Die-member-cleaning method and apparatus
A method for cleaning a die member having molding grooves and moldable-ceramic-material-supplying holes communicating with the molding grooves, by removing a binder-containing moldable ceramic material from the die member after used for molding the moldable ceramic material, comprising the steps of spraying a high-pressure fluid to a surface of the die member on the side of moldable-material-supplying holes, and then spraying a high-pressure fluid to a surface of the die member on the side of molding grooves, thereby removing the moldable ceramic material.
1. A method for cleaning a die member having molding grooves and moldable-ceramic-material-supplying holes communicating with the molding grooves, after used for molding a binder-containing moldable ceramic material, consisting essentially of the step of removing said binder-containing moldable ceramic material from said die member by first spraying a high-pressure fluid to a surface of said die member on the side of said moldable-material-supplying holes substantially perpendicularly, and then spraying a high-pressure fluid to a surface of said die member on the side of said molding grooves substantially perpendicularly,
wherein the pressure of the high-pressure fluid sprayed to said holes is 8-20 MPa, and
wherein the intervals between each of the holes are wider than the intervals between each of the grooves.
2. The method for cleaning a die member according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure of the high-pressure fluid sprayed to said holes is higher than the pressure of the high-pressure fluid sprayed to said grooves.
3. The method for cleaning a die member according to claim 1 , wherein after spraying the high-pressure fluid to said grooves, the high-pressure fluid is sprayed to said holes again.
4. The method for cleaning a die member according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure of the high-pressure fluid sprayed to said grooves is 1-5 MPa.
5. The method for cleaning a die member according to claim 1 , wherein the width of each groove is 0.1-0.5 mm.
6. The method for cleaning a die member according to claim 1 , wherein the diameter of each hole is 1-2 mm.