Uddeholm Mirrax ESR saves thousands
Print
Bohler-Uddeholm partners with industry leaders to trial new grades against commonly used grades in order to demonstrate superior performance. The following case study involves Uddeholm Mirrax® ESR, a 400 series stainless mould steel with excellent toughness, good corrosion resistance, and high polishability versus AISI H13.
|
Produced Part:
Interior automotive part |
Material:
Resin - 30% glass filled PBT |
Tool Steel and Production Conditions:
Injection moulded part using Uddeholm Mirrax® ESR vs. AISI H13 |
Dimensions:
24" x 24", 2 core and 2 cavity mould |
Hardness:
Heat treated by Bohler-Uddeholm Thermo-Tech to 48-50 HRC |
Surface Finish:
EDM finish |
Material Failure Issues:
1. Chipping along louvered edge.
2. Corrosion of sliding part due to chemically aggressive resin. | |
|
Customer: Ultra Manufacturing – A Waterloo, Ontario based plastic injection moulded part manufacturer specializing in automotive interior components. |
|
Trial Details and Result to Date: Tool produced approximately 1.2 million parts using H-13 inserts before switching to Uddeholm Mirrax® ESR inserts. The Mirrax® ESR inserts have produced approximately 2.7 million parts to date. |
Cost – Benefit Analysis: Replacing AISI H13 with Uddeholm Mirrax® ESR
Direct costs: $80,000 to build a new set of inserts every 1.2 million parts when using AISI H13; $10,000 every 100,000 parts to repair and match AISI H13 inserts for texture and gloss level. Indirect Costs: not included in cost model – lost production due to maintenance and repair; scrapped parts, inspection, etc. |
|
Cost – Benefit Analysis:
