Water-based mold releases offer great ways to decrease shot cycle times, improve the performance of your molds, and reduce downtime when it’s time to change your molds. Water-based mold release agents come in concentrated form, reducing your shipping and storage costs.
We’re here to guide you through curing your mold when using a water-based mold release agent.
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Temperature
Water-based mold releases offer lower evaporation temperatures compared to solvent-based waxes. However, they can reduce the wear and tear on molds because they require less cleaning and maintenance.
When you cure a mold for water-based mold releases, the temperature must come down enough for an even layer to diffuse into the mold’s every crevice. If the temperature of the mold is too high, the water-based mold release may not reach every point it needs to.
Once the mold release is on there, then you bring the mold back up to temp before using it. Any excess moisture will evaporate off. Then you can go about your normal production.
Time
Water-based mold release agents may need more time to cure because of the temperatures needed for curing. Let’s say your mold operates at a temperature of 250 degrees Fahrenheit. You’ll need time to let it cool to at least 120 degrees before reapplying any water-based mold release. Once you spray on the release agent, you may need to let it set for 10 to 15 minutes before bringing it back up to your desired temperature. You can use airflow or a fan to improve this process.
The upside to water-based mold releases is that this additional curing time is still cost-effective because you don’t need to clean the mold, you get more releases from the mold, and the mold lasts longer compared to solvents.
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We’ll Help You With Curing Water-Based Mold Releases
EZ-Kote has more than 30 years of experience with water-based mold releases for a wide range of industrial processes. If you have questions about the curing process for water-based mold releases, our chemical engineers will be happy to help.
Contact EZ-Kote or call (770) 720-1811 for more details. We’ll respond within 24 hours.
