Industries / Plastics & Injection Molding
Conveyors for Plastics & Injection Molding
Carry parts away from the mold
Receive ejected parts beneath injection molds and carry them toward collection, inspection or assembly. Conveyor Technologies helps fit the conveying surface, drive and discharge around your parts, runners and sprues and the available machine space.
On this page
01 / Your process
Finished-part removal
Receive the part after ejection
Ejected parts land on the receiving surface beneath the mold. Conveyor length and discharge position establish the path toward collection, inspection or assembly.
Select the conveying surface
Belt choices include soft urethane and silicone compounds. The part's shape, finished surface and temperature at contact affect the appropriate belt. Conveyor Technologies helps select the surface and confirm the permissible contact temperature for the material and conveyor configuration.
Maintain a defined orientation
A molded part may need to arrive at inspection or assembly in a defined orientation. Timing belts transmit motion through engagement between belt teeth and pulley grooves; part holders support and locate the part. The holder is matched to the part's shape and the operation it reaches.
Choose a starting point
Conveyor options to explore
Receiving finished parts, collecting runners and sprues, and positioning a part for inspection are different handling tasks. The options below address those stages from the mold to the next operation. The Conveyor Selection Guide explains the wider product range.
End-Drive Conveyors
A low-profile conveying surface receives material beneath the mold, with the motor and gearbox at one end where the layout allows them to sit outside the mold area.
Useful when: Ejected parts need to move away from the mold toward collection, inspection or assembly.
Center Drive Conveyor
A repositionable drive along the conveyor leaves space at the infeed and discharge for layouts with limited clearance at either end.
Useful when: You need a take-away conveyor, but the molding machine or nearby equipment restricts space at either end.
Cleated Conveyors
Cleats support incline movement from a collection point near the press toward an elevated bin or granulator infeed.
Useful when: Runners and sprues need to move from a low collection point to a higher granulator infeed.
AccuVision Internal Backlit Conveyor
Internal LED backlighting creates an illuminated background for profile and edge inspection of molded parts after removal from the mold.
Useful when: Molded parts need a visual check of their outline or edges after leaving the mold.
AccuMove Conveyors
Timing belt motion supports indexing between downstream inspection and assembly positions, with holder options for the required part presentation.
Useful when: Parts need to move in steps from one inspection or assembly position to the next.
Dual Belt Indexing Conveyor
Guided holders on two timing belts carry molded parts through downstream working stations. Holders can remain separate or span both belts.
Useful when: An assembly or robotic-handling station needs each part presented in a defined orientation.
02 / Your process
Runner and sprue handling
Move material toward collection
Low-profile conveyors transport runners, sprues and flash material toward collection bins or granulators. The receiving point can sit beneath the mold or beside the press, following where the material is released and separated from finished parts.
Reach an elevated infeed
Cleated Conveyors carry material up an incline and provide spacing and segregation along the belt. An incline can connect a collection point near the machine with an elevated granulator infeed.
Match the discharge arrangement
Finished parts and runner material can need different collection routes. Conveyor Technologies helps fit conveyor width, speed, length and discharge to the material and molding cycle. The conveyor carries material onward after separation; it does not by itself separate finished parts from runners and sprues.
03 / Your process
Under-mold integration
Drive placement
| Product | Layout function |
|---|---|
| End-Drive Conveyors | Locate the motor and gearbox at one end, outside the mold area where the layout allows. |
| Center Drive Conveyor | Place the drive between the ends when end clearance is limited. |
Mounting and access
Compact extruded aluminum frames accommodate restricted space around the mold and machine structure. Support arrangements include direct machine mounting, floor stands and application-specific brackets.
The complete arrangement extends beyond the space beneath the mold. The motor, gearbox and supports occupy space around the product path, and the discharge must reach collection. These elements are arranged with access around the machine.
04 / Your process
Connect the next operation
Inspection
AccuVision Internal Backlit Conveyor combines conveyor motion with internal LED backlighting for profile and edge inspection. Part support and image-capture timing work with the lighting to present the feature being inspected. Vision Inspection explains these relationships around the inspection station.
Assembly and robotic handling
AccuMove Conveyors provide timing belt motion for indexing. Dual Belt Indexing Conveyor carries guided part holders through working stations. At a robot or assembly station, the holder establishes how the part is presented while the conveyor controls its travel between positions.
Press and line controls
Start and stop signals connect conveyor movement with the molding cycle and the next operation. Fault detection and production counting provide information to the surrounding controls. Conveyor Technologies helps select the drive and interfaces for that machine combination. Conveyor routes can connect molding machines with inspection, assembly and packaging areas.
05 / Your process
Operating conditions
Mold release agents, processing fluids, plastic dust and cleaning conditions affect the choice of belt and components. Sealed-for-life bearings do not require routine relubrication.
For cleanroom molding, the applicable classification and contamination controls determine the material and configuration documentation needed. Suitability depends on the selected arrangement and environment; Conveyor Technologies can help identify the relevant documentation.
Conveyor selection starts here
Discuss your molding application
Tell us what leaves the mold, where it needs to go and the space available around the machine. Include any contact-temperature or handling concerns you already know. Conveyor Technologies can help select the conveyor and configure the handling arrangement. A brief description is enough to start.