Pressure Forming Process Used to Create Smoke Evacuator
This pressure formed enclosure houses a smoke evacuation system for an electro-surgical procedure. The material is a fire-retardant ABS/PVC blend and is painted. The part demands a very severe draw-ratio to get plastic all the way into the bottom. The mold is a female mold with many undercuts, including a particularly deep on in the rear of the part.
Our very sophisticated tooling mold is key to making this part successfully. We employ “lifter core-pulls” around the perimeter. Additionally across the entire back section of the mold is a core-pull to accomodate the very deep undercut previously mentioned. Also, we have employed an articulating plug assist in an effort to get material into the rear section.
Surgical Smoke Evacuator Mold
We fabricated this mold from aluminum (as opposed to cast), as there are so many moving parts integral to the mold.
View 1 shows the rear of the mold as a core-pull in its molding position. To de-mold the part that core-pull will be retracted (towards the viewer). In this view, the “lifters” needed to create the perimeter undercuts are not present.
View 2 shows the precision machining and fabrication of the “hinging” mechanisms for the perimeter “lifters”.
View 3 is the articulating plug-assist in its fully extended mode. To de-mold the part, the feature on the left will retract back to the left.
View 4 shows the temperature-control plumbing, unusual because it is external. This is due to all the moving parts inside the mold cavity not allowing adequate room for uniform distribution of the cooling medium necessary for consistent molding.
Created for: ConMed
