To minimize the risks associated with declining cooling performance, it is essential to include regular cooling duct cleaning in your mold service routine. Here are some best practices to help keep cooling channels clean and efficient:
- Regular preventive cleaning: Set a cleaning schedule based on the frequency of mold use and the type of coolant circulating in the system. Regular diagnostics and short preventive cleaning sessions are effective in preventing the buildup of contaminants before they cause more serious problems that reflect on the process.
- Flow monitoring: Implementing systems to monitor the flow of the cooling medium through the ducts allows early detection of decreases in flow or increases in delta T (the difference in inlet and outlet temperatures), which can indicate blockage or scale/rust buildup.
- Documenting maintenance activities: Keep detailed records of all maintenance activities, including cleaning dates/times and recorded flow expenditures for individual channels. These records help track the decline in cooling performance over time and can guide future decisions on tool maintenance activities.
- Selecting the right tool: Make sure the device dedicated to cleaning has features that will allow you to clean effectively and efficiently as well as monitor the performance of individual tool cooling circuits. It's a good idea if the device also has a function to save the data with the ability to play it back and refer to it in subsequent cleaning sessions.
