tightening of gland, hence making the set more
user friendly.

We are having success selling these sets and its worth sharing with others but some hurdles do exist.
Larger sized molded blue seals can have longer lead times associated with them and this can be a
problem for the customer. We have been told by the factory that this is being addressed.

Spiral wiper material is also a good product to discuss with Injection Molding plants. Back to back
installation of spiral wiper material is standard on all HPM presses. This arrangement allows for wiping
away any debris on ram externally and internally wipes clean minute leakage that may escape past
packing rings. Most older presses do not have any wipers and have repetitive packing failures due to the
dusty environments.

The Spiral Wiper Program addresses this need by providing an inexpensive, no new molds required, easy
installation, immediate delivery solution.

We have found that it's necessary to sell the idea first to the plants, then follow through with their
machine repair shops. Once the repair houses see how easy it is to install they may start offering it to
other customers. The size we find works out the best is 7,5mm. If the rams are large it's not uncommon
to butt several pieces together.
By
 Andy Bricker
Dubric Packing & Seals/Indiana

SUCCESS WITH SELLING TO THE INJECTION MOLDING INDUSTRY

Dubric has involved themselves with opening repair facilities which enables them to send
technicians to a plant and either do all of the repair work or to assist with plant personnel. The
Repair Facility provides their customers with programs that entail reworking the whole machine.
A typical repair includes the following:

· Unpack the Main Ram

· Polish Ram In Place
· Repack with 8K’s or 600’s
· Fabricate and Install 5K Wiper Gland & Wiper
· Rod and Piston Kits for smaller cylinders
· Address other Fitting Leaks

Dubric has found that instead of a $1,000 8K set, they now experience sales of $3 - 8K, for
same application.

Andy indicated that in smaller plants they have more success with sealing entire machine
programs through contacting the Production Manager or the Plant Manager instead of just going
to Maintenance.

The successes in the large plants like G.M., Ford, etc. are from focusing on the main clamping
ram. Due to the competition, Thorseal, they have gone to the tall stacking sets (7-9 Rings) to be
competitive. They now have sets of 8K’s in customer cribs.

Andy also wants to remind salespeople of our 5K Spiral Wipers. They have found that where
other operations contribute dirt and grit into the atmosphere that they have been able to set up
Wiper programs. Generally clean environments. They have not had the same success.

The need for Hydroline and Parker Kits should be something everyone should keep their eyes
open for. They always add to increasing your sales dollars.
 By
Bill Smith
East Coast Sealing Systems

THOUGHTS ON INJECTION MOLDING.....

Bill strongly feels that, too often we focus only on the main ram packing set or are discouraged
when we learn that the machine in question is a toggle machine. He feels that there are plenty of
other smaller cylinders on these machines. In some plants these cylinders can typically be the
responsibility of a different person than the person in charge of the main ram.

Most domestic machines have an abundance of Parker Hannifin or Hydroline and the rods are
leaking. You can pick up enough orders on kits to justify a return visit or these smaller orders
can keep you going until the customer feels comfortable enough to discuss the big 8K sets.

Bill also cautions to not forget to ask if wipers are being blown out due to pressure build up
between the leaking rod seal and the wiper on these cylinders. If he does, suggest the conversion
to a type 1 wiper in a kit. For example, kit 753 fits a 1" PH rod but if you substitute a 64928
wiper, this wiper design prevents this problem.

Bill feels the mold mounted cylinders are a natural for the Cherry Polymer material due to
exposure to higher temperatures. Here we run into Miller a lot because of the Teflon. We are
very competitive with Miller due to Miller’s use of inferior Teflon sealing material. Frequently,
only the rod must be Cherry Polymer and the piston seals can remain red polymer.

Some of the Buzz words frequently used to describe the operation of these cylinders are cut out,
knock out, deflashing and material handling.

Lastly, what other sales can you potentially make while your with these customers? What about
their cooling water pumps and seals utility pumps? Have they got a hot oil system? Gaskets are
a biggie as they tear down set ups frequently.

Hope this is of some help!!!

Best to all!
 By
Jay Hohauser
Sealing Resource
Livonia, Michigan

SUCCESSFUL REPLACEMENT

Jay has replaced main ram packing with 8K’s on a HPM 700 ton machine and as a result has
reduced leakage from 5 gallons of oil per week to less than a pint per week. So far this year he
has saved the customer over $500.00 on oil loss and over $200.00 on installation time.

On Van Dorn equipment, 1500 Ton, he has replaced main ram packing on several of these
machines with 8K’s. In all instances he has eliminated all leaks from the previous set of 8K’s,
however they were worn and leaking.

Another application that Jay is familiarizing himself with on Van Dorn, as well as other
Injection Molding machines, are the ejectors and injector cylinders. In these applications he has
replaced the Parker Polypac seal with the 20K rod seal. So far he has had no report of leakage
or failure in the one year since the seals were installed.

Jay is eager to find other products to sell to this industry. He certainly believes that there are
substantial sales to be made within the Injection Molding Market and is willing to answer any
questions or to take any suggestions from other specialists that have had success within this area.
 By
Matthew J. Leggett
Dubric Packings & Seals of Michigan

INJECTION MOLDING INFORMATION

Plastic injection molding is the wave of the future. Look around! Computers, transportation,
appliances, and even the chair you are sitting in are all possible industries to utilize the injection
molding process. Injection molding plants do not have specific visual characteristics. These
plants can appear to be simple storage warehouses. Thousands of dollars in sales could be
hiding behind walls that are not visited. Case in point, our sales in the injection molding
industry have grown from zero dollars in 1992 to over $400,000 today.

For example, I started in the outside sales field in 1992. Al Hubbard and I conducted a parking
lot presentation to a maintenance leader of a large injection molding plant. Our presentation
consisted of 8K stacked seal sets against the OEM rag & rubber seal set. This account now
generates $20,000 to $30,000 a year.

Most injection molding plants operate 6-7 days a week, 24 hours a day. With maintenance staffs
being down sized, many do not concern themselves with ram leaks unless it is terminal or
causing production loss. Understanding this, Dubric has created a program that presently sees
no competition, providing a turn key service that equips the customer with on-site rebuilding and
re-packing of the main ram and other cylinders.

Injection molding machines have numerous cylinders. The largest cylinder is the main ram, or
clamp unit. The others are known as the injection unit, pull back unit, assist and eject units. In
my territory the machines range from 150 to 9,000 ton with ram sizes from 13" to 54" plus. The
oil temperatures are approximately 120° F and the hydraulic system operates around 2500 psi.

STEP ONE:

You must provide the customer with a complete understanding of the Chesterton seals, which
entails a feature benefit presentation versus the OEM rag & rubber seals (Note: in most cases the
OEM seals will be supplied solid). This means the customer must disconnect the platen from the
ram to re-pack the machine. This typically takes a full day. By supplying the Chesterton seals
split, you can reduce the time frame by roughly half. OEM rag & rubber seal prices will
average two to three hundred dollars less than the Chesterton 8K seals. If the OEM supplies
Chesterton seals, they will average one to two hundred dollars more than Chesterton list prices.

STEP TWO:

The most important piece of the repair puzzle is the wiper. First, explain the advantage a wiper
will provide (Hydraulic/Pneumatic Cylinder Upgrade Program (Form #075890). Second,
provide a brief description on how you would install the wiper. You have a choice of two:

1) Machine a wiper groove in the existing packing gland. However, when repacking the
machine in the future, you must still disconnect the platen from the ram, remove the packing
 gland, and replace the wiper.

2) Fabricate an external split wiper adapter which bolts to the face of the existing packing gland.

When repacking the machine for the first time, the packing gland must have a bolt pattern drilled
in the face. Once completed, the packing gland need not be removed to change the wiper. This
procedure will save tremendous time while repacking in the future.

The only machines that we are aware that have wipers from the factory are VanDorn and HPM,
but they are supplied solid. Dubric removes the OEM wiper and machines the existing groove to
accommodate the 7,5mm spiral wiper. Cincinnati machines, older then the mid 1980's require
machining the existing packing gland for a 12,5mm spiral wiper. After the mid 1980's,
Cincinnati started installing wear bands in the packing glands. Fabrication of a split wiper
adapter that is attached to the existing packing gland is required for these units.

STEP THREE:

In the initial presentation for turn-key service, you must explain to the customer they are
responsible for draining the oil, removing the tool, disconnecting the platen, and operating all
cranes or lifting equipment. But, before draining the oil, have the customer close clamp
completely. This will expose the majority of the ram for later examination and polishing.
Dubric recommends two men for forty hours (two ten hour days per man) including travel time.

There are several steps to this process and they are as follows:

Our first step is to remove the packing gland and packing. Immediately after the packing gland
has been removed, it is transported to the machine shop facility for machining of the wiper
groove or bolt hole circle in the face. We make every attempt to deliver the machine piece back
to the job site on the same day.

We then remove the existing seals and assess the mode of failure or wear, i.e., extrusion,
discoloration, lip condition, etc. If the machine is a Cincinnati, 1980 or older, or a HPM mid
1980's or older, you may encounter springs in the bottom of the stuffing box. You need to
remove the springs, but, you must return the holder and the push plate to its original position in
the bottom of the box.

We then measure all critical tolerances, including the packing gland nose and the phenolic
bushing in the bottom of the stuffing box. Cincinnati's tolerance for the bottom bushing is
approximately .007" per side. If the press has been sticking or jerking during operation, the
phenolic bushing at the bottom of the box may have swelled to the ram, thus over compressing
the seals which causes the sticking or jerking motion. To remedy this problem, remove the
bushing, split by sawing, and replace.

Third, we visually inspect the ram for damage (i.e. scoring, pits) and make notations on the
worksheet during the repair process. Using the information gathered, we have a conversation
with the customer explaining the cause of the scoring (no wiper). We also explain that over time
enough oil will collect in the pitting and cause slight dripping. If you are repairing a small
cylinder with scoring and pits, the customer will most likely elect to replace the rod. However,
an injection molding machine with a 13" ram or larger, the customer will not replace it due to
time and cost.
Once the inspection process is complete, we polish the ram to remove high spots and minor pits
and scores (we use a buck saw 200 to 800 grit belts). Again, the ram will not be to OEM
specifications and this will have a dramatic effect on seal life.

Fourth, with the Chesterton seals, you determine shim thickness and re-pack the machine using
the required amount of shims. Personal experience suggests that you do not use a red and blue
seal combination. Chesterton has stated that seals over twelve inches in diameter should receive
less than 1% compression. Due to the ram conditions, you may have to change shim thickness
two or three times to reduce drag or to stop leakage.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Dubric installs all Red 8K Rings. However the Hydraulic/Pneumatic Division has had many
requests throughout North America for the Red and Blue combination.

Many of our customers find that this combination works very well when the Blue rings are
installed in the 3rd and 5th position (if counting the bottom adapter). Some of these requests are
highlighted in other specialist perspectives in this book.

Finally, install wiper, replace packing gland and you have completed the job. Clean up and go
home.

Prices for the above will range from $1,500 to $8,000. Typically, on-site labor will be twenty
hours or two men one day. Quoting two days gives you additional time to order more parts,
fabricate phenolic bushings, and machine packing glands.

STEP FOUR:

The injection cylinder is used to move the screw in and out of the tool. It is driven typically by a
hydraulic motor that both rotates and reciprocates. These cylinders will have rod seals and
wipers on both ends, piston rings on the pistons, and numerous o-rings and backup rings. They
will have large bronze bearing supports, front and back, and may have specially designed radial
and thrust bearings.

Time being critical, all wear parts are ordered from the OEM. Some prints will list seal type and
sizes, so where possible order Chesterton seals. Once all parts have been received at the rebuild
facility, schedule the time for rebuilding the cylinder. Once the cylinder has been disassembled,
access any damage that may have occurred to the ram or bore of the cylinder. If no major
repairs are needed (i.e. welding the ram, replacing barrel, replacing ram) a typical rebuild,
including chroming of the ram, will take 3-5 days. If major repairs are needed, the time frame
will depend on delivery of parts. Assemble, hydraulically test to 3000 psi and paint. Depending
on the capabilities of the shop facility, you may suggest removing the cylinder from the machine
for the customer. Rebuild cost ranges from $5,000 to $20,000 .

STEP FIVE:

This cylinder is used to remove the screw from the tool (typically used when tool changes occur
or when the screw needs work). They assist in moving the ram back and forth In this case, the
main ram is used only to provide full tonnage to the tool when the plastic is being injected from
the screw. The last cylinder, which is not pictured, is the eject cylinder. I have found this to be
on Van Dorn machines only. It is located in the hollowed portion of the main ram, and ejects
the parts from the mold (tool).

The eject, assist, and pull back cylinders will be manufactured by Parker Hannifin, Hydroline
and Miller. The piston typically will use piston rings, not Chesterton Bore kits, which are .250"
or .312" in width. The glands, in most cases, will contain standard seals found in the Chesterton
rod kits, but be careful, some may be special designs. The cylinder may still have the
OEM/manufacturer's tag on it, if this is the case call the OEM for seal information.

My experience has been if you call the OEM with the tag information, they will tell you that the
cylinder was designed to manufacturers specifications and that they cannot provide parts
information.

ADDED VALUE:

Offer to survey the customers machines and supply them with a list including sizes, part
numbers and installed date. This will provide you access to the plant, plus show the customer
you are willing to work for the business.

CLOSE:

There is one part that I cannot figure out. How do you write an ROI associated with the above?
Numerous customers have stated a reduction in product loss, decreased safety write-ups, cleaner
oil (less changing), and less maintenance and replacement of other hydraulic components. Not
one of my customers can associate a cost to this. So, if you can help, please do.

Note: you can contact me at Duric Packings & Seals of Michigan (616)784-6355.
 By
Gary Tarbuk
District Manager

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD

Gary is another sales person willing to endorse great success with staggering red and blue seal
rings .

He was told by people at Cincinnati Milacron’s Rebuild shop that it is important that main
clamping cylinders operate at 200 - 250 psi to initially start the advancing of the cylinder, as
well as, little as possible friction.

This arrangement seems to be working well at Owens - Illinois in Brookville, Pa.

Gary does suggest that you should always try to set the packing at 0-1% compression. Again, he
discovered at Cincinnati Milacron that when he set at 3%, the ram would get very hot, it would
slip/stick, and would take approx. 800-1000 psi to start to move the ram.

Rams run almost completely dry, rag/rubber packing needs to be lubricated and adjusted. You
will find pans under the ram to collect this leakage. Chesterton can eliminate this.

CYLINDER KITS:

· Injection, Ejection, Pullback

· Parker Hannifin Hydroline, Miller etc.
· Need leak free (we can do it)
· We have corresponding parts/kits to meet the above replacements.

Very Important to keep oil off the parts and the floor.

TOGGLE MACHINES:

We need to concentrate more on these. They are smaller sizes of injection molding machines
but they have the same type cylinder as the larger presses. Instead of a main ram clamping
cylinder, they use Parker type cylinders. They all want dry running rods!!!