Reference: Internet source Engineering forum Moulding handbook

Prepare by Panir / Afendi MTM P1 Eng

A. General Information

Complete cycle of injection molding

a. b. c. d. e. f.

Closing Filling Packing Cooling Mould Opening Ejection

Series configuration

Temperature a. Flow history of plastic material includes traveling from hopper into heating cylinder of injection unit. The material is augured in heating cylinder and through machine nozzle and then pushed into mold. b. The temperature of the melt must be controlled all along path c. Heating bands for 3 zones i. Rear zone ii. Center zone (10F-20F hotter) iii. Front Zone (10F-20F hotter) d. Fourth zone is the nozzle

Mould temperature a. Mold Temperature is measured directly from molding surface with data acquisition or surface pyrometer. b. Object of the cooling process is to lower the temperature of the molded plastic to the point at which it solidifies. Shear Heat a. During mold filling, the event will take place in a quick time with high pressure support. This will cause heat as the material forced or shear along. The heat is not spread uniformly throughout the material but is highest where the shear rate is highest as well. It may cause overheating with material.

Pressure a. Two areas require pressure and pressure control i. Injection unit ii. Clamp unit b. Initial injection unit - Applied to the molten plastic and resulting from the main hydraulic pressure pushing against the back end of the injection screw. c. Injection pressure - Lower than hold and pack pressure which be between 10,000psi and 20,000 psi

Hold Pressure a. Used to finish the filling of the mold and pack the part b. Rule of thumb: Hold pressure = 50% of injection pressure c. Applied at the end of the initial injection stroke and is intended to complete the final filling of the mold and hold pressure to solidify while staying dense or packed d. The purpose of the injection hold pressure phase of the process is to maintain the plastic pressure inside of the cavity until the gate has frozen off, which then acts as a barrier to any further pressure loss in the cavity. The amount of hold pressure needs to be just high enough to maintain the cavity pressure during this time, without any loss of pressure or discharge of plastic resin back out of the gate. Assuming the part has been designed correctly, this should give you a part of acceptable quality. Back pressure a. Applied after the injection phases are complete b. When holding pressure is complete the screw begins to turn in order to bring new material to the front of the barrel in preparation for next shot. In other word, the material has filled and the screw is pushed back. c. Back pressure is small compared to injection pressure (between 50 psi and 500 psi (screw may not turn if exceeded). d. Procedure is to start with small amount of back pressure and steadily increase in increments of 10 psi. e. Back pressure is a tool to help provide a consistent and homogenized melt stream. If you applied zero back pressure to your screw during the process, the movement of plastic down the screw flights during rotation would create an uncontrolled and inconsistent shot density during each cycle. f. This would contribute to shot-to-shot variations in the entire molding process, because of the direct effect it has on shot size consistency. g. Back pressure also adds a frictional component to the melting process, taking some amount of the load off the barrel heaters as well. These settings will often be a low as 50 PSI and as high as 500 PSI, with 100 to 200 PSI being somewhere nears the common middle of the range.

h. The use of back pressure is vital to our melt consistency, and also to the removal or prevention of cold pellets in the melt stream. It improves the consistency and homogenization of the melt, and insures that shot after shot it will be the same. i. Back pressure ensures consistency in part weight, density, and material appearance. Squeezes out any trapped air or moisture. Minimizes voids in molded parts.

Clamp Unit a. The purpose of developing clamp pressure is to keep the mold clamped shut against the forces developed when the injection pressure pushes plastic into the closed mold. Fill Time a. How long it takes to fill part. Faster filling rate = shorter fill time b. Pressure is a function of the flow rate. Faster flow rate = higher pressures, except at very slow fill which causes larger core and smaller flow channel and then higher pressures Cushion a. Cushion (0.125 to 0.25in) of material should be left in barrel for the hold pressure to be applied against. b. Cushion is created by creating a total shot size that is slightly larger than that required to fill the mold. i. Example, ii. Amount of material required to fill mold is 2.9 oz (82.2g), then the total shot size would be 3 oz. c. Thickness of cushion is critical i. Minimum is 1/8 because anything less would be difficult to control and there is a chance it could go to zero from the inconsistencies of the density. ii. Maximum of 1/4 thick because any more than this and the cushion might solidify and block the nozzle.

Injection Speed a. Refer to the speed of mold filling. When molding thin sectioned component, high injection speeds are essential in order to fill the molding before freezing occurs. A better surface finish is obtained on moldings with thicker sections by using a slower speed. Range of speed may avoid jetting and air trap which will lead to mold fault.

Injection Distance a. Set to ensure 95% of the intended material is injected. b. Ideal shot size is 50% of barrel capacity. Injection-hold Distance a. After filling 95% of the required material, the machine switches to holding pressure. b. This finishes filling and holds pressure against material previously injected Screw-return Distance

a. Prepare for the next shot. The set point is such that slightly more material in the barrel than is required to fill the mold. b. RPM should fall within 30 to 160 RPM

Velocity Pressure Transfer (VPT)

a. A sensor is used to track the screw position and the position of screw with respect to time can be plotted. The information from the sensor is used to a constant injection molding rate. b. The pressure progressively increases because the resistance to flow progressively increases as the mold fills. Example; when the mold is full or the gate is freeze, the resistance to flow becomes very high and it becomes unrealistic to expect the screw to maintain the desire rate. At this point, control is shifted from velocity controlled to pressure controlled. c. Changeover at VPT may set to trigger; i. Screw position ii. Hydraulic pressure iii. Cavity pressure iv. Nozzle pressure (melting pressure) v. Mold opening force vi. Mold opening position d. Molder must select a critical cavity pressure at which to change from filling pressure to hold. This critical pressure is selected by observing what peak cavity pressure is associated with an acceptable molding without cavity pressure control. e. VPT point is capable of being set very precisely. If this condition cannot be met then molding with various properties may result. f. Pressure measuring system should check periodically to ensure the preset values being obtained.

A = the un-pressurized melt at the injection temperature B = the pressurized melt when the melt front reaches the end of the cavity C = the fully packed melt at the time the gate freezes off

D = the solidified polymer E = the polymer part when it is ejected from the mold

Further away from the gate, pressure rises slowly and it decays quicker than at the points closer to the gate.

Mould Venting a. At the start of the injection cycle, the mould cavity contains air which must be vented as it is displaced by the incoming melt. Inadequate venting can result in considerable compression and heating of the trapped air, resulting in slow filling, poor welds and possible burning of the resin. b. Vents are located at the end of flow paths, most often in the parting line but also around ejector pins. c. Vents must be large enough to allow free passage of air, but prevent the passage of melt.

Mould Cooling a. It is necessary to remove heat from the part to freeze it and cool it below its softening temperature before it can be ejected. It is important to remove the heat rapidly, for fast cycle time, and evenly to prevent warpage related to uneven crystallization. b. In multi cavity moulds, cooling must be uniform in all parts. c. Mould temperature is controlled by circulating cooling water through conduits in the mould. Cooling conduits must be carefully placed in the mould to ensure even cooling of the part. d. "Hot spots" may be encountered in areas around gates, due to shear heating, or in areas of the mould which are difficult to reach with cooling conduits. e. Special metal inserts may be used in these areas, made from material with high heat transfer rates, such as beryllium copper. f. Separate cooling channels can also be installed in these areas, operating with higher flow rates or lower temperature cooling water than the rest of the mould. Ejector Systems a. Some force must be applied to the moulded parts to eject them from the mould. Mechanical knock-out devices such as pins or sleeves can be used, driven by the movement of the mould as it opens.

b. With mechanical ejectors, the area of the knock out device in contact with the part must be large enough to avoid damaging or stressing the part.

B. General Moulding Process Flow

C. CYCLE TIME

a. The sequence of events during the injection mold of a plastic part is called the injection moulding cycle. The cycle begins when the mold closes, followed by the injection of the polymer into the mold cavity. Once the cavity is filled, a holding pressure is maintained to compensate for material shrinkage. In the next step, the screw turns, feeding the next shot to the front screw. This causes the screw to retract as the next shot is prepared. Once the part is sufficiently cool, the mold opens and the part is ejected. b. The total cycle time can be calculated using tcycle = tclosing + tcooling + tejection c. The closing and ejection times, can last from a fraction of a second to a few seconds, depending on the size of the mold and machine. The cooling times, which dominate the process, depend on the maximum thickness of the part

D. Gates Sub Gate - (May Also called a Tunnel Gate, Cashew or Banana)

a. Gating away from the parting line can be accomplished by using a Sub Gate. The Sub Gate also provides for automatic De-Gating of the Runner and Part within the mold. b. Cashew, Banana gates require split inserted steels. Split steels are required to facilitate machining. Standard inserts are readily available. The diameter at the gate is .030-.090 for unfilled materials and .100-.125 for filled materials. The angle is typically at 30 to 45 degrees from vertical. Ejector Pins are required to ensure automatic de-gating.

A Sub Gate will leave a Pin sized Scar on the part.

Flash Gate

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a. The Flash gate is typically used on flat acrylic parts, where flatness and non warping is to be kept to a minimum. The runner adjacent to the gate usually runs parallel with the edge of part. Flash gates typically exceed 25% of the width of the part at the gating location. b. The Flash gate requires post processing to remove the extensive scar.

Sprue Gate a. The Sprue gate is used when single cavity cylindrical parts need to be balanced and concentric. Sprue gated pars have very good weld-line strength (if any), and typically are lower stressed, and are of high strength.

b. A Sprue Gate will leave a significant Scar equal to the size of the sprue diameter at the point of contact of the part.

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Ring Gate

a. A Ring Gate will produce a Scar around the entire part, the height is equal to the gate height.

Pin Gates a. Pin Gates are used in three-plate molds. The actual gate diameter is from .030 - .100 diameter

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b. A Pin Gate will leave a small Scar that is the size of the gate

Fan Gate a. Fan Gates deliver plastic to a wide area of the part. This minimizes backfilling, and provides for better part surfaces, and reduces stress as well as imperfections.

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b. A Fan Gate will leave a Scar the size of the cross section of the gate, and requires (typically) manual trimming from the runner.

Edge Gates a. Edge Gates are the most commonly used of all gating options. b. The height of the gate should equal 75-100% of the wall thickness up to .125 in. c. The width should equal 2 times the depth, as it would appear in a mold

d. An Edge Gate will leave a Scar at the Parting Line equal to the cross section of the size of the gate

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E. Runner a. A Full Round Runner is the most efficient shape for reducing the cooling effect on the material as it flows in the runner.

b. The Half Round runner is simply a runner system machined with a ball nose cutter into one plate of the mold. c. Trapezoidal Runners are very common in three plate molds. While not as efficient in chilling effect of a full round runner, the ease of cutting the runner shape, and the elimination of the need to mate two runner plates together, makes the trapezoidal runner a good second choice of runner shape.

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Cold Slug Well a. Cold Slug Wells are highly desirable in an Injection Mold. The Cold Slug Well provides a small reservoir (well) to trap air and impurities before they enter the Runner, Gate and Cavity. b. A Cold Slug Well is located above the Sprue Puller Pin. Typically, as the runner changes from a primary to secondary and secondary to tertiary there is also a cold slug well at each intersection.

c. A Hot Runner Mold is similar to a hot glue gun. Material is heated to a molten state, and then it is dispensed at the tip to the desired area. d. Parts can be small single gated, or large and multi-gated. Hot Runner Molds have many unique advantages over "Cold Runner" molds. e. Hot Runner Molds are typically more expensive than Cold Runner" molds, the cost of the mold can be offset in other ways. Thermoplastic Hot Runner Molds can reduce costs due to :

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i. ii.

No scraping of the runner: As the term implies, the runner in a Hot Runner mold stays in a molten state at all times (no regrind). Reducing the cycle time: In a Cold Runner mold the runner typically has the largest cross sectional area; therefore, the runner takes longer to solidify. Eliminating the runner reduces the overall cycle time. Furthermore, injection time is reduced due to the shot size being reduced by the elimination of the runner. a. Hot Runner Molds have the ability to improve both part and mold design with flexibility of gating locations, which provides options for cavity orientation. b. Pressure drops are greatly reduced due to the balanced melt flow as the temperature is consistent from the machine nozzle to the gate. Precise material temperature control is critical to successful Hot Runner processing

F. Quick Reference on common moulding defect

Poor cavity filling Cause: Barrel and mold temperature are too low Injection pressure and/or speed are too high Material flow is too high, i.e. material is too soft Injection starts before clamping pressure has been applied

Solution: Increase temperature of Barrel and mold Adjust injection pressure and flow control to fill cavity slowly Use harder material Delay injection starting time

Black Spots, Brown streaks Description Black spots and brown streaks appear as dark spots or streaks in the molded part and are usually caused by thermal damage to the melt. Cause: Particles on the tool surface, contaminated material or foreign debris in the barrel, or too much shear heat burning the material prior to injection

Possible Solutions

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Check the material for contamination. Decrease the melt temperature. Decrease the overall cycle time. Purge and/or clean the screw and barrel. Decrease the screw speed. High screw speeds may cause the material to degrade. Material may have too much regrind content. Material may be over dried. Decrease drying time/temperature. Refer to drying instructions provided by the material supplier. Material may be prone to thermal degradation. It may be necessary to use a more thermally stable material. Dead spots may be occurring, ensure that the alignment between the machine nozzle and mold sprue is correct. Residence time may be too long, or the shot size may be too small for the machine. It may be necessary to move the mold to a machine with less injection capacity.

Blisters (Air Entrapment) Description Blisters are hollows created on or in the molded part. In contrast to a void (vacuum) this entrapped gas can also appear near the walls. Cause: Tool or material is too hot, often caused by a lack of cooling around the tool or a faulty heater

Possible Solutions Decrease melts temperature. Decrease screw speed. Dry material. Increase back pressure. Increase mold temperature. Ensure regrind is not too coarse. Provide additional mold vents. Relocate gate.

Brittleness Description Brittleness is a condition where the part cracks or breaks at a much lower stress level than would normally be expected based on the virgin material properties.

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Possible Solutions Check for material contamination. Decrease amount of regrind use. Decrease back pressure. Decrease injection pressure. Decrease screw speed. Increase melts temperature. Dry material. Refer to the drying instructions provided by the material supplier.

Bubbles Description Bubbles are similar to blisters in that there is air entrapped in the molded part. Possible Solutions Decrease injection speed. Decrease injection temperature. Dry material further. Increase injection pressure. Increase number and/or size of vents. Increase shot size.

Burn Marks, Dieseling Cause: Tool lacks venting, injection speed is too high Description Burn Marks or Dieseling show up on the finish molded parts as charred or dark plastic caused by trapped gas and is usually accompanied by a distinctive burnt smell. Note: If this problem is allowed to continue without fixing the root cause it will very quickly cause damage to the molding surface. Possible Solutions Alter gate position and/or increase gate size. Check for heater malfunction. Decrease booster time. Decrease injection pressure. Decrease injection speed.

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Decrease melt and/or mold temperature. Improve mold cavity venting. Vents may become smaller over time due to wear and they will need to be brought back to their original depth. Reduce clamp force to improve venting. Vents may become smaller because they are being crushed by the clamping force. If it is possible to reduce the clamping force without causing flash then this should be done. Note: This is always good practice to minimize wear on the mold and machine. Improve venting at the burn location. Burn marks often occur on deep ribs that have no venting. If possible it may be helpful to put an ejector pin or sleeve at the burnt area to allow the trapped gas to escape to atmosphere.

Cracking, Crazing Description Cracking or Crazing is caused by high internal molded in stress or by an external force imposed upon the part. They can also be caused by an incompatible external chemical being applied to the finished parts the cracks often don't appear until days or weeks after the parts have been molded. Possible Solutions Decrease injection pressure. Dry material. Increase cylinder temperature. Increase mold temperature. Increase nozzle temperature. Modify injection speed. If the material is partially crystalline then it may help to reduce the mold and/or melt temperature. If the material is amorphous then it may help to increase the mold and/or melt temperature.

De-lamination Description De-lamination occurs when single surface layers start flaking off the molded part. Cause: Contamination of the material e.g. PP mixed with ABS, very dangerous if the part is being used for a safety critical application as the material has very little strength when delaminated as the materials cannot bond

Possible Solutions

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Adjust injection speed. Check for material contamination. Incompatible resins or colorants may have been accidently mixed causing this condition to be seen. Dry material. Increase melts temperature. Increase mold temperature. Insufficient Blending. Check melts homogeneity and plasticizing performance.

Discoloration Description Discoloration is similar to burn marks or brown streaks but generally not as dark or severe. It may cause the part to be a darker shade than the virgin pellets and is often found nearest the gate area, however it can also appear as dark streaks throughout the part. Possible Solutions Check hopper and feed zone for contamination. Decrease back pressure. Decrease melts temperature. Decrease nozzle temperature. Move mold to smaller shot-size press. Provide additional vents in mold. Purge heating cylinder. Shorten overall cycle.

Excessive Flash Description Excessive Flash is often seen near sealing faces, out of vent grooves, or down ejector pins. It appears as thin or sometimes thick sections of plastic where it would not be on a normal part. Note: Flash can very quickly (within a few cycles) damage the parting line surfaces. Cause: Mold is over packed or parting line on the tool is damaged, too much injection speed/material injected, clamping force too low. Also be caused by dirt and contaminants around tooling surfaces. Possible Solutions Decrease back pressure. Decrease cylinder temperature.

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Decrease injection hold time. Decrease injection pressure. Decrease injection speed. Decrease mold temperature. Increase clamp pressure. Check mold venting. Vents may have been ground too deep for the material being used. Check sealing surfaces to ensure that they seal off properly by "blueing" them in under clamp tonnage. Check ejector pin bore diameter to pin diameter tolerances. The tolerances may be too large allowing plastic to flash down the opening. The tolerances may be too large for the material being used and can occur due to wear over time.

Flow, Halo, Blush Marks Description Flow, Halo, Blush Marks are marks seen on the part due to flow of the molten plastic across the moulding surface. Cause: Injection speeds too slow (the plastic has cooled down too much during injection, injection speeds must be set as fast as you can get away with at all times)

Possible Solutions Decrease injection speed. Increase cold slug area in size or number. Increase injection pressure. Increase melts temperature. Increase mold temperature. Increase nozzle temperature. Increase size of sprue/runner/gate.

Gate Stringing, Drooling Description The part does not break cleanly from the gate area. Possible Solutions Insufficient cooling time during the cycle. Excessive heat in the gate area. Check thermocouple in the nozzle or decrease the temperature of the hot runner manifold and nozzle.

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Increase cooling at the gate area. Ensure that you have controllable turbulent flow in the gate area.

Gels Description Gels are bubbles or blisters seen on or in the part due to poor melt quality. Possible Solutions Change screw speed. Increase back pressure. Increase cylinder temperature. Increase overall cycle time. Increase plasticizing capacity of machine or use machine with large plasticizing capacity.

Jetting Description Jetting is caused by an undeveloped frontal flow of melt in the cavity. The uninterrupted plastic flows or "snakes" into the cavity and cools off enough so that it does not fuse homogeneously with the material that follows. Cause: Poor tool design, gate position or runner. Injection speed set too high.

Possible Solutions Decrease injection speed. Change the melt temperature, up or down. Use higher compression screw. Increase the gate diameter. Move the gate so that when the plastic first enters the cavity it hits an obstruction such as a rib or wall.

Material Leakage Description Material Leakage is usually caused by material forces overcoming the structural strength of the mold. NOTE: One side indicates that material has leaked, inspect the manifold reaches processing temperature.

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Possible Solutions Manifold locator is oversize. Processing temperature may be too low causing increased pressure in the manifold. Manifold locator may be hobbled into the mold. Decrease the force applied to the nozzle pad and repairs the damaged area. If necessary replaces the locator. Insufficient number of mold assembly screws. Ensure that the quantity, type of screw, and the location of the screws correspond to the general assembly drawing. Nozzle may have overheated causing damage to the seal or gate. Check/replace the thermocouple in the nozzle, then check and if necessary repair the nozzle well area. Manifold may have overheated. Check and replace if necessary the following components; nozzle well area, thermocouple, valve disks, sprue disks, or pressure disks.

Oversized Part Description Part is too large when compared to the drawing specifications. Possible Solutions Decrease booster time. Decrease cylinder temperature. Decrease holding pressure. Decrease injection pressure. Decrease injection speed. Decrease overall cycle time. Increase gate size and/or change gate location. Increase mold temperature.

Part Sticking Description Part is getting not pulling out of the cavity and in rarer circumstances cannot be ejected off the core. Possible Solutions Check mold for undercuts and/or insufficient draft. Decrease booster time. Decrease cylinder and nozzle temperature.

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Decrease injection pressure. Decrease injection-hold. Decrease mold cavity temperature. Increase clamp pressure. Increase mold-close time. Texturing on part is too deep. The parts may stick in the cavity if a new texture or a retexturing has been performed on the cavity half of the mold. If possible add undercuts to the core to allow the part to pull out of the cavity.

Short Shot (Incomplete Filled Parts) Description Short Shots occur when the part does not completely fill. Cause: Lack of material, injection speed or pressure too low, mold too cold

Possible Solutions Increase back pressure. Increase injection pressure. Increase injection speed. Increase melts temperature. Increase mold temperature. Increase nozzle temperature. Ensure that the manifold and nozzles have reached the set temperature. Increase shot size and confirm cushion. Make sure mold is vented correctly and vents are clear. Confirm that the non-return valve used is not leaking excessively. Increase the switch over pressure, distance, or time (whichever method is being used) point from fill to hold so the fill stage is used longer. Change part design. Thin areas of the mold may not fill completely, especially if there is a thick to thin transition, or there is a long rib that cannot be vented very well. If the part design allows it, change in these areas can improve the situation.

Sink Marks Description Sink Marks occur during the cooling process if certain areas of the part are not cooled sufficiently causing them to contract.

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Cause: Holding time/pressure too low, cooling time too short, with sprueless hot runners this can also be caused by the gate temperature being set too high. Excessive material or thick wall thickness.

Possible Solutions Decrease amount of regrind use. Decrease back pressure. Confirm that the non-return valve being used is not leaking excessively. Decrease melts temperature. Do this if the sink marks are near the gate or thick walled areas. Decrease mold temperature. Do this if the sink marks are near the gate or thick walled areas. Decrease injection rate. Do this if the sink marks are near the gate or thick walled areas. Dry material. Increase injection pressure. Do this if the sink marks are away from the gate or in thin walled areas. Increase injection speed. Do this if the sink marks are away from the gate or in thin walled areas. Increase mold temperature. Do this if the sink marks are away from the gate or in thin walled areas. Increase injection-hold. Increase shot size and confirm that the a cushion is being maintained. Increase size of sprue and/or runners and/or gates. Relocate gates on or as near as possible to thick sections. Increase cooling time. If possible change the mold design to maintain an even wall thickness throughout the part.

Splay Marks, Silver Streaks Description Splay Marks, Silver Streaks are usually caused by water vapour blisters at the flow front burst and freeze on the wall of the moulding surface. Cause:

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Moisture in the material, usually when hygroscopic resins are dried improperly. Trapping of gas in "rib" areas due to excessive injection velocity in these areas. Material too hot.

Possible Solutions Check for contamination. Decrease melts temperature. Decrease nozzle temperature. Dry resin pellets before use. As per the manufacturers recommendations. Incorrect storage of pellets. Moisture on the pellets could be transferred into the melt, especially if the resin is not normally pre-dried. Raise mold temperature. This will prevent condensation on the mold walls from being carried into the melt. Ensure the mold is not leaking water onto the cores or cavities. Again this will prevent condensation on the mold walls from being carried into the melt. Relocate gates on or as near as possible to thick sections. Shorten overall cycle.

Sprue Sticking Description Sprue Sticking generally occurs in a cold runner mold when the sprue is staying in the mold. Possible Solutions Check mold for undercuts and/or insufficient draft. Decrease booster time. Decrease injection pressure. Decrease injection speed. Decrease injection-hold. Decrease mold close time. Decrease nozzle temperature. Increase core temperature. Open the gates. Ensure that the correct design of nozzle tip for the material is being used.

Surface Finish (Low Gloss) Description Surface Finish (Low Gloss), Gloss is the appearance of the surface of the molded part when light is reflected off of it. Molds that are textured or resins that are filled have an inherently reduced level of gloss when compared to highly polished mold surfaces.

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Possible Solutions Clean mold surface. If the part design allows increase the polish of the molding surface. Increase cylinder temperature. This applies to molds that have a polished surface. Increase injection pressure. This applies to molds that have a polished surface. Increase injection speed. This applies to molds that have a polished surface. Increase mold temperature. This applies to molds that have a polished surface. Decrease cylinder temperature. This applies to molds that have a textured surface. Decrease injection pressure. This applies to molds that have a textured surface. Decrease injection speed. This applies to molds that have a textured surface. Decrease mold temperature. This applies to molds that have a textured surface. Increase melts temperature. Make sure venting is adequate.

Surface Finish (Scars, Wrinkles) Description Surface Finish (Scars, Wrinkles), is the appearance of the ripples or wrinkles on the surface of the molded part. Possible Solutions Decrease back pressure. Decrease nozzle temperature. Increase booster time. Increase the melt temperature. Increase injection pressure. Increase injection speed. Increase overall cycle time. Increase shot size. Inspect mold for surface defects.

Undersized Part Description Part is too small when compared to the drawing specifications. Possible Solutions Decrease mold temperature. Increase booster time.

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Increase cylinder temperature. Increase hold-time. Increase holding pressure. Increase injection pressure. Increase injection speed. Inspect mold for surface defects.

Valve Pin Does Not Close Description Valve pin does not close properly. This will leave the gate protruding from the part. This may also occur if the valve pin is too hot; the material may stick to the valve pin. Possible Solutions Voids Description Voids are hollows created in the part. They are normally found in thick sectioned parts caused by material being pulled away from the hot center section towards cold mold walls leaving a void in the center. Cause: Lack of holding pressure (holding pressure is used to pack out the part during the holding time). Filling to fast, not allowing the edges of the part to set up. Also mold may be out of registration (when the two halves don't center properly and part walls are not the same thickness). Valve pin is too short. Check and replace if necessary. Valve pin fit. Ensure that the valve pin is lapped to the gate steel when appropriate. Damaged gate. Check if valve pin is too long, rework if necessary. Also check to ensure that the valve pin is concentric with the gate, if not replace it. Hydraulic / Pneumatic seals may be worn. Replace as necessary. Insufficient pin/land area in the gate area of the mold. Increase the gate area cooling, or increase the valve pin land contact. Insufficient hydraulic or air pressure. Increase the pressure up to but not beyond the maximum rating of the unit being used. Excessive hold time. Decrease the hold time.

Possible Solutions Clean vents. Decrease injection speed.

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Decrease melts temperature. Dry material. Increase injection pressure. Increase injection-hold. Increase mold temperature. Increase shot length. Increase size of gate. Increase size of sprue and/or runners and/or gates.

Warping, Part Distortion Description Warping, Part Distortion is shows up as parts being bowed, warped, bent or twisted beyond the normal specification outlined on the drawing. Cause: Cooling is too short, material is too hot, lack of cooling around the tool, incorrect water temperatures (the parts bow inwards towards the hot side of the tool) Uneven shrinking between areas of the part

Possible Solutions Adjust melt Temperature (increase to relieve molded-in stress, decrease to avoid over packing). Stress, decrease to avoid over packing). Stress, decrease to avoid over packing). Check gates for proper location and adequate size. Check mold knockout mechanism for proper design and operation. Equalize/balance mold temperature of both halves. Increase injection-hold. Increase mold cooling time. Relocate gates on or as near as possible to thick sections. Try increasing or decreasing injection pressure.

Weld Lines Description Weld Lines are created when two or more melt flow fronts meet possibly causing a cosmetically visible line. It can also create a weakened area in the finished molded part especially with filled resins.

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Cause: Caused by the melt-front flowing around an object standing proud in a plastic part as well as at the end of fill where the melt-front comes together again. Can be minimized or eliminated with a mold-flow study when the mold is in design phase. Once the mold is made and the gate is placed, one can minimize this flaw only by changing the melt and the mold temperature. Mold/material temperatures set too low (the material is cold when they meet, so they don't bond). Point between injection and transfer (to packing and holding) too early.

Possible Solutions Increase injection pressure. Increase injection speed. Increase injection hold. Increase melts temperature. Increase mold temperature. Make sure part contains no sharp variation in cross-sections. Vent cavity in the weld area.

Cold Flow Wavy or streaked appearance on the part surface Looks like a fingerprint or small waves like you would see on the surface of water. Cause: Low melt temperature, low injection speed or low injection pressure.

Cold Slug Cold piece of plastic that has been forced into the part along with the melt Cause: Plastic from last shot left in nozzle solidifies between shots. The tool designer usually is able to allow for a "cold slug well" in the runner to catch this piece. 2. Cold slug effects can also occur at the end of a long runner. Solution: Add a cold slug well at each intersection in the runner. Addition of a shortened ejector pin on the runner very close to the gate may divert the cold slug. For direct sprue gating try to make a feature in the part to catch the slug or use a heated nozzle

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Drag Fine, straight lines scraped in the line of draw. Cause Depends upon location; Cavity side happens during mold opening and is usually from insufficient draft for the texture used or from over packing. Core side drag happens during ejection and is usually from inadequate draft, rough core, or over packing. Solution Solve over packing problem. Cavity side drag, tone down the texture by stoning then bead blast. Core side drag, polish core, adds draft.

Mismatch (parting) The cavity side of the tool does not fall in perfect registry with the core side resulting in a step at parting line. It may look like flash if it is slight. If it is smooth as your finger runs across one way and feels sharp the other way it is mismatch. If you can feel it both ways it is flash. Cause: Uneven pressure in the mold cavity can push the cavity one direction and the core the other. This usually happens in very asymmetrical parts or parts with a parting surface that slopes only one way. Mold maker did not properly position the cavity relative to the core. In older tools mismatch may occur as locking faces wear. Solution Straight locks at parting line. The best are those made by Progressive Components (higher tonnages).

Pin push Circular or semicircular white stress rings on the side of the part opposite an ejector pin. May even be raised circular bumps. In serious cases pins may push right through the part Cause: Over packing, sticking on the core and inadequate ejection. Solution Solve over packing problem. Polish core or increase draft on core. Add more ejector pins. More small pins are better than a few

Plate out A change of mold texture over time that is not due to wear. Cause Build up of chemical residue from out gassing and Build up of mold release. Solution Have the mold cleared

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Pulling Deformed, twisted and smeared plastic on the part Cause Cavity side: part sticking to the cavity when tool opening. Listen to the mold as it opens to see if you can hear it pop free. Core side: Uneven part ejection is not pushing the part out straight. The part gets skewed as it ejects, the resulting damage is called pulling. Solution Cavity side pulling, add undercuts or texture on core side so part pulls cleanly from the cavity. Core side pulling, add ejection. More small pins are better than a few big ones

G. Injection Molding Glossary

Air Burn: A patch or streak of brown or black material on the component caused by air or gases that have not been properly vented from the mold and caused the material to overheat and burnt. Antioxidant: Additive used to help protect plastics from degradation through sources such as heat, age, chemicals, stress, etc. Antistatic Agent: Additive used to help eliminate or lessen static electricity from the surface of the plastic part. Aspect Ratio: Ratio of total flow length to average wall thickness. Back Pressure: The pressure applied to the plastic during screw recovery. By increasing back pressure, mixing and plasticizing are improved; however, screw recovery rates are reduced. Backing Plate: Plate use to support the mold cavity blocks, guide pins, bushings and etc. Blistering: A raise or layered patch of material on the surface of the component. Boss: Protuberance on a plastic part designed to add strength, facilitate alignment, provide fastening, etc. Broken Mold Marks: Filled in areas not per drawing specification due to mold damage. Bubbles: Air pockets that have formed in the material of the component. Bubbles may vary in size. Cavity: The space inside a mold into which material is injected. Charge: The measurement or weight of material necessary to fill a mold during one cycle. Clamp: The part of an injection molding machine incorporating the platens that provides the force necessary to hold the mold closed during injection of the molten resin and open the mold to eject the molded part.

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Clamping Plate: A plate fitted to a mold and used to fasten the mold to a platen. Clamping Pressure: The pressure applied to the mold to keep it closed during a cycle, usually expressed in tons. Clarifiers: Additive used in polypropylene random copolymers to improve clarity. Closed-loop Control: System for monitoring complete, injection molding- process conditions of temperature, pressure and time, and automatically making any changes required to keep part production within preset tolerances. Cold Flow/Orange Peel/Lumps: Any material that has not cooled uniformly causing the appearance of either a speck of material lighter than what was used or a rippling effect on the surface of the component. Cooling Channels: Channels located within the body of a mold through which a cooling medium is circulated to control the mold surface temperature. Crack/Splits/Chips: A physical separation or tearing of the part. Cushion: Extra material left in barrel during cycle to try and ensure that the part is packed out during the hold time. Cycle: The complete sequence of operations in a process to complete one set of moldings. The cycle is taken at a point in the operation and ends when this point is again reached and moving platens of the clamp unit in the fully open position. Cycle Time: The time required by an injection molding system to mold a part. De-lamination: When the surface of a finished part separates or appears to be composed of layers. Strata or fish-scale-type appearance where the layers may be separated. Diaphragm Gate: Used in symmetrical cavity filling to reduce weld-line formations and improve filling rates. Dimensional Problems: Parts not made to drawing dimensional specifications due to internal part stress warping, mold damage, incorrect mold manufacturing, etc. Direct Gate: The sprue that feeds directly into the mold cavity. Discoloration: Any change from the designated color of the material or component. Incorrect color of the component. Drag Marks: A form of deep scratch or scratches on the surface of the component that have no visible signs of loose chips or material. Dwell: A pause in the applied pressure to a mold during the injection cycle just before the mold is completely closed. This dwell allows any gases formed or present to escape from the molding material. Ejection Pin Marks: See Raised Ejector Site.

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Ejector Pins: Pins that are pushed into a mold cavity from the rear as the mold opens to force the finished part out of the mold. Also called knockout pins. Ejector Return Pins: Projections that push the ejector assembly back as the mold closes. Also called surface pins or return pins. Ejector Rod: A bar that actuates the ejector assembly when the mold opens. Fan Gate: A gate used to help reduce stress concentrations in the gate area by spreading the opening over a wider area. Less warping of parts can usually be expected by the use of this type of gate. Fill: The packing of the cavity or cavities of the mold as required to give a complete part or parts that are free of flash. Fin: The web of material remaining in holes or openings in a molded part which must be removed for final assembly. Flash: Any excess material that is formed with and attached to the component along a seam or mold parting line. Flow: A qualitative description of the fluidity of a plastic material during the process of molding. A measure of its mold ability generally expressed as melt flow rate or melt index. Flow Line: Marks visible on the finished items that indicate the direction of the flow of the melt into the mold. Flow Marks: Wavy surface appearances on a molded part caused by improper flow of the melt into the mold. Gas-Assisted Injection Molding: In the gas assisted process, an inert gas is injected into the center of the flow of plastic. This method provides parts which combine thick and thin walls, parts with hollow sections and elongated shapes, and more complex parts replacing multipart assemblies. Gate: An orifice through which the melt enters the mold cavity. Gate Trim: Remnant of plastic left over from cutting the component from the runner or sprue, usually to be cut flush with the edge of the component. Hob: A master model in hardened steel. The hob is used to sink the shape of a mold into a soft metal block. Hopper Dryers: Auxiliary equipment that removes moisture from resin pellets. Hopper Loader: Auxiliary equipment for automatically loading resin pellets into machine hopper. Hot-Runner Mold: A mold in which the runners are insulated from the chilled cavities and are kept hot. Hot-runner molds make parts that have no scrap. Injection Pressure: The pressure on the face of the injection screw or ram when injecting material into the mold, usually expressed in PSI.

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Inmold Decoration (IMD): A molding process where films, coatings or printing are placed in the mold prior to injection to become a more permanent part of the molded item. Inmold Labeling (IML): A molding process where a label is placed in the mold prior to injection to become a more permanently attached to the part. Insert Molding: Insert molding is the process of molding plastic around preformed metal inserts. This process is compatible with both thermoplastic and thermoset materials. Jetting: A turbulent flow in the melt caused by an undersized gate or where a thin section rapidly becomes thicker. Knit Lines: Where melted material flows together to form a line or lines that may cause weakening or breaking of the component. Knockout Pins: A rod or device for knocking a finished part out of a mold. Melt Flow Rate: A measure of the molten viscosity of a polymer determined by the weight of polymer extruded through an orifice under specified conditions of pressure and temperature. Particular conditions are dependent upon the type of polymer being tested. MFR usually is reported in grams per 10 minutes. Melt flow rate defines the flow of a polypropylene resin. An extrusion weight of 2160 grams at 446F (230C) is used. Melt Index: Term that defines the melt flow rate of a polyethylene resin. An extrusion weight of 2160 grams at 310F (190C) is used. Mold: A series of machined steel plates containing cavities into which plastic resin is injected to form a part. Mold Changer: An automated device for removing one mold from a machine and replacing it with another mold. Mold Frame: A series of steel plates which contain mold components, including cavities, cores, runner system, cooling system, ejection system, etc. Mold Release Problems: Excess use of mold release may leave parts oily and weaken the material. Mold-Temperature-Control Unit: Auxiliary equipment used to control mold temperature. Some units can both heat and cool the mold. Others, called chillers, only cool the mold. Moving Platen: The platen of an injection molding machine that is move by a hydraulic ram or mechanical toggle. Non-Return Valve: Screw tip that allows for material to flow in one direction and closes to prevent back flow and inject material into the mold. Nozzle: The hollow-cored, metal nose screwed into the injection end of a plasticator. The nozzle matches the depression in the mold. This nozzle allows transfer of the melt from the plasticator to the runner system and cavities. Orange Peel: A surface finish on a molded part that is rough and splotchy. Usually cause by moisture in the mold cavity.

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Over Molding: Filled with one plastic and then a second shot are injected to encapsulate the first shot. Packing: The filling of the mold cavity or cavities as full as possible without causing undue stress on the molds or causing flash to appear on the finished parts. Over- or under-packing results in less than optimum fill. Part Picker: An auxiliary unit usually mounted on fixed platen, which reaches into the open mold to grab parts and remove them prior to next molding cycle. Also called a robot, the device is used when you do not want to drop parts from mold upon ejection. Parting Line: On a finished part, this line shows where the two mold halves met when they were closed. Peeling: An open blister. Pin Marks: See Raised Ejector Site. Pinpoint Gate: A restricted gate of 0.030 in or less in diameter, this gate is common on hotrunner molds. Plasticate: To soften by heating and mixing. Plasticator: The complete melting and injection unit on an injection molding machine. Purging: The forcing one molding material out of the plasticator with another material prior to molding a new material. Special purging compounds are used. Recovery Time: The length of time for the screw to rotate and create a shot. Re-grind Problems: See Silver/Splay. Use of re-ground material increases susceptibility for moisture problems as well as polymeric chain length degradation. Restricted Gate: A very small orifice between runner and cavity in an injection mold. When the part is ejected, this gate readily breaks free of the runner system. Generally, the part drops through one chute and the runner system through another leading to a granulator and scrap reclaim system. RMS Roughness: A measure of the surface roughness/smoothness of a material. The root mean square (RMS) average of the "peaks and valleys" of a surface is determined using a Profilometer. The lower the number, the smoother the surface: a reading of one or two would be a very polished and smooth surface. Rockwell Hardness: A measure of the surface hardness of a material. A value derived from the increase in depth of an impression as the load of a steel indenter is increased from a fixed minimum value to a higher value and then returned to the minimum value. The values are quoted with a letter prefix corresponding to a scale relating to a given combination of load and indenter. Runner: The channel that connects the sprue with the gate for transferring the melt to the cavities. Scratch: Mark made via abrasion, not as specified in visual or cosmetic specification criteria.

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Screw Travel: The distance the screw travels forward when filling the mold cavity. Short Shot: Failure to completely fill the mold or cavities of the mold. Edges may appear melted. Shot: The complete amount of melt injected during a molding cycle, including that which fills the runner system. Shot Capacity: Generally based on polystyrene, this is the maximum weight of plastic that can be displaced or injected by a single injection stroke. Generally expressed as ounces of polystyrene. Shrinkage: The dimensional differences between a molded part and the actual mold dimensions. Sink/Shrink: A depression or valley on a component surface that would not normally have a depression. Single-Cavity Mold: A mold having only one cavity and producing only one finished part per cycle. Sink Mark: A shallow depression or dimple on the surface of a finished part created by shrinkage or low fill of the cavity. Slip Agent: Additive used to provide lubrication during and immediately following Splay Marks: Marks or droplet type imperfections on the surface of the finished parts that Sprue Gate: A passageway through which melt flows from the nozzle to the mold cavity. Sprue Lock: The portion of resin retained in the cold-slug well by an undercut. This lock is used to pull the sprue out of the bushing as the mold opens. The sprue lock itself is pushed out of the mold by an ejector pin. Sprue: The feed opening provided in injection molding between the nozzle and cavity or runner system. Stack Molds: Two or more molds of a similar type that are positioned one behind the other to allow for additional parts to be manufactured during a cycle. Stress Cracking: There are three types of stress cracking: 1. Thermal stress cracking is caused by prolonged exposure of the part to elevated temperatures or sunlight. 2. Physical stress cracking occurs between crystalline and amorphous portions of the part when the part is under an internally or externally induced strain. 3. Chemical stress cracking occurs when a liquid or gas permeates the parties surface. All of these types of stress cracking have the same end result: the splitting or fracturing of the molding.

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Structural Foam Molding: Process for making parts that have solid outer skin and foamed core. An inert gas foaming agent (e.g., nitrogen is injected and mix with the plastic material under high pressure inside the extruder barrel. The mold is filled with a short shot and the gas expands the material forming a solid skin with a cellular structure inside. This process is often used for large structural plastic parts with high strength and low weight. Submarine Gate: A gate where the opening from the runner into the mold cavity is located below the parting line. Also called a tunnel gate. Suck-back: When the pressure on the sprue is not held long enough for the melt to cool before the screw returns. Some of the melt in the cavities or runner system may expand back into the nozzle and cause sinks marks on the finished part. Tab Gate: A small removable tab about the same thickness as the molded item, but usually perpendicular to the part for easy removal. Tonnage: The measure by which injection molding machines are typically categorized, representing the clamping force of the injection molding machine. Vent: A shallow channel or opening cut in the cavity to allow air or gases to escape as the melt fills the cavity. Vented Barrel: Special plasticator unit with a vent port over the compression section of the screw to permit escape of gases prior to injecting melt into mold. Often used when molding moisture-sensitive resins. Vertical Flash Ring: The clearance between the force plug and the vertical wall of the cavity in a positive or semi-positive mold. Also the ring of excess melt which escapes from the cavity into this clearance space. Voids: Air pockets in the part which have opened or were not filed with material, leaving an opening or hole. Warpage: Dimensional distortion in a molded object. Caused by internal stresses via un-even material flow, cooling, and compression. Weld Line: Where melted material flows together during molding to form a visible line or lines on a finished part that may cause weakening or breaking of the component. Wisps: Similar to stringing but smaller in size. These also may occur as slight flashing when the mold is over packed or forced open slightly. Mold-parting-line wear or misalignment can also cause wisps.

H. Appendix 1: Quick trouble shoots reference

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Black Specs/Brown Streaks Blush Bubbles (Trapped Gas) Build-up Burn Marks Cold Slugs Degraded Material Delamination Dimensional Variation Drooling/Stringing Ejector Pin Marks Flash Flow Lines Inadequate Color Mixing Knit Lines Blush/Dull Finish Orane Peel/Chill Pitting Short Shots Shot to Shot Inconsistency Sinks Splay Sticking Sprues Sticking to Mold Stress Cracks Voids (Vacuum Voids) Warpage Worm Tracking/Jetting Defect x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Back Pressure Barrel Temps Bridging of Material Clamp Pressure Clean Mold Clean Screw Clean Vents Consistent Cycle Time Cooling Time Cushion Size & Consistency Damaged Tooling Decompression Settings Ejector Bars ( Equal Length) Ejecto Speed End Of Arm Tooling Feed Throat Cooling Fill Speed Fill Time Hold Pressure Hold Time Hot Runner (Blocked) Hot Runner (Temps/Set Points) Hot Runner (Zones Mislabled/Not Controlling) Material Contaminated Material Drying (Time, temp, & Dew Point) Material Dryness (<.05%) Melt Temperature Mold Open/Break Away Speed Mold Temperature Nozzle Seat (including tip) Nozzle Temperature Nozzle to Sprue Bushing Alignment Out of material Over All Cycle Time Over Drying Peak Injection Pressure Plant Temperature Changes Polish Mold Purge Ratio of Virgin To Color Regrind Residence Time In Barrel Right Material Screw RPM's/ Recovery Time Screw Tip Assembly Seating (leakage) Set Up Sheet Shot Size Transfer Position Undercuts Valve Gates Not Shutting Off Properly Valve Gate Firing Position Valve Gates Sticking or Mislabeled Vents - Verify Proper Depth Water Circulation - GPM Water Lines Blocked

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