use in a molding system the clamp unit of a molding system includes a moving platen and a stationary platen supported by a frame tie bars interconnect the moving platen with the stationary platen the tie bars are secured to the stationary platen and pass through respective openings in the moving platen each tie bar is supported and guided within their respective openings by a flexible shoe assembly and wear pad the flexible shoe assembly has a force redirector for directing force away from a peripheral edge of the wear pad towards a central force area the flexible shoe assembly also includes a load distributor to distribute the load across the wear pad surface the flexible shoe assembly includes an upper support that is flexible about a lower support to keep the wear pad in operational contact with the tie bar application_number US 44847799 A description an embodiment of the present invention is described with initial reference to fig1 the molding system includes a clamp unit 2 supported by a base 6 and an injection unit 4 the injection unit 4 provides for injecting a molten material for example plastic into a mold alternatively the injection unit 4 provides for injecting a molten metal for example a metal in a thixotropic state into the mold the injection unit 4 may also be omitted for example with a blow mold system wherein a preform is introduced into a mold for subsequent shaping into a bottle the clamp unit includes a stationary platen 14 and a moving platen 16 alternatively the clamp unit may include more than one moving platen 16 in the case of a tandem machine the moving platen 16 is movable quickly.