Dry Ice Cleaning of Injection and Die-Casting Moulds

Residues of release agents, paint, lacquer, rubber or silicone can be removed quickly and without residue from injection moulds and aluminium die-casting moulds using dry ice blasting – without dismantling the mould and without abrasive wear. This makes dry ice cleaning the preferred method wherever moulds and tools need to stay in service for a long time and keep their dimensional accuracy.

Why Dry Ice Is the Gentler Choice for Mould Cleaning

Unlike mechanical or chemical cleaning methods, dry ice does not attack the mould surface. This is crucial for high-precision tools, where even micrometre deviations affect part quality.

• No tool wear – unlike sandblasting or mechanical scraping
• No disassembly required – cleaning takes place directly in the machine, reducing downtime
• No chemical residues – important for subsequent coating or production steps
• Lower costs – fewer rejects and a longer tool life thanks to gentle care
• Gentle on the surface – non-abrasive, does not scratch the metal and preserves the fit of the mould
• Works on hot tools – no need to let the mould cool down first, which further shortens downtime

Mould Cleaning During Ongoing Production

As no disassembly is needed, the mould is cleaned directly in the still-hot press, immediately after a production cycle. Cooling down, removing and reheating the mould are no longer necessary. This noticeably reduces machine downtime, cleaning effort and wear – and keeps the mould permanently clean and dimensionally stable, which translates directly into higher productivity and fewer rejects.

Cleaning Injection Moulds, Die-Casting Moulds and More

Dry ice cleaning is suitable for a wide range of moulds and materials.

Cleaning injection moulds 

Deposits of release agents, paint and lacquer residues and material build-up can be removed gently from injection moulds – without affecting the fine contours, textures and surface structures of the mould. Vents are reliably cleared as well.

Cleaning aluminium die-casting moulds 

On die-casting moulds, dry ice blasting removes material build-up and release agent residues without damaging the mould surface through abrasion – a decisive advantage over sandblasting.

PET preform and packaging moulds 

Moulds, thread splits and cores used in PET preform production can be cleaned without removing the mould from the press or dismantling the stripper plate – a clear gain in time and efficiency for packaging production.

Rubber and silicone moulds (including LSR) 

Release agent residues and cured material quickly make rubber and silicone moulds sticky and cause flash on the parts. Dry ice blasting removes these residues gently. Especially with high-precision LSR tools with tight tolerances, parting lines and vents remain intact.

Tool Cleaning with Dry Ice

It is not only moulds that benefit from dry ice cleaning, but also tools and components around production: extruders and screws, deburring machines, and punching and pressing tools can be freed from residues, oil and abrasion without compromising dimensional accuracy or surface quality. As no blasting media is left behind, the tool is ready for use immediately after cleaning.

Which Industries Use Dry Ice Mould Cleaning?

• Food industry – Wafer, pastry and moulded-part tools can be cleaned without chemical additives. This supports hygiene standards and food safety and extends the life of the moulds.
• Foundries – In aluminium and iron die casting, release agent residues must be removed regularly. Dry ice blasting does this without damaging the mould.
• Automotive suppliers – Moulds for steering wheels, interior trim, dashboards and bumpers are freed from release agent, plastic and resin residues.
• Plastics industry – From injection screws and extruders to PET packaging moulds: wherever contamination has to be removed without creating additional waste. The blasting media turns completely into CO₂ gas.
• Medical technology and pharmaceuticals – In cleanroom environments, for example in the production of syringes or rubber products, chemical-free and residue-free dry ice cleaning replaces conventional solvent-based processes.

Which Dry Ice Blasting Machine Is Right for Mould Cleaning?

For fine contours, textures and smaller tools, we recommend the CUBE Vario table-top unit: its adjustable ice particle size allows particularly fine, gentle blasting. For large moulds and continuous use in production, our PowerJet 16/10 Plus and PowerJet 20/20 floor-standing units are the right choice. We are happy to find out which dry ice blasting machine suits your tools in a test run.

Trusted by the Plastics and Metalworking Industry

Our dry ice blasting machines are used by companies in plastics and foundry technology, including Plastro Mayer GmbH and BAS Kunststoff-Verarbeitung GmbH. 

Optimise Your Mould Cleaning with Dry Ice Blasting

Whether injection, die-casting or precision moulds – we will gladly show you how to clean your tools gently and without production downtime. Bring a tool along and test our machines free of charge and without obligation at our plant in Tamm near Stuttgart, Germany.

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