| 摘要 |
A molding apparatus (12) and process is apt for cyclic production of very thin walled articles such as compact data discs. A thermoplastic melt is introduced into a mold (10) at a temperature above its solidifying temperature. The mold is temperature controlled but has cavity facing surfaces (10A) that are preheated and can be insulated. The surfaces are preheated using a radiant heater (18), up to a surface temperature above the softening temperature of the ,melt. This surface heating is shallow due to the radiant application of heat energy, but extends a time during which the melt temperature is sufficiently elevated that the melt can flow along the cavity surfaces. A positioning robot (20) is used to move the radiant heater (18) into place at the appropriate point in the molding cycle.
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