The Kleiss Difference is in the Molding

Extreme Precision Repeatability, below 0.001 of an inch

Molded gears require a clean environment, precision molding equipment, high pressures, precise temperature control, and more than anything else, experience. Our business is designing and producing the best gears in the industry.

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The optimal pressure and fill patterns of a successful molded gear, captured from our Arburg Press.

Injection

We have found that the method of injecting the polymer into the mold is very important. At Kleiss Gears we believe that, in most cases, polymer needs to be injected under high pressure very quickly in order produce the optimum gear.

As the mold cavity fills, injection pressure should be held at the same high value and the speed of injection slowed to maintain that pressure. At the moment when the part is filled, and the mold machine switches over from injection to a pack and hold state, the polymer melt is held at the same high pressure. This pressure is held for as long as it takes to freeze the gates and achieve the greatest weight possible for the molded part.

Temperature Control

At Kleiss Gears every piece of steel in the vicinity of molten polymer is held at a constant predetermined temperature. The core pin around which the bore is formed is very important; temperature regulation of the core pin is achieved and its wear minimized. The mold base is insulated from the mold machine at its mounting points to prevent uneven cooling from the large steel machine platens.

Our factory floor where all of our gears are produced on demand.

Molding Machines

Kleiss Gears uses the newest Arburg Hydraulic Presses. We count on Arburg Presses, their CNC controls and real-time process regulation to eliminate human error and achieve high repeatability. By working closely with Arburg we customize our presses to meet our high standards. Without the correct molding press operating to our specification, it is impossible to assure consistent dimensions, quality and repeatability.

The basic construction of a molding machine is very straightforward.

Material is fed through a hopper into a screw and barrel where it is heated to a molten condition.
The melt is then injected under high pressure into the mold while the mold is held closed hydraulically. The goal is to melt the resin in a very repeatable and uniform fashion, inject it into the mold under very precise
and repeatable pressure conditions, and hold the steel temperatures in the
entire flow system stable.
The molded gear is cured under high pressure in the mold until the material
is stabilized and tough enough to be released. A few extra seconds in the
mold can mean extra years of excellent service.

Our Production Manager, Larry programming the Arburg Press.

Clean and Controlled Environment

There are many necessary handling and pre-processing requirements for the molding of polymer gears. At Kleiss Gears we take great pains to ensure that industry standards are met and exceeded in the production of each gear. We keep the molding facility temperature and humidity levels consistent to ensure repeatability. Engineered polymers must be dried to a specific dew point prior to use. We have an environmentally controlled dry room with demand activated dryers designated for this.

Virgin Materials

At Kleiss Gears we use only virgin material for molded gears. Other companies regrind runners and put them back in the melt, raising quality concerns.

Kleiss Gears, Inc., 390 Industrial Avenue, Grantsburg, Wisconsin 54840
715-463-5995
Please email sales@KleissGears.com with any inquiries.