Mould makers
Manufacturing glass molds:
Perfume bottles of the most varied shapes require the supply of carefully made molds, with cast iron being the main raw material developed. Some molds require steel, bronze, nickel alloys or even graphite depending on the finished product or process to achieve an exceptional degree of finish. This variety of machined materials requires adapted machines and tools. Quality, precision, reliability and technicality are the key words of the moulding industry.
Whether it is a semi-automatic production for small series or an automatic production for large series, the basic principle is the same for the production of flasks, bottles and carafes. La Glass Vallée’s moldmakers are recognized by the glass industry, and are able to intervene at all stages of the life of the glass mold, whether it is for its design, its manufacture or its repair.
Most of La Glass Vallée’s moldmakers have a design office to meet the needs of customers who send models of their products made by a modeler, or who send the plan of the bottle in paper or computer format.
The products manufactured are mainly roughing and finishing molds.
But some moldmakers also manufacture accessories: roughing bottoms, finishing bottoms, blowing heads, funnels (…). Finishing bottoms and roughing bottoms can be built with inserts of different materials: the metallization of connections or cavities (complete profile, molds and accessories).
The standard manufacturing process for a mold or an accessory is the reception of the material, the machining preparation (marking, inspection), metallization, finishing (parting line, profile), external operations (notches, undercuts, notches, vents …), marking, adjustment, polishing, dimensional control knowing that the mold is mostly used only once.
The machines can be traditional (milling machine, lathe, grinding machine, metallization station, polishing station) or numerically controlled (lathes, milling machines, 4- or 5-axis machining center). The operators’ knowledge of the “mold” is essential to obtain the quality desired by the customers. Beyond the initial training, the training at the workstation is long and necessary.
Five moldmakers are members of La Glass Vallée: