Plastic Injection Molding

Injection Molding

3 major functional units; injection, mold, clamping

 Plastic Injection Molding
is a manufacturing technique for making parts
from thermoplastic and thermoset materials
In contrast to the extrusion (which makes
continuous parts of constant cross section),
injection molding make discrete parts (with
complex and variable cross section)
Molten plastic is injected at high pressure into a
mold, which is the inverse of the desired shape.
The mold is made from metal, usually either
steel or aluminium
widely used for manufacturing a variety of parts,
from the smallest component to entire body
panels of cars
 Plastic Injection Molding
The key to success in injection molding
are to have;
Proper machine for good melting and injecting
of the resin
The proper resin to appropriate part
performance
A good mold for part definition and removal
Proper operation for efficient molding cycle
(mold cycle depends on the design of the
mold and manufacturing parameters)
 The most commonly used thermoplastic
materials are;
polystyrene (low-cost, lacking the strength and
longevity of other materials)
ABS or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (a co-polymer
or mixture of compounds used for everything from
Lego parts to electronics housings)
nylon (chemically resistant, heat-resistant, tough and
flexible - used for combs)
polypropylene (tough and flexible - used for
containers
PVC (more common in extrusions as used for pipes,
window frames, or as the insulation on wiring where it
is rendered flexible by the inclusion of a high
proportion of plasticiser).
 Injection Unit
Purpose: to liquify the
plastic materials and
then inject the liquid
into mold
Resin is introduced
through hopper
Some machines can
have several hoppers (to
fed filler, colorants, other
additives)-Injection
molding act as mixer
However, due to limited
size of barrel, mixing
capability is poor
 Injection Unit
From hopper hole (feed throat)
Barrel made of heavy steel cylinder to
withstand the pressure and temperature
involved in melting the resin
2 types of system used in injection
molding;
Reciprocating screw- similar to extruder screw
but with unique reciprocating action
Ram injector
 Injection Unit
Design of screw- similar to an extrusion screw
3 sections;
Feed section- to advance the resin
Compression section- to melt the resin
Metering section- to homogenize the resin and pump it forward
The screw of injection molding machine is shorter than
extruder, L/D ratios are 12:1 and 20:1
Low L/D ratios suggest the mixing is less efficient in the
injection molding machine
The compression ratio (diameter of root at feed zone to
the diameter of root at metering zone) often in the range
of 2:1 and 5:1
Low compression ratio means less mechanical action is
added during melting process
 Injection Unit
Important measure of the size of an
injection molding is weight of resin that
can be injected, called shot size
Typical shot size range from 20g to 20 kg
Since shot size depends on the density of
the plastic, PS has been chosed as the
standard for rating the machine
 Reciprocating Screw Injection
Molding Machine
Resin is melt by mechanical shear and thermal
energy from heaters
The molten resin is conveyed to a space at the
end of the screw- collects in a pool
Here, the mold is closed
 Reciprocating Screw Injection
Molding Machine
The entire screw move forward and pushes the
molten resin out through the end of barrel
To ensure the resin does not flow backward, a
check valve or nonreturn valve is attached to the
end of screw
Normally the screw will stay in the forward
position, until resin began to harden in the mold
 Reciprocating Screw Injection
Molding Machine
Retraction of the screw, create space at the end of the
screw
Cooling of the part in the mold, until it can be removed
While the part is cooling, the screw turns and melts
additional resin
 Reciprocating Screw Injection
Molding Machine
Advantages
More uniform melting
Improved mixing or additives and dispersion
throughout the resin
Lower injection pressure
Fewer stresses in the part
Faster total cycle
 Ram Injection- Injection Molding Machine
In this type of injection molding, the resin is fed from a
hopper into the barrel, and heated through thermal
energy from the heaters
The molten resin is collect in a pool in a barrel celled
injection chamber
The molten resin is then push forward by the action of
plunger (ram or piston)
To five better mixing, the molten resin is pushed past a
torpedo/spreader, impart shear to the melt
 Molds
Designing and making mold for injection
molding is more complicated than making
extrusion die
Mold Parts mold is placed in between
stationary plate and the moveable plate
 Molds
The connection from the injection unit to the
mold is through the nozzle
The channel that run through the stationary plate
of the mold is called the sprue channel (material
that is in the channel is called the sprue)
The solid sprue is removed from the finished
part assembly after the part is ejected from the
mold
Resin flow from the sprue through the runner
(connecting channel) to the mold cavities
 Mold Bases
Assembly of various
mold parts
Mold bases can be
purchased as entire
units, then the
cavities are cut from
A & B plates
 Runners
Distribution system for the resin from the sprue
to the cavities
Flow characteristics (viscosity), temperature and
other factors are important in determining the
runner diameter and length
If the diameter of the runner is too small or the
length is too long,the resin can freeze in the
runner before the mold is completely full
If the runner system is too large, excess material
would be ejected and too much regrind created
 If the resins have a high viscosity, larger runners
are needed compared to low viscosity resin
The optimum flow of the resin through the
runner system depends on the shape and
diameter of the channel
Round channel give the best flow characteristics
but difficult to machine
Machining cost can be reduce by machining one
side of the mold plates
Better shape where the depth of the channel is
at least two-thirds the size of the width and the
sides are tapered between 2 to 5.
Runner Channel Shapes
 Secondary Runners
Secondary runner
channel are used for
multicavity molds
The flow into the
secondary channel
should be
streamlined (angle in
flow direction)
The streamlined
minimizes shear on
the resin
 Gates
The end of runner and the entry path into
the cavity
The gate shape can also affect the filling
of the cavity, dimension and properties of
the parts
Gate is the most restricted point in
injection molding system, i.e. for
reinforcement and filler + polymer systems
 Gate Design
Small rectangular opening at
the end of the runner channel,
connect to the edge of cavity
Edge gate can be below the
parting line if the channel and
part are also below the parting
line
Or it can be symetricaly about
Edge gate
the parting line, if the runner
channel and part are at both
side of parting line
 Submarine Gate
Starts from the edge of the
runner, and goes into the cavity
edge at an angle
It narrows to a point as it moves
from the runner to the cavity
The advantage; separation of
the parts and the runner is
automatic
Disadvantage; gate cannot be
Submarine Gate
used for some resins because
of high shear
 Tab Gate
By connecting the runner directly
into the cavity with no reduction
in runner cross-section
Used for very large parts where a
reduction in flow would disturb
the resins flow pattern and might
result inadequate flow into the
cavity
 Fan Gate
Made by reducing the
thickness and not the
diameter of the runner
channel as it goes into the
cavity
Used for intermediate size,
and when reinforcement in
the resin cannot flow through
the edge gate
 Ring Gate
Used to make hollow
cylinder parts
The ring gate covers the
entire top of the cylinder
part so that the resin flow
is downward into the wall
of the part
 Cavities
Are actual molding locations
Resin enter the cavities through gate, fills
the cavities, and cools to form the solid.
The parts are ejected and finished
Cavities are the heart of the molding
process, and must be precisely prepared
The shape of the cavities determines the
shape of the part
Materials & Product Consideration
Almost all thermoplastic can be injection
molded
Resin with low melt viscosity is required;
so that the flow through runner, gate,
cavity easily done with minimum
injection pressure
Resin with injection molding grades have
low molecular weight and narrow
molecular weight distribution
 Shapes
Hollow parts can be created by allowing
the moveable plate to protrude into the
cavity of the stationary plate
 Shapes
Threads can be placed on the inside of a
part by using a core pin that is inserted
into the cavity where the threads are
desired
 Shapes
A hollow part with a hole on the side is even
more complicated (the core pin is used)
The core pin slide into position after the mold is
closed
The core pin seals against the surface of the
moveable plate, prevent flow of resin into the
area