Edited by Plastics Decorating staff
When hot stamping three-dimensional plastic parts, the die is only a portion of the process. The tooling (jig or support fixture) that supports the part and fixes it in the exact position is just as important to produce outstanding stamping results. H+M USA, a KURZ company, supplies both silicone rubber dies and matching tooling, which means possible adjustments during a hot stamping project lie with one supplier and assures an accelerated process to obtain a quality stamping die and supporting tooling.
As part geometries continue to become more complex, the construction of the die and tooling is essential. H+M has perfected its knowledge of both dies and tooling over the decades and applies this knowledge to each individual customer order. The high-performance silicone used by H+M for its stamping dies ensures that they reach their operating temperature as quickly as possible, creating a high-quality hot stamp. In addition, tool precision, high accuracy of fit and quick set-up times are crucial for quality stamps and high-volume applications. H+M stamping tools are built to be easy to use and minimize set-up times on press.
H+M USA offers an extensive range of tooling for vertical stamping, roll-on stamping and other peripheral rolling processes. Silicone rubber dies are available as flat, curved or softbelly. Softbelly silicone dies are characterized by the combination of different types of silicone in one stamping die, designed for complex applications. One type of silicone adjusts to the plastic part, while the other ensures the image is stamped with razor sharpness. Silicone wheels and rollers also are available in a variety of shore hardnesses and geometries, as well as silicone sheets prefabricated in a wide variety of dimensions with different shore hardnesses and thicknesses of silicone and aluminum.
In addition to silicone dies and tooling, H+M provides metal dies for certain plastic applications, available in both brass and steel depending on the specific application. The company’s precision metal dies are especially well-suited for plastic components with low tolerances and plastics with a high plasticity point. In particular applications where the hot foil stamp needs to be recessed deep into the plastic material, a metal die is needed to achieve the debossed image that cannot be accomplished with a silicone die. Also, when the image is recessed into the plastic, silicone rubber is not a feasible choice due to the higher temperatures required to hot stamp the part. Lastly, metal dies work best to achieve sharp, consistent images on textured plastic surfaces.
H+M offers the following for all types of plastics hot stamping applications:
- Feasibility studies
- Suggestions for part optimization
- Customized design targeted to the requirements of the application
- Production of sample parts, pilot series or small batches
- Prototype tooling for pre-production samples
- High-performance silicone produced exclusively
for H+M
H+M manufacturers stamping dies and tooling that offers the highest level of precision with the know-how for achieving the best, most efficient results. To learn more about H+M USA’s custom hot stamping decoration dies and tooling, visit www.hmusadies.com or call 704.599.9325.
