STMCS – the market leading laser tire mold cleaning technology from 4JET. The fully automated cleaning system combines the advantages of a laser-based cleaning process with efficient automation and thus achieves reproducible and best cleaning results, even in all details of a complex mold design.

The short cycle time, the robustness, the automation level as well as the intuitive user and maintenance concepts truly make the STMCS the industry standard for this application.

Without disassembly from the container the tire mold is placed on the easy to access cleaning table via crane or forklift. The operator selects the appropriate cleaning recipe and the complete cleaning process runs fully automatically. The automatic mold centring simplifies the loading of the system and the automatic mold recognition verifies key geometric data of the mold to be cleaned. Together with the mechanical collision detection system, it prevents machine crashes in automatic mode or minimizes resulting damage.

After passing through the cleaning program, the mold is moved out of the cleaning chamber and machines equipped with a double table automatically start cleaning the next mold. Operating times are minimized and the utilization of the system is improved by around 20% . Typical cleaning times per mold range from 30 minutes for a summer tire mold to 60 minutes for a winter tire mold with complex sipe arrangements.

The cleaning process takes place in a closed system, thus preventing the escape of laser radiation, ensuring the extraction of the cleaning dust produced and reducing the already low noise level of the cleaning process (below 78 dB(A) ).

In terms of safety at work, the 4JET STMCS sets new standards, especially compared to manual dry ice cleaning systems, which cause unbearable noise and do not provide any possibility to prevent the dangerous cleaning dust from escaping. Other than manual laser cleaning devices, the system scores with the mandatory Class 1 laser safety, which compares the 4JET STMCS to a DVD player in terms of operational risk. The system can be run without the need for additional personal protection gear and safety installations (protective rooms or clearing of the working area to several 100 m²).

The machine’s 6 axis operating head allows approaching every single spot within the tread and sidewall pattern even for complicated geometries like winter tires with 3D sipes. Once defined in a simple teach-in process a dedicated recipe per mould assures a reproducible and effective cleaning process which makes the solution superior to any kind of manual cleaning.