Tire Mold Cleaning: Laser cleaning advantage in tire industry
Tire manufacturer process cost big energy, now laser technology will take innovation for it and help to save much cost and energy, no matter in tire production line, and in tire mold cleaning process.
In the tire production chain, the tire curing process is the first major consumer of energy: in general, tire curing is carried out by feeding the moulds and bladders with superheated water or steam at a certain pressure, so that the internal and external temperatures of the tire rise to more than 180°C and about 150°C respectively, a process that requires a large amount of heat.
In this regard, in addition to the use of nitrogen curing process to replace the process of superheated water, to avoid the systematic waste of heat and the upgrading of automatic curing workshop, the cleaning of the molds is also one of the key steps: because the traditional way of treatment requires the curing machine to stop for a long time, the molds will be cooled down, cleaned and treated and then heated up again, the whole process is time-consuming and a waste of heat, and at the same time frequent switching on and off of the cooker makes the automatic workshop lose its significance of heat saving. The whole process is time-consuming and waste of heat energy.
What is Tire Mold Laser Cleaning?
Tire mold laser cleaning is a cutting-edge technique that utilizes lasers to remove contaminants and deposits from tire molds. By using high-intensity laser beams, this process effectively eliminates dirt, rubber residue, and other impurities from the surface of the mold. The laser’s energy is absorbed by the contaminants, causing them to vaporize and leave the mold, resulting in a clean and pristine surface.
Advantage for laser cleaning in tire industry
Laser cleaning has unique advantages in this process: 1. precise and consistent cleaning results; 2. safe cleaning, no wear and tear on the substrate; 3. extended service life of the molds; 4. molds can be cleaned either hot or cold, and in-line; 5. mold cleaning speeds of up to 22m²/hour; 6. easy to automate.
Laser cleaning can also be used in the refining process, which is the second largest consumer of energy: during the maintenance and lubrication of the refiners and openers, the laser can remove paint, rust, oil and other residues from the original equipment, making it easier to carry out secondary maintenance, reducing unplanned downtime, and keeping the equipment in the best possible condition.
Synchronize the laser cleaning to the mold production line, monitoring and automated cleaning of the mold residue on the material, can be a good solution to the problem of long downtime delay in production. In tire mold cleaning, non-destructive and efficient are decisive factors. For example: for a pair of high-precision mold cleaning, with traditional methods such as dry ice or chemical cleaning, need 8 hours of downtime, however, with laser cleaning, only a few minutes can be completed, and the operating costs are negligible. Such as tire production plant cleaning 1500 pairs of molds a year, can save 6000 hours of production time; tire production can be increased by about 30,000 sets. Not only environmental protection, the economic benefits are also considerable.
With laser cleaning gel, rust, accumulation of pads can be thoroughly cleaned without dead ends, the outer surface of the mold is bright, no wire drawing, burn spots and color difference and other damage, and can extend the cleaning cycle.
Optimal solution: The tire mold industry typically requires a 500-2000 watt laser cleaning machine system with a full payback time of 12 to 18 months.
500w Pulse Laser Cleaning Machine
500w pulse laser cleaner, the least power in industry cleaning line.