MLCs and the "New" Mold Room

The use of MLCs – and IMRT – in your department does not completely eliminate the need for custom shielding blocks and the mold room. Facilities with MLCs need to make adjustments in respect to the size and configuration of their mold room, as well as the type of block production equipment required. This is due primarily to the shift of labor resources out of the mold room, as the MLC creates less demand for custom shielding blocks.

The greatest impact in “labor shift” is in the hot-wire cutting equipment and block production process.

Typically, most facilities have used a manual hot-wire cutter for cutting foam blocks. Cutting a precise foam block on a manual cutter requires a skilled technician, as the actual cutting process is technique sensitive. Cut too fast and the wire bows, deforming the side of the block. Too slow and the wire over-melts the foam, creating an out-of-dimension block.

With the development of reliable and reasonably-priced computerized/automated block cutting equipment, however, several problems are solved.

Not only does a computerized cutter consistently manufacture a very precise block, it also provides the benefit of allowing the operator to work on other tasks while the block is being cut, automatically – improving labor efficiencies.

With the high cost of building on a per-square-foot basis, and the impact of the MLC in minimizing block production, facilities are looking to decrease the size of the mold room. Space is at a premium.

This can be achieved in part by selecting block-making equipment that incorporates several pieces of equipment into one compact, space-efficient unit.

For example, a block casting system incorporates the alloy melter and a refrigerated cold plate into a compact, custom-designed cabinet.

In addition to minimizing the amount of space required for this type of system, it also improves the block quality due to the rapid gradient cooling process that occurs through the use of a refrigerated cold plate.

Safety is an additional benefit. The placement of the alloy melter allows alloy to be dispensed directly into the foam mold cavity, eliminating alloy spills and wrist injuries from pouring from a pitcher.

Another example of space-saving equipment for the mold room is a custom work station, which incorporates everything from foam storage, a drill press, and a stainless steel work surface – to a HEPA vacuum system – in a compact, modular cabinet.

Since both the block casting system and the work station use less floor space than conventional mold room equipment layouts, the savings generated can actually help pay for the more efficient equipment