Continuous motion de-flash trimming machine

A continuous motion de-flash machine for removing flash from molded plastic articles, the machine comprising:

• a frame;
• an in-feed section being supported by the frame and having (a) an in-feed screw adapted to receive articles and space the articles to a predetermined station pitch, and (b) a conveyor transporting articles to the in-feed screw;
• a de-flash section supported by the frame, receiving articles from the in-feed section, and including:
• (a) a de-flash turret with a plurality of cam-actuated punch stations each having a punch adapted to remove flash from an article upon completion of a horizon path of motion perpendicular to the direction the article travels through the de-flash section to remove the flash, the punch stations traveling along an oval track with a pair of long straight portions connecting two curved portions,
• (b) a nest turret with a plurality of cam-actuated nest stations, the nest stations traveling along an oval track parallel to the oval track of the punch stations, wherein the punch removes the flash from the article while the article is nested in the nest station and the punch station as the nest station and the punch station travel along the long, straight, parallel portions of their respective oval tracks, wherein the de-flash turret is offset to the nest turret with respect to the direction the article is received by the de-flash section, and
• (c) a removal chute to remove the flash, after having been removed from the article, from the machine;
• a carriage slide assembly for positioning the de-flash turret and the nest turret;
• an encoder installed on both the de-flash turret and the nest turret to monitor the speed and position of the punch stations and the nest stations;
• an electrical cabinet housing connections to an external source of electrical power and controlling those connections;
• a human-machine interface adapted to provide an interface between the machine and a human being operating the machine;
• guards enclosing the perimeter of the machine, extending to a height sufficient to prevent an operator from accessing the various components of the machine, and including a plurality of doors that, when the machine is stopped and one or more of the doors is or are opened, provide access to the various components of the machine by the operator;
• and
• an out-feed section receiving an article from the de-flash section and removing the article from the machine.

A method of de-flashing articles having unwanted flash, the method comprising:

• providing articles to a de-flash machine, the de-flash machine having (a) a de-flash turret with a plurality of punch stations each having a punch mounted to a back slide plate adapted to remove flash from an article, the punch stations traveling along an oval track with a pair of long straight portions connecting two curved portions, and (b) a nest turret with a plurality of nest stations, the nest stations traveling along an oval track parallel to the oval track of the punch stations, wherein the de-flash turret is offset to the nest turret with respect to the direction the article is received by the de-flash section;
• pulling a punch station and a corresponding nest station into their open positions;
• delivering an article to the punch station and the nest station while the punch station and the nest station are in their open positions;
• closing the punch station and the nest station together, wherein the nest station aligns with the punch station along the straight portion of the parallel oval tracks along which the nest station and the punch station travel, thereby capturing the article;
• directing the punch across the article to remove the flash from the article, wherein the punch moves across the article in a direction perpendicular to the straight portion of the parallel oval tracks;
• retracting the punch into the punch station;
• moving the punch station and the nest station away from each other into an open position;
• and
• releasing the de-flashed article.