Categorized by runner structure
Conventional Cold Runner Gating System:Transports molten material through metal runners that cool naturally. It features a simple structure and low maintenance costs, making it the most common basic type. Composed of a sprue, runners, gates, and cold slugs, it is widely applicable to plastic parts of various shapes and sizes; however, it generates runner waste that requires secondary processing.
Hot Runner Gating System: Uses built-in heating elements to keep the plastic within the runners in a molten state. This eliminates cold slug waste, increases material utilization by over 30%, and shortens molding cycles by 15%–30%. It results in fewer surface defects and is ideal for the mass production of high-precision automotive parts and electronic components, though mold costs and maintenance complexity are relatively higher.
Structural Variants: Includes "Large Gate" (two-plate mold) and "Fine Gate" (three-plate mold) types. In Large Gate systems, the runner and gate are located on the parting line and are ejected along with the product during mold opening, offering simple machining and low costs. In Fine Gate systems, the runner and gate are not on the parting line, allowing for automatic gate detachment (pin-point gating); this is suitable for precision plastic parts with strict aesthetic requirements.
