Machining unusual bottle molds: Makino VMC sets path to success

摘要

Few companies in North America are capable of making bottle molds for the specialized stretch blow molding process. Hammonton Mold Co. Inc., Williamstown, NJ, is a full-service mold shop that specializes in this process for plastic bottle manufacturers, as well as molds for the injection blow mold industry. Regardless of the level of competition, Hammonton believed it needed something to set its company apart from the rest. The company recently took delivery of a Makino V33 vertical machining center, the performance of which Hammonton owner Luka Domazet says generated an immediate 50 percent saving in machining time. And Domazet is encouraged that they will see even more savings down the line. Hammonton often tackles projects that other mold shops turn away. Much of the company's growth stems from its ability and desire to design and build custom molds in unusual shapes. "You need a machine like the Makino to do molds like these competitively," Domazet says. "Anyone can make a square bottle. It is our ability to make the unusual shapes that helps us win business over and over again. The Makino V.33 makes that happen."