Product images have been enhanced with AI. To see the actual products, contact our sales team for photos of the machines on site.
Hot Runner System
Valve gate hot runner systems for PET preform and plastic closure injection molds — up to 144 cavities for preforms and 96 cavities for closures. The manifold, nozzles, valve pins and backing plate are designed for balanced melt flow and precise temperature control, so every cavity fills evenly with low AA generation and minimal pressure drop.
- Cavitation: Up to 144 cavities for preform molds and 96 cavities for closure molds.
- Machine compatibility: HUSKY, NETSTAL, KM, SIPA and other preform injection machines, plus mainstream closure injection machines.
- Balanced flow: Naturally balanced manifold layout for uniform preform weight across all cavities.
- Valve gating: Clean gate vestige and stable gate quality over long production runs.
- Service: Replacement nozzle tips, valve pins, heaters and seals, plus refurbishment of existing hot runners.
Quotes and technical questions are handled directly by the manufacturer's international sales department.
Hot runner system for PET preform molds: cavitation, compatible Husky and Netstal replacement, spare parts, refurbishment and troubleshooting
A valve gate hot runner system is the heated manifold, nozzle and valve pin assembly that delivers PET or closure resin to every cavity of a multi-cavity mold and closes each gate with a pin. This page is a working reference for buyers and maintenance teams: what the LIHE hot runner covers, which spare parts to stock, when to refurbish and how to troubleshoot common hot runner faults. LIHE Precision (Foshan Lihe Precision Machinery Co.,Ltd.) is a manufacturer of PET preform molds, blow molds, closure and compression molds, hot runner systems and mold components for the beverage and packaging industry, with manufacturing in Foshan, China.
LIHE hot runner specification summary
- Gate type: valve gate.
- Preform molds: up to 144 cavities.
- Closure molds: up to 96 cavities.
- Machine compatibility: HUSKY, NETSTAL, KM, SIPA and other preform injection machines, plus mainstream closure injection machines.
- Design: Husky Ultra-type design.
- Guarantee: 3-year leakage-proof guarantee.
- Service: replacement nozzle tips, valve pins, heaters and seals, plus refurbishment of existing hot runners.
Hot runner spare parts to keep in stock
A hot runner stops the whole mold when one critical part fails, so a small stock of wear parts is cheaper than lost production. The parts below are the ones LIHE supplies as replacements. Stock levels should follow your own failure history and the number of cavities.
- Nozzle tips — wear from melt flow and contact with the gate insert; worn tips affect gate quality.
- Valve pins — the pin tip seals the gate every cycle; wear or damage shows as gate defects in a specific cavity.
- Heaters — manifold and nozzle heaters can fail open-circuit or lose output with age.
- Seals — seals between manifold, nozzles and pin actuators prevent leaks and must be replaced when the hot runner is opened.
- Keep a record of which cavity or zone each replacement was fitted to, so repeat failures can be traced.
Repair, refurbish or replace a hot runner
| Option | When it fits | Typical scope | What to send or prepare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spot repair | One or a few cavities or zones show faults | Replace a tip, valve pin, heater or seal | Cavity and zone numbers, photos of defects |
| Refurbishment | General wear after long service, leaks or several weak zones | Strip, clean, inspect, replace wear parts and seals, test and reassemble | Hot runner and its history, controller data |
| Replacement | Cavitation, pitch or machine changes, or damage beyond repair | New hot runner built to the mold and machine | Mold drawings, machine model, cavitation |
Hot runner refurbishment: what is usually done
Refurbishment returns a used hot runner to stable production condition. LIHE refurbishes existing hot runners and, more broadly, offers mold refurbishment programs and project retrofitting to restore aging assets to OEM-level efficiency. A typical refurbishment covers the following work, adjusted to the condition found on inspection:
- Disassembly and cleaning of manifold, nozzles and valve pin assemblies to remove degraded resin.
- Inspection of melt channels, nozzle seats and sealing faces for wear, cracks or erosion.
- Electrical testing of every heater and thermocouple circuit.
- Replacement of seals, worn nozzle tips and valve pins.
- Reassembly, leak testing and functional checks of valve pin movement before return.
Troubleshooting a hot runner: step-by-step procedure
- Step 1: Identify the affected cavities and note the symptom: short shot, heavy or light preform, gate defect, stringing or leak.
- Step 2: Check the controller: compare actual and set temperatures for every zone and look for open circuits or zones at full output.
- Step 3: Map the affected cavities to their heater zones and nozzles to see whether the fault follows one zone.
- Step 4: Check valve pin operation: actuation pressure, timing and whether the pin closes fully in the affected cavity.
- Step 5: Inspect the gate insert and nozzle tip area of the affected cavity for damage, wear or contamination.
- Step 6: Replace the faulty part (tip, pin, heater or seal) and confirm by weighing preforms from the affected and neighboring cavities.
- Step 7: If several zones fail or leaks appear, plan a full refurbishment and contact LIHE for remote troubleshooting or on-site assistance.
Common hot runner symptoms and where to look
| Symptom | Possible causes | First checks |
|---|---|---|
| Short shot in one cavity | Cold zone, failed heater, blocked tip, valve pin not opening | Zone temperature, heater circuit, pin movement |
| Heavy or light preform in some cavities | Temperature differences between zones, worn tips | Zone readings, cavity-by-cavity weights |
| Gate defects or stringing | Worn valve pin or tip, gate too hot, pin timing | Pin tip condition, gate insert, timing settings |
| Resin leak | Worn or damaged seals, incorrect heat-up sequence | Seal condition, assembly, start-up procedure |
| Yellowing or black specks | Degraded resin in dead spots, overheating | Set temperatures, cleaning history |
Leakage-proof guarantee and after-sales support
- LIHE hot runners use a Husky Ultra-type design with a 3-year leakage-proof guarantee. Ask LIHE sales for the written guarantee terms with your quotation.
- A dedicated technical team provides mold installation, machine start-up support and regular preventive maintenance.
- Remote troubleshooting, on-site assistance, spare parts supply and mold refurbishment programs are available.
- Replacement parts lead time at LIHE is 4 weeks.
- Contact: sales@lihe-preform.com or +886 938 198 675 (also WhatsApp).
Frequently asked questions
- Which machines are LIHE hot runners compatible with?
- HUSKY, NETSTAL, KM, SIPA and other preform injection machines, plus mainstream closure injection machines.
- What is the maximum cavitation of a LIHE hot runner?
- Up to 144 cavities for PET preform molds and up to 96 cavities for closure molds.
- Can LIHE supply spare parts for a hot runner it did not build?
- LIHE supplies replacement nozzle tips, valve pins, heaters and seals and refurbishes existing hot runners. Send the hot runner make, model and sample parts or drawings so compatibility can be confirmed.
- What does the 3-year leakage-proof guarantee cover?
- LIHE hot runners with the Husky Ultra-type design carry a 3-year leakage-proof guarantee. The written terms are provided by LIHE sales with the quotation.
- When should a hot runner be refurbished instead of repaired?
- When faults appear in several zones, seals start to leak, or the hot runner has run for a long period without a full service. A single faulty tip, pin or heater can usually be replaced as a spot repair.