Pneumatic Injection molding

INTRODUCTION

An Injection molding machine, also known as an injection press, is machine for

manufacturing plastic products by the injection molding process. It consists of two
main parts, an injection unit and a clamping unit. Injection molding machines can
fasten the molds in either a horizontal or vertical position. The majority
of machines are horizontally oriented, but vertical machines are used in some niche
applications such as insert molding, allowing the machine to take advantage
of gravity. There are many ways to fasten the tools to the platens, the most
common being manual clamps (both halves are bolted to the platens); however
hydraulic clamps (chocks are used to hold the tool in place) and magnetic clamps
are also used. The magnetic and hydraulic clamps are used where fast tool changes
are required. Types of injection molding machines Machines are classified
primarily by the type of driving systems they use:hydraulic,mechanical, electric,
or hybrid. Hydraulic presses have historically been the only option available to
molders until Nissei Plastic Industrial Co.,LTD introduced the first all-electric
injection molding machine in 1983. Theelectric press, also known as Electric
Machine Technology (EMT), reduces operation costs by cutting energy
consumption and also addresses some of the environmental concerns surrounding
the hydraulic press. Electric presses have been shown to be quieter, faster, and have
a higher accuracy, however the machines are more expensive. Mechanical type
machines use the toggle system for building up tonnage on the clamp side of the
machine. Tonnage is required on all machines so that the clamp side of the
machine does not open (i.e. tool half mounted on the platen) due to the injection
pressure. If the tool half opens up it will create flash in the plastic product.
Reliability of mechanical type of machines is more as tonnage built during each
cycle is the same as compared to hydraulic machines. Hybrid injection molding
machines claim to take advantage of the best features of both hydraulic and electric
systems, but in actuality use almost the same amount of electricity to operate as a
standard hydraulic. Hydraulic machines, although not nearly as precise, are
the predominant type in most of the world, with the exception of Japan. Robotic
arm is often used to remove the molded components; either by side or top entry,
but it is more common for parts to drop out of the mold, through a chute and into a
container.

Injection molding(British English:Molding) is a manufacturing process for

producing parts from both thermoplastic and thermo setting plastic materials.
Material is fed into a heated barrel, mixed, and forced into a mold cavity where it
cools and hardens to the configuration of the mold cavity.
[1]
After a product is designed, usually by an industrial designer or an engineer,
molds are made by a
Mold maker (or toolmaker) from metal, usually either steel or aluminum, and
precision-machined to form the features of the desired part. Injection molding is
widely used for manufacturing a variety of parts, from the smallest component to
entire body panels of cars

Contents:-

A robotic arm is often used to remove the molded components; either byside or top
entry, but it is more common for parts to drop out of the mold,through a chute and
into a container.
 1 Process characteristics

2 History

3 Applications

4 Examples of polymers best suited for the process

5 Equipment

5.1 Mold

5.2 Mold design

5.3 Effects on the material properties

5.4 Tool materials

5.5 Geometrical possibilities

5.6 Machining

5.7 Cost
 6 Injection process

6.1 Injection molding cycle

6.2 Different types of injection molding processes

7 Process troubleshooting

7.2 Molding defects

7.3 Tolerances and surfaces

8 Lubrication and cooling

9 Power requirements

10 Inserts

Process characteristics:-

Utilizes a ram or screw-type plunger to force molten plastic materialinto a

mold cavity

Produces a solid or open-ended shape that has conformed to thecontour of

the mold

Uses thermoplastic or thermoset materials

Produces a parting line, sprue, and gate marks Ejector

History

The first man-made plastic was invented in Britain in 1861 by Alexander Parks. He
publicly demonstrates "Parkesine." Derived from cellulose, Parke sine could be
heated, molded, and retain its shape when cooled. It was, however, expensive to
produce, prone to cracking, and highly flammable. In 1868, American inventor
John Wesley Hyatt developed a plastic material he named Celluloid, improving on
Parks invention so that it could be processed into finished form. Together with his
brother Isaiah, Hyatt patented the first injection molding machine in 1872.
[3]
This machine was relatively simple compared to machines in use today. It worked
like a large hypodermic needle, using a plunger to inject plastic through a heated
cylinder into a mold. The industry progressed slowly over the years, producing
products such as collar stays, buttons, and hair combs. The industry expanded
rapidly in the 1940s because World War II created a huge demand for
inexpensive, mass-produced products. In 1946, American inventor James Watson
Hendry built the first screw injection machine, which allowed much more precise
control over the speed of injection and the quality of articles produced. This
machine also allowed material to be mixed before injection, so that colored or
recycled plastic could be added to virgin material and mixed thoroughly
before being injected. Today screw injection machines account for the vast
majority of all injection machines. In the1970s, Hendry went on to develop the first
gas-assisted injection molding process, which permitted the production of
complex, hollow articles that cooled quickly. This greatly improved design
flexibility as well as the strength and finish of manufactured parts while reducing
production time, cost, weight and waste. The plastic injection molding industry has
evolved over the years from producing combs and buttons to producing a vast
array of products for many industries including automotive, medical, aerospace,
consumer products, toys, plumbing, packaging, and construction.

Applications

Injection molding is used to create many things such as wire spools, packaging,
bottle caps, automotive dashboards, pocket combs, and most other plastic products
available today. Injection molding is the most common method of part
manufacturing. It is ideal for producing high volumes of the same object. Some
advantages of injection molding are high production rates, repeatable high
tolerances, the ability to use a wide range of materials, low labor cost, minimal
scrap losses, and little need to finish parts after molding. Some disadvantages
of this process are expensive equipment investment, potentially high running costs,
and the need to design moldable parts.

Examples of polymers best suited for the process:-

Most polymers may be used, including all thermoplastics, some thermosets, and
some elastomers. In 1995 there were approximately 18,000 different materials
available for injection molding and that number was increasing at an average rate
of 750 per year. The available materials are alloys or blends of previously
developed materials meaning that product designers can choose from a vast
selection of materials, one that has exactly the right properties. Materials are
chosen based on the strength and function required for the final part, but also each
material has different parameters for molding that must be taken into account.
Common polymers like epoxy and phenolic care examples of thermosetting
plastics while nylon, polyethylene, and polystyrene are thermoplastic
Equipment:-

Paper clip mold opened in molding machine; the nozzle is visible at right Main
article: Injection molding machine Injection molding machines consist of a
material hopper, an injection ram or screw-type plunger, and a heating unit. They
are also known as presses, they hold the molds in which the components are
shaped. Presses are rated by tonnage, which expresses the amount of clamping
force that the machine can exert. This force keeps the mold closed during the
injection process. Tonnage can vary from less than 5 tons to 6000 tons, with
the higher figure issued in comparatively few manufacturing operations. The
total clamp force needed is determined by the projected area of the part being
molded. This projected area is multiplied by a clamp force of from 2 to 8 tons for
each square inch of the projected areas. As a rule of thumb, 4 or 5 tons/in
2
Can be used for most products. If the plastic material is very stiff, it will require
more injection pressure to fill the mold, thus more clamp tonnage to hold the mold
closed. The required force can also be determined by the material used and the size
of the part, larger parts require higher clamping force.
Mold or die
Are the common terms used to describe the tooling used to produce plastic parts in
Molding Since molds have been expensive to manufacture, they were usually only
used in mass production where thousands of parts were being produced. Typical
molds are constructed from hardened steel, pre-hardened steel, aluminum, and/or
beryllium-copper alloy. The choice of material to build a mold from is primarily
one of economics; in general, steel molds cost more to construct, but their longer
lifespan will offset the higher initial cost over a higher number of parts made
before wearing out. Pre-hardened steel molds are less wear-resistant and are used
for lower volume requirements or larger components. The typical steel hardness
is 38

45 on the Rockwell-C scale.

Hardened steel molds are heat treated after machining. These are by far the
superior in terms of wear resistance and lifespan. Typical hardness ranges between
50 and 60 Rockwell-C (HRC). Aluminum molds can cost substantially less, and,
when designed and machined with modern computerized equipment, can be
economical for molding tens or even hundreds of thousands of parts. Beryllium copper is
used in areas of the mold that require fast heat removal or areas that see the most
shear heat generated. The molds can be manufactured either by CNC machining
or by using Electrical Discharge Machining processes

1. Injection molding die with side pulls

"A" side of die for 25% glass-filled acetyl with 2 side pulls

Close up of removable insert in "A" side.

"B" side of die with side pulls actuators.

Insert removed from die.

Mold design

Standard two plates tooling core and cavity are inserts in a mold base
"Family mold" of five different parts The mold consists of two primary
components, the injection mold (A plate)and the ejector mold (B plate). Plastic
resin enters the mold through a
sprue
in the injection mold, the sprue bushing is to seal tightly against the nozzle of the
injection barrel of the molding machine and to allow molten plastic to flow from
the barrel into the mold, also known as the
cavity
.
[12] The sprue bushing directs the molten plastic to the cavity images through
channels that are machined into the faces of the A and B plates. These channels
allow plastic to run along them, so they are referred to as runners.
[13] The molten plastic flows through the runner and enters one or more specialized
gates and into the cavity

[14] geometry to form the desired part. The amount of resin required to fill the
sprue, runner and cavities of a mold is a shot. Trapped air in the mold can escape
through air vents that are ground into the parting line of the mold. If the trapped air
is not allowed to escape, it is compressed by the pressure of the incoming material
and is squeezed into the corners of the cavity, where it prevents filling and causes
other defects as well. The air can become so compressed that it ignites and burns
the surrounding plastic material.
[15] To allow for removal of the molded part from the mold, the mold features
must not overhang one another in the direction that the mold opens, unless parts of
the mold are designed to move from between such overhangs when the mold opens
(utilizing components called Lifters).Sides of the part that appear parallel with the
direction of draw (The axis of the cored position (hole) or insert is parallel to the
up and down movement of the mold as it opens and closes)

[16] are typically angled slightly with(draft) to ease release of the part from the
mold. Insufficient draft can cause formation or damage. The draft required for
mold release is primarily dependent on the depth of the cavity: the deeper the
cavity, the more draft necessary. Shrinkage must also be taken into account when
determining the draft required.

[17] If the skin is too thin, then the molded part will tend to shrink onto the cores
that form them while cooling, and cling to those cores or part may warp, twist,
blister or crack when the cavity is pulled away.

[18] The mold is usually designed so that the molded part reliably remains on the
ejector (B) side of the mold when it opens, and draws the runner and the sprue out
of the (A) side along with the parts. The part then falls freely when ejected from the
(B) side. Tunnel gates, also known as submarine or mold gate, are located below
the parting line or mold surface. The opening is machined into the surface of the
mold on the parting line. The molded part is cut (by the mold) from the runner system
on ejection from the mold.
[19] Ejector pins, also known as knockout pin, is a circular pin placed in
either half of the mold (usually the ejector half), which pushes the finished
molded product, or runner system out of a mold

[20] The standard method of cooling is passing a coolant (usually water) through a
series of holes drilled through the mold plates and connected by hoses to form a
continuous pathway. The coolant absorbs heat from the mold (which has absorbed
heat from the hot plastic) and keeps the mold at a proper temperature to solidify the
plastic at the most efficient rate.
[21] To ease maintenance and venting, cavities and cores are divided into pieces,
called
Inserts
, and sub-assemblies, also called
Inserts
,
Blocks
, or
Chase blocks
. By substituting interchangeable inserts, one mold may make severalvariations of
the same part.

Effects on the material properties

The mechanical properties of a part are usually little affected. Some parts can have
internal stresses in them. This is one of the reasons why it is desirable to have
uniform wall thickness when molding. One of the physical property changes is
shrinkage. A permanent chemical property change is the material thermoset, which
can't be re melted to be injected again.
[27]

Tool materials
Tool steel or beryllium-copper are often used. Mild steel, aluminum, nickel or
epoxy is suitable only for prototype or very short production runs. Modern hard
aluminum (7075 and 2024 alloys) with proper mold design, can easily make molds
capable of 100,000 or more part life. The size of a part will depend on a number of
factors (material, wall thickness, shape, process etc.). The initial raw
material required may be measured in the form of granules, pellets or powders.
Here are some ranges of the sizes:

[28]

Method Raw materials Maximum size Minimum size

Injection molding(thermo-plastic)Granules, pellets, powders700 oz.Less than
1oz.Injection molding(thermo-setting)Granules, pellets, powders200 oz.Less than
1oz.
Machining
Molds are built through two main methods: standard machining
and EDM. Standard machining, in its conventional form, has historically been the
method of building injection molds. With technological
development, CNC machining became the predominant means of making more
complex molds with more accurate mold details in less time than traditional
methods. The electrical discharge machining (EDM) or spark erosion process
has become widely used in mold making. As well as allowing the formation
of shapes that are difficult to machine, the process allows pre-hardened molds to be
shaped so that no heat treatment is required. Changes to a hardened mold by
conventional drilling and milling normally require annealing to soften the mold,
followed by heat treatment to harden it again. EDM is as impel process in which a
shaped electrode, usually made of copper or graphite, is very slowly lowered onto
the mold surface (over a period of many hours), which is immersed in paraffin oil.
A voltage applied between tool and mold causes spark erosion of the mold surface
in the inverse shape of the electrode.
[29]

Injection process:-

Small injection molder showing hopper, nozzle and die area With injection
molding, granular plastic is fed by gravity from a hopper into a heated barrel. As
the granules are slowly moved forward by a screw-type plunger, the plastic is
forced into a heated chamber, where it is melted. As the plunger advances, the
melted plastic is forced through a nozzle that rests against the mold, allowing it to
enter the mold cavity through a gate and runner system. The mold remains cold so
the plastic solidifies almost as soon as the mold is filled.
[30]

Injection molding cycle

The sequence of events during the injection mold of a plastic part is called the
injection molding 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

Different types of injection molding processes:-

sandwich molded toothbrush handle Although most injection molding processes
are covered by the conventional process description above, there are several
important molding variations including:

Co-injection (sandwich) molding

Fusible (lost, soluble) core injection molding
Gas-assisted injection molding
In-mold decoration and in mold lamination
Injection-compression molding
Insert and outsert molding
Lamellar (microlayer) injection molding
Low-pressure injection molding
Metal injection molding
Microinjection molding
Microcellular molding
Multicomponent injection molding
Multiple live-feed injection molding
Powder injection molding
Push-Pull injection molding
Reaction injection molding
Resin transfer molding
Remolding
Structural foam injection molding
Structural reaction injection molding
 Thin-wall molding
Vibration gas injection molding
Water assisted injection molding
Rubber injection
Injection molding of liquid silicone rubber

For more details about the different types injection processes

Process troubleshooting

Optimal process settings are critical to influencing the cost, quality,

and productivity of plastic injection molding. The main trouble in injection
molding is to have a box of good plastics parts contaminated with scrap. For that
reason process optimization studies have to be done and process monitoring has to
take place. First article inspection of internal and external geometry including
imperfections such as porosity can be completed using ndustrial CT Scanning a 3D
x-ray technology. For external geometry verification only a Coordinate-
measuring machine or white light scanner can be used. To have a constant filling
rate in the cavity the switch over from injection phase to the holding phase can
be made based on a cavity pressure level. Having a stable production window the
following issues are worth to investigate: The
Metering phase
Can be optimized by varying screw turns per minute and backpressure. Variation
of time needed to reload the screw gives an indication of the stability of this phase.
Injection speed
Can be optimized by pressure drop studies between pressure measured in
the Nozzle (alternatively hydraulic pressure) and pressure measured in the cavity.
Melted material with a lower viscosity has less pressure loss from nozzle to cavity
than material with a higher viscosity. Varying the Injection speed changes the shear
rate. Higher speed = higher shear rate = lower viscosity. Pay attention increasing
the mold and melt temperature lowers the viscosity but lowers the shear rate too.
Gate seal or gate freeze / sink mark / weight and geometry studies
Have the approach to prevent sink marks and geometrical faults. Optimizing the
high and duration of applied holding pressure based on cavity pressure curves is
the appropriate way to go. The thicker the part the longer the holding pressure
applied. The thinner the part the shorter the holding pressure applied.
Cooling time
Starts once the injection phase is finished. The hotter the melted plastics the longer
the cooling time the thicker the part produced the longer the cooling time

MANIFOLD

Hydraulic manifold
Are a component which regulates fluid flow between pumps and actuators and
other components in a hydraulic system. It is like a switchboard in an electrical
circuit because it lets the operator control how much fluid flows between which
components of a hydraulic machinery. For example, in a backhoe loader
a manifold turns on or shuts off or diverts flow to the telescopic arms of the front
bucket and the back bucket. The manifold is connected to the levers in the
operator's cabin which the operator uses to achieve the desired manifold behavior.
A manifold is composed of assorted hydraulic valves connected to each other. It is
the various combinations of states of these valves that allow complex control
behavior in a manifold

MANIFOLD DEFECTS Lubrication and cooling

Obviously, the mold must be cooled in order for the production to take place.
Because of the heat capacity, low cost, and availability of water, water is used as
the primary cooling agent. To cool the mold, water can be channeled through the
mold to account for quick cooling times. Usually a colder mold is more efficient
because this allows for faster cycle times. However, this is not
always
true because crystalline materials require the opposite: a warmer mold and
lengthier cycle time.
[30]

Power requirements
The power required for this process of injection molding depends on manythings
and varies between materials used.
Manufacturing Processes Reference Guide
states that the power requirements depend on "a material'sspecific gravity, melting
point, thermal conductivity, part size, and moldingrate." Below is a table from page
243 of the same reference as previouslymentioned that best illustrates the
characteristics relevant to the power required for the most commonly used
materials.
Material Specific gravity Melting point (F)

Material Specific gravity Melting point

Epoxy 1.12 to 1.24 248
Phenolic 1.34 to 1.95 248

Nylon 1.10 to 1.15 381 to 509

Polyethylene 0.91 to 0.965 230 to 243
Polystyrene 1.04 to 1.07 338

Inserts
Metal inserts can also be injection molded into the workpiece. For largevolume
parts the inserts are placed in the mold using automated machinery. An advantage
of using automated components is that the smaller size of parts allows a mobile
inspection system that can be used to examine multiple parts in a decreased amount
of time. In addition to mounting inspection systems on automated components,
multiple axial robots are also capable of removing parts from the mold and place
them in latter systems that can be used to ensure quality of multiple parameters.
The ability of automated components to decrease the cycle time of the processes
allows for a greater output of quality parts.
Specific instances of this increased efficiency include the removal of parts from
the mold immediately after the parts are created and use in conjunction with vision
systems. The removal of parts is achieved by using robots to grip the part once it
has become free from the mold after in ejector pins have been raised. The robot
then moves these parts into either a holding location or directly onto an inspection
system, depending on the type of product and the general layout of the rest of the
manufacturer's production facility. Visions systems mounted on robots are also an
advancement that has greatly changed the way that quality control is performed in
insert molded parts. Mobile robot is able to more precisely determine the accuracy
of the metal component and inspect more locations in the same amount of time as a
human inspector
Gallery
Lego injection mold, lower side
Lego injection mold, detail of lower side
Lego injection mold, detail of upper side

Metal injection molding

Metal injection molding (MIM) is a metalworking process where
finely- powdered metal is mixed with a measured amount of binder material to
comprise a 'feedstock' capable of being handled by plastic processing equipment
through a process known as injection mold forming. The molding process
allows complex parts to be shaped in a single operation and in high volume. End
products are commonly component items used in various industries and
applications. The nature of MIM feedstock flow is defined bay physics
called rheology. Current equipment capability requires processing to stay limited to
products that can be molded using typical volumes of 100 grams or less per "shot"
into the mold. Rheology does allow this "shot" to be distributed into multiple
cavities, thus becoming cost-effective for small, intricate, high-volume products
which would otherwise be quite expensive to produce by alternate or classic
methods. The variety of metals capable of implementation within MIM feedstock
are referred to as powder
metallurgy, and these contain the same alloying constiuents found inindustry
standards for common and exotic metal applications. Subsequentconditioning
operations are performed on the molded shape, where the binder material is
removed and the metal particles are coalesced into thedesired state for the metal
alloy.
Process
The process steps involve combining metal powders with wax and plastic binders
to produce the 'feedstock' mix that is injected as a liquid into ahollow mold using
plastic injection molding machines. The 'green part' iscooled and de-molded in the
plastic molding machine. Next, a portion of the binder material is removed using
solvent, thermal furnaces, catalytic process, or a combination of methods. The
resulting, fragile and porous (2-4% "air") part, in a condition called "brown" stage,
requires the metal to becondensed in a furnace process called Sintering. MIM parts
are sintered attemperatures nearly high enough to melt the entire metal
part outright (up to1450 degrees Celsius), at which the metal particle surfaces bind
together toresult in a final, 96-99% solid density. The end-product MIM metal
hascomparable mechanical and physical properties with parts made usingclassic
metalworking methods, and MIM materials are compatible with thesame
subsequent metal conditioning treatments such as plating, passivity,annealing,
carburizing, nitriding, and precipitation hardening.
Applications
The window of economic advantage in metal injection molded parts lies
incomplexity and volume for small-size parts. MIM materials are comparableto
metal formed by competing methods, and final products are used in a broad range
of industrial, commercial, medical, dental,
firearms, aerospace, and automotive applications. Dimensional tolerances of
+/-.003" per linear inch can be commonly held, and far closer restrictions on
tolerance are possible with expert knowledge of molding and sintering. MIM can
produce parts where it is difficult, or even impossible, to efficiently manufacture
anitem through other means of fabrication. Increased costs for
traditionalmanufacturing methods inherent to part complexity, such
as internal/externalthreads, miniaturization, or brand identity marking, typically
do not increasethe cost in a MIM operation due to the flexibility of injection
molding.
Manifolds for plastic melt
A hot runner consists of a manifold, nozzles, and plates. A temperaturecontroller is
also integral to the system. The manifold is a heated melt-distribution block with
channels that deliver the plastic from the injection-molding machine to the mold
cavities. The manifold's primary function isdoing this without changing the
condition of the melt through shear action or excessive heating. Most suppliers
manufacture manifolds by milling meltchannels into steel plates. Heaters are then
mounted on, or into the plate.Melt-channel layout, manifold design, and choice
of heater technology differ from supplier to supplier.For best results, manifold
design should include a detailed analysis of theapplication that includes factors
such as part mass, resin type, and processexpectations including pressure
requirements, color-change time, and targetcycle time. This information is crucial
for proper melt-channel sizing.The illustration shows the complexity of a hot-
runner mold design.
Manifolds should be designed for each application for optimal processing and part
quality. A poor manifold design, for example, with different flow lengths to
each nozzle, causes cavity-to-cavity imbalance and dimensional differences in
parts. Additionally, heat and shear forces can degrade the polymer, causing weak
parts and discoloration. More-complex manifolds allow for special applications
such as multi-shot molds, stack molding, and family molding. Multi-shot molding
produces asingle part with more than one material, such as a toothbrush handle
withsoft-touch features. Hot-runner technology accommodates multi-shot partswith
up to four different colors or materials.Hot runners are necessary for stack molds
with two or even four partinglines. Stack molds allow a molder to double, or
quadruple output, comparedto a single face mold (a standard mold with one parting
line), withoutrequiring a larger machine with more clamp tonnage. Stack molds
arethicker than conventional molds and require a machine clamp
that canaccommodate the additional stack height.A family mold is often used to produce
two or more components of anassembly for every shot. Parts in the mold usually
have different masses, sohot-runner suppliers must ensure the manifolds are
balanced with in-depthanalysis and mechanical-balancing technology. In
these cases, it's best for the mold maker, molder, and hot-runner supplier to work
closely to ensuresuccessful integration of the hot runner and mold.

A typical nozzle
Hot-runner nozzles connect the manifold and mold cavities, terminating at
the gate or the hole where the plastic melt enters the cavity. A typical
nozzle is tubular with precise temperature control along its length. Nozzledesign
and selection is important for part aesthetics, filling, and best cycletime. Sizes
(diameters and lengths) and technology (heaters and sensors)used in hot runner
nozzles vary widely. There are two classes of nozzles:thermal gate and valve
gate.As the name implies, a thermal-gate nozzle relies on thermal cycling
duringeach molding cycle. After injecting the melt into the cavity, the plastic
coolsin the gate area and hardens. At this point, the plastic part can be ejectedfrom
the cavity, leaving only a relatively small gate vestige on the part.Many thermal-
gate nozzles are made from several grades of steel to control
the thermal dynamics of the molding process. Different thermal gatingoptions are
available, each one with advantages and disadvantages

usually only one or two are best for a given application and resin. Selectingthe
right nozzle depends on the mold design, process expectations, and part properties.
Generally speaking, thermal-gate nozzles are a less expensiveoption per nozzle
than valve gating.Valve-gate nozzles are the most common type used in medical-
devicemolds. Valve gating uses the mechanical actuation of a stem to open
andclose the gate. Stems are usually actuated by pneumatic pistons andcylinders.
Alternatively, newer technology includes electrical servo drives.Valve-gate systems
have better balance and repeatability than thermal gates because gate opening and
closing is a controlled mechanical action and notdependent on thermal cycling in
the gate area.Gate vestige is a common consideration in the selection of valve gates
for medical applications. Gate vestige is the material that stays on a part at
thelocation of the gate. The open-gate design of a thermal-gate nozzle
is morelikely to have material vestige sticking up from the part. In contrast, valve-
gate nozzles with mechanical shutoffs produce a barely visible mark wherethe
valve stem meets the part surface.
PUTTING HOT RUNNER DESIGN TO WORK
A medical molder needed a high-cavitation (many cavities) stack mold for asmall
medical device molded with an engineering resin. Husky performed adetailed
application review, which included a resin test and a mold fillinganalysis. Based on
resin properties, the company recommended a four-cavity prototype mold with a
hot runner. The review determined that a hot runner with a stack-mold design was
not feasible because the resin would sit in themanifold for nearly eight minutes
before reaching the cavities. Tests showedthat exceeding a four-minute cycle
would discolor the material.To solve this problem, Husky suggested using high
cavitation single-facemolds. It optimized the manifold design with data from
the prototype trialsand melt-flow analysis. Process results confirmed that the analysis
wasaccurate. Part dimension and shrinkage values were given to the mold maker to
minimize re-machining the mold. Production tooling was validated andrapidly
qualified without issues. These successful results came about because the molder,
mold maker, and hot-runner supplier worked as a team.
DESIGN
.As a manifold block acts as the central nervous system of the injectionmoulding
machine With the pre-existing manifolds useful data is collected.The manifold
design has been developed with a view that the design has to be conversant with
the Design department, Manufacturing department,detailing department and also
the Quality control department.Initially a Cast model is created so that it reflects a
raw product that comesout after the casting to the manufacturing department . A
casting allowanceof 4 mm is maintained on all the machining surfaces which has
been shownwith a surface texture symbol in detailing. Before machining the
oil passagesare drilled using a 6.2 dia drill through which the oil passes to all
channels.The surface textures are maintained as close as possible keeping in
view thenext level mating partsThe entire model has been developed in PRO-E 4.0
in which features suchas
1. Extrude
2. Sweep
3. Round
4. Chamfer
Drill holes etcThe transparent model is so developed gives the manufacturer as to
how thefinished model look which helps reduce the problem of errors and gives
aoverall picture and the model could be taken as reference in analyzing themodel
in ANSYS software.To avoid any damage while carrying or transportation care has
been taken by providing rounds and chamfer in the model , near
CAST passageschamfers are provided at the holesA transparent CAST MODEL has
been attached below showing the roughcast product before entering the manufacturing
department

The manifold consists of passages which describe various inlet and outletThe
passages nomenclature are as follows
P - PRESSURE LINET
TANK LINEA
CYLINDER INLETB
CYLINDER OUTLET
The entire model consist of passages connecting to various cylinders inletand outlet
from TANK LINE and supply them through the PRESSURELINE as per
the requirements the dia of holes are varied.
The entire detailing of the manifold apt or suitable for manufacturing isattached
below with complete detailing.
The company process recommends the detailing to be done as per theORDINATE
DIMENSIONS. During detailing the ordinate dimensions aredone with reference
to the 01, 02 and 03 planes which are assumed to be theBASE DATUMS or DATUM
PLANES.
AFTER MACHINING:
The finished product has been attached below which meets theCONCURRENT
PROCESS AND PRODUCT DESIGN with all thesequence of operation that take place
from the beginning to the end of the product. The PRO-E sequence tree is
displayed below.
In the above model the product with hose end connections are also displayedfor the
coupling purpose.
DESCRIPTION
The manifold consists of various passages that do the function of transferring the
hydraulic oil to various areas such as BARRELS,CYLINDERS, MATING PARTS & FUEL
TANK A common in and out connection is given to OIL SUMP which passes
andcollects the OIL back to the sump. The manifold also consists of PRESSURE
LINE which takes the load of transferring of the HYDRAULICOIL to various
functioning zone wherever the supply is required.CYLINDER INLET & CYLINDER
OUTLET for the collection of oil fromthe working area and supply them back to the Oil
sump.A detailed snapshot of the entire working of the model is shown below

PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:
The common problem with the manifold design is the huge pressure drop inthe
supply line as the passage is not smooth. The smooth passage ensureslesser
pressure drop in the working fluid being grade SAE 60.The PRESSURE DROP
problem arises due to the sudden transition of thelines into vertical direction and
the return holes. Due to this the heavy power is consumed is consumed to allow
the fluid reach is destination pointThe complete analysis of the project performed
and also the suggesteddesign is also recommended .

MANIFOLD PASSAGE ANALYSIS:

A single manifold passage is analyzed to depict the real time problem ariseddue to
the sudden transition of the holes.In ANSYS 11.0 it is considered to be a
COMPUTATIONAL FLUIDDYNAMICS problem and solved using the various
elements and processwhich are described below.In ANSYS 11.0 there
are approximately 206 elements available which areused to solve various domains
such as
1. STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
2. THERMAL ANALYSIS
3. ANSYS FLUID
4. FLOTRAN CFD
etc. To conduct the problem the element type FLUID 141 is used as
we areconsidering a 2D area problem.
FLUID141 Element Description
FLUID141 to model transient or steady state fluid/thermal systems thatinvolve
fluid and/or non-fluid regions. The conservation equations for viscous fluid flow
and energy are solved in the fluid region, while only theenergy equation is solved
in the non-fluid region..For the FLOTRAN CFD elements, the velocities are
obtained from theconservation of momentum principle, and the pressure is
obtained from theconservation of mass principle. (The temperature, if required, is
obtainedfrom the law of conservation of energy.) A segregated sequential
solver algorithm is used; that is, the matrix system derived from the finite
elementdiscretization of the governing equation for each degree of freedom is
solvedseparately. The flow problem is nonlinear and the governing equations
arecoupled together. The sequential solution of all the governing
equations,combined with the update of any temperature- or pressure-
dependent properties, constitutes a
global iteration
. The number of global iterationsrequired to achieve a converged solution may
vary considerably, dependingon the size and stability of the problem. Transport
equations are solved for the mass fractions of up to six species.

FLUID141 Input Data

FLUID141 Geometry shows the geometry, node locations, and thecoordinate
system for this element. The element is defined by three nodes(triangle) or four
nodes (quadrilateral) and by isotropic material properties.The coordinate system is
selected according to the value of KEYOPT(3),and may be either Cartesian,
axisymmetric, or polar. Node and Element Loads describes element loads
.
FLUID141 Fluid Elements
If the material number of a FLUID141 element is 1, it is assumed to be afluid
element. Its properties - density, viscosity, thermal conductivity andspecific heat -
are defined with a series of
FLDATA
commands. We cananalyze only one fluid, and it must be in a single phase.
Thermalconductivity and specific heat are relevant (and necessary) only if
the problem is thermal in nature. The properties can be a function of temperature
through relationships specified by the
FLDATA7
,PROT command or through a property databaseThe resistance to flow, modeled as
a distributed resistance, may be due toone or a combination of these factors: a
localized head loss (K), a frictionfactor (f), or a permeability (C). The total
pressure gradient is the sum of these three terms, as shown below for the X
direction.
where:

= is the density (mass/length 3)

= is the viscosity (mass/(length*time))
RE = is the local value of the Reynolds Number (calculated by the
program): RE = ( V D h ) /
f = is a friction coefficient (calculated by the program): f = a RE -b
C = is the FLOTRAN permeability (1/length2). FLOTRAN permeability is the inverse
of the intrinsic or physical permeability.If large gradients exist in the velocity field
within a distributed resistanceregion, you should deactivate the turbulence model
by setting ENKE to 0and ENDS to 1.0 in this region. Non-Newtonian viscosity
models also are available for this element.Currently, ANSYS provides a Power
Law model, a Bingham model, and aCarreauThe area model constructed in ansys
is shown below which is used todescribe the real time model of the passageThe
model consists of
1. Kepoints
2. Lines

Areas etcAre converted to nodes and elements after the process of mapped
meshing
The fluid passes through the inlet at a velocity approx 3 to 4 m/s and theother end
of the passage is free to let the fluid to leave the exit of the passage.This is used as
the boundary condition for the fluid 141 at roomtemperature and under absolute
pressure
During the solution process, the convergence of the solution is shown tovary
through the 50 global iterations that are given as input. The velocityalong x-axis
and y-axis is bound to convergence and graph is shown below for various
iterations of velocity and pressure accordingly. Byobservation it is seen that the
outlet velocity and pressure drop aresignificantly changing because of the sharp
transition at the corner
The fluid behavior is found to be TURBULENT due to which a vortex flow is created
shown below. The model after changes in the model i.e. by introducing fillet at the
corner the changes have been shown below with the new model.
In the above graph the improvement of the flow is easily found to haveimproved
compared to the passage without fillet.

By further increasing the radius value the flow was further more refined but due to
manufacturing limits the radius value of 8mm is suggested to be a
optimum solution for the existing problem.