Round Mate^® FAQ

Q. What is Round Mate?

A. Round Mate is our patented precision modular mold base system. It features quick change cavity sets that can reduce mold changeover times to 10 minutes, and lower tool costs by as much as 30 percent.

Q. What Steel is used for the Master Frame?

A. The Master Frame is constructed entirely with 420 Stainless Steel mold plate.

Q. What is the coating and what does it do?

A. The coating is a special chrome alloy that gives the Master Frame exterior and bore surfaces a hard, slick coating to guard against wear and corrosion.

Q. What Steels are the inserts available in?

A. Off-the-shelf; P-20; H-13; S-7; 420SS; 420SS Pre Hard

Q. Do you have Aluminum inserts or other steels?

A. Yes, we can provide additional materials to customer specifications.

Q. What is the manufacturing accuracy of the system?

A. Every Master Frame is constructed to strict guidelines with +/- .0002 in the critical insert locating areas.

Q. Is there enough water to cool the system?

A. Yes. Plenty of water runs through the system to provide cooling. We offer many options to provide more cooling if you require it. See our Mold Build Guides for more details.

Q. Do the O-Rings leak?

A. They do not leak if they are assembled correctly. This is because of our design, which uses a unique Dual Size O-Ring and groove design that insures against Rolling or Cutting during installation.

Q. How do you remove water before removing the insert?

A. It is helpful to remove the water lines that are connected to the base and blow air through the base prior to removing the insert. This will purge the water from the jacket area.

Q. How does the insert lock into place?

A. There are Four Lifter/Retainers 90° apart. A special “T” handle allen wrench is used to snug into place. (Care must be taken to not over tighten.)

Q. Can you use sleeve ejection?

A. Yes. Sleeve ejection can be used with Round Mate.

Q. Can hot bushings and hot tips be installed into a Round Mate Insert?

A. Yes! We support Hot Bushings from many manufacturers. We also produce our own Multi Tip Hot Runner.

Q. What if my part is to tall for standard inserts?

A. Various stand-up options are available. The Master Frame is easily adjustable to various insert thicknesses.

Q. Can I cut the cavity in the solid insert blank?

A. Yes! You can also easily heat treat the inserts to add significant durability to the mold.

Q. How can I check my detail dimensions and location, the insert is round?

A. Datum is from the center and usually radially located about the center line.

Q. What size and configurations are available?

A. Four, six, eight, ten, and twelve-inch diameters are available. We keep our 6” and 8” sizes stocked for quick delivery.

Q. Can I have a three plate mold?

A. Yes, the base can be configured to be a three plate and/or a stripper disc can be designed in the center of the mold insert. See our Design Guide for more information. Stripper bolts are easily added to the side of the master frame.

Q. Can you use slides in the inserts?

A. Yes, standard slides and butterfly lifters are frequently used.

Can the mold be heated to 350° F?

A. Yes, however, it requires special O-Ring Seals.

Q. How does Round Mate compare to MUD?

A. Round Mate is more accurate, with a faster changeover. Compared to MUD, it is more cost effective and more durable, with a quicker mold delivery. Round Mate is expandable and can be customized to your needs. Choose from one, two, or four position master frames. Round Mate is high precision with a simplified mold design. It features excellent 360° Cooling. Round Mate molds cost less to produce.