Our Facility

Stage 1: mold design, 3D simulation and flow analysis

Every project starts in the engineering and design center. Decisions made here fix cavitation, cooling layout and part geometry, so most later problems are cheaper to prevent at this stage than to correct on the shop floor.

• The preform, closure or bottle drawing is checked against the neck finish standard, for example PCO 1881, PCO 1810, 29/25 or 38mm.
• The mold is modelled in CAD and the machining programs are prepared in CAM.
• 3D simulation and flow analysis are used to check filling balance and cooling before any steel is cut.
• Lightweighting or cooling changes are evaluated at this stage, for example a preform weight reduction of 1g to 2g or a neck cooling time reduction of up to 0.5 seconds.

Stage 2: CNC machining, EDM and grinding of cores, cavities and neck rings

Machining takes place on over 10,000 sqm of climate-controlled production floor. A stable temperature matters because steel expands and contracts with heat, and multi-cavity molds depend on every cavity being machined to the same dimensions.

• CNC machining centers from Mazak and Makino (Japan) and Haas and Hardinge (USA), plus Beijing Jingdiao high-speed machines, cut cores, cavities, neck rings and mold base plates.
• Sodick EDM machines produce fine features and sharp internal shapes that cutting tools cannot reach, such as details on gate inserts.
• Okamoto grinders finish mold base plates and critical faces for flatness and parallelism.
• Mold bases for preform molds up to 160 cavities are machined on Mazak, Makino and Haas equipment and ground on Okamoto.

Stage 3 and 4: assembly and quality inspection with Zeiss CMM

Machined parts are measured before and after assembly. The quality lab is equipped with a Zeiss coordinate measuring machine, a 3D profile scanner, an optical projector and bottle sample inspection equipment. These checks are what stand behind LIHE's published process capability of CPK ≥ 1.33 and operational defect rates as low as 0.0064%.

• Zeiss CMM: measures the 3D geometry of cores, cavities, neck rings and mold bases against the CAD model.
• 3D profile scanner: captures 3D surface shapes for comparison with the design model.
• Optical projector: checks small profiles such as neck threads and edges.
• Bottle sample inspection: evaluates finished bottle samples for blow mold projects.
• Validation and inspection reports are supplied to the customer on request.

Stage 5: sample evaluation, packing and shipping

Before a mold leaves the factory, buyers commonly agree an acceptance step: a review of inspection data and, where the project calls for it, of sample preforms or bottles. This is often called a factory acceptance test. Agree the acceptance criteria, sample quantities and report format in the purchase order so that both sides measure the same things.

• Pilot molds are delivered in 20 days, which lets you approve a new design on samples before ordering full cavitation.
• Standard PET molds are delivered in 8 weeks.
• Replacement parts and cap mold parts are delivered in 4 weeks.
• Molds are shipped to customers in more than 50 countries across Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East.

LIHE factory capacity in numbers

The full PET mold workflow, step by step

1. Step 1: Engineering review of the drawing or sample, neck finish, cavitation and machine model.
2. Step 2: CAD design, 3D simulation and flow analysis, followed by design approval by the customer.
3. Step 3: CNC machining, EDM and grinding of cores, cavities, neck rings and the mold base in the climate-controlled workshop.
4. Step 4: Measurement of critical parts on the Zeiss CMM, then assembly of the mold or hot runner.
5. Step 5: Final inspection and the agreed acceptance step, with validation and inspection reports on request.
6. Step 6: Packing and shipping, followed by mold installation and machine start-up support at the customer's plant.

After-sales support: installation, preventive maintenance and refurbishment

Support does not end at shipment. LIHE's dedicated technical team covers the period from installation through years of production.

• On-site machine interface audits before or during installation.
• Mold installation and machine start-up support.
• Regular preventive maintenance to keep wear parts within tolerance.
• Remote troubleshooting and on-site technical assistance.
• Spare parts supply, with replacement parts in 4 weeks.
• Mold refurbishment programs and complete overhauls that restore aging molds to OEM-level efficiency.
• Hot runner refurbishment with replacement nozzle tips, valve pins, heaters and seals; Husky Ultra-type hot runners carry a 3-year leakage-proof guarantee.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the LIHE factory?

The factory is in Shishan Town, Nanhai District, Foshan, Guangdong, China. LIHE also has a sales office in Taiwan.

Which machine tools does LIHE use?

CNC machining centers from Mazak, Makino, Haas, Hardinge and Beijing Jingdiao, Sodick EDM machines and Okamoto grinders. Inspection uses a Zeiss CMM, a 3D profile scanner, an optical projector and bottle sample inspection equipment.

How long does it take to build a PET preform mold?

The published lead time for a standard PET mold is 8 weeks. Pilot molds take 20 days, and replacement parts and cap mold parts take 4 weeks.

Why does climate control matter in a mold factory?

Steel changes size with temperature. Machining in a stable environment helps every cavity of a multi-cavity mold reach the same dimensions, which is important when a mold has up to 160 cavities.

Does LIHE help install the mold at our plant?

Yes. The technical team provides on-site machine interface audits, mold installation and machine start-up support, and remote troubleshooting afterwards.

References

1. Wikipedia — Computer-aided manufacturing
2. Wikipedia — Electrical discharge machining
3. Wikipedia — Coordinate-measuring machine
4. Wikipedia — Factory acceptance test
5. Wikipedia — Preventive maintenance