Tip of the Day 129: Use Descriptive Cavity ID’s

I discovered recently that someone thought you could only put numbers in the “Id” column on sensor locations. This is not true. You can use letters, numbers, spaces and some punctuation.

Use descriptive identifiers for cavities, valve gates and individual sorting outputs (tip #’s 68 and 69). Using letters and numbers describe these sensors and locations in a way that best identifies where the sensor is located. First select the “Location” in terms of the flow path through the mold:

• “Runner“: before the gate


• “Post Gate“: right after the gate inside the cavity


• “Mid Cavity” somewhere between the gate and the end


• quot;End of Cavity” near the last point to fill

The select an identifier that adds to the location described. In a multi-cavity mold these will often be simply numbered cavities. In family tools such as those making two auto lenses you might have a “Left” and “Right“. In multi-gated cavities we have used “Op-Top” for “Operator Side – Top” and so on.

Choose locations and identifier names that help you best visualize the inside of the cavity from the plastic’s point of view and from your view of the mold in the machine.