Cycle counter housing – An externally mounted housing for the Counterview® system is now being manufactured by Progressive Components in Durban; the cage with the counter fitted within is mounted on to the mould in such a way that the moving arm is flicked every time the mould opens. Exact data of mould cycles can thus be recorded. Developing the system in such a way that it is simple yet efficient, accurate and robust were key to the process

Westmead mould maker comes up with the solution

PROGRESSIVE Components of Durban has continued its development of a housing for the CounterView^® cycle counter for injection moulding, recently introducing a version for external mounting, which makes retrofitting of the part to moulds easier.

One of the world’s most popular mould cycle counters, if not the most popular, the CounterView^® housings are manufactured by Progressive Components cc in Westmead for the coincidentally named Progressive Components of the USA (Wauconda, Illinois). The American company is a supplier to the mould making sector globally.

Progressive Components cc has been in operation in Durban since 1997, manufacturing moulds and parts for the automotive, electronics and security sector, as well as developing and building moulds for complex components in general.

The company is run by Shane James and Wesley Woolven, who both spent earlier spells at the company, then ventured out and gained other experience in tooling before returning. They have been co-owners of Progressive since 2018.

Since 1994
First developed by Progressive Components in the USA in 1994, various iterations of the CounterView^® component have been developed since as improvements were made.

James and Woolven have headed up the process of developing a housing for the Counterview^®, with production thereof being a small, but important, part of their company’s output. As it was found that mouldmakers were less likely to use the CounterView^® if the part was not included in the design at the outset, and that there was also a risk that the part could deteriorate from overheating if mould cooling channels were not designed accordingly, the parties recently decided to develop a system for external mounting.

While in principle simple, the process proved challenging: a retrofit for mounting onto the mould required development of a movable arm to be activated whenever the mould opens. It was also necessary to select a grade of nylon with the required heat and impact resistance. The first version of the cage was machined out of a solid block of polyamide, which was time-consuming but made trialling more cost effective. Following successful testing, the mould for production of the cage was completed in Westmead.

About the company
Progressive Components cc in South Africa was originally known as Ashden Tools, started by Kevin Hopkinson in 1989. In 1997 it started a manufacturing division called Progressive Components and employed Shane James, then a recently qualified toolmaker. James left after a few years to join Spec Tool & Die, but returned to Progressive when he purchased the business in 2013.

Wesley Woolven joined Progressive Components in 2005 as a young and inspired tool and die maker, left after 5 years to start his own company, Duotech, and then returned to Progressive in 2018 to join Shane as an active partner.