US IM Essentials

DESIGN
ESSENTIALS
for Injection Molding
Design Essentials for Injection Molding
As a quick reference guide, weve gathered some of our

most useful tips to improve the moldability of your part
TABLE OF CONTENTS design, accelerate development, and reduce production
costs along the way.
3 Design Essentials for Injection Molding
6 13 Cosmetic Defects and How to Avoid Them
9 3 Key Design Elements for Rapid Overmolding
12 14 Reasons Why Optical LSR is Good for Got a 3D CAD model ready
to be quoted? Get free design
Lighting Applications for manufacturability (DFM)
analysis and real-time pricing.
14 5 Design Considerations to Improve
Multi-Cavity Molds GET FREE DFM
Proto Labs 19992016 Proto Labs, Inc., 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877.479.3680 2
DESIGN ESSENTIALS A good rule of thumb is to apply 1 degree

of draft per 1 inch of cavity depth, but that
ejection as rounded corners reduce the
chance that the part will stick in the mold
FOR INJECTION still may not be sufficient depending on the
material selected and the mold's capabilities.
causing it to warp or even break.
MOLDING Proto Labs uses CNC milling to manufacture

the majority of the features in the mold. The
Wall Thickness
Controlling wall thickness during part design
Parts arrive at injection molding in different result of our manufacturing process drives helps manage cosmetics, weight, and strength
ways. Some are first prototyped through 3D a unique wall thickness and draft angle of your part. Parts that are too thick result
printing where moldability considerations based on the end mill that we are using for in unsightly sink, warp, and internal voids
are of limited concern. Others take a more each feature. This is where our design for (pockets of air). To avoid this, materials have
traditional machining route that allows for manufacturability (DFM) analysis becomes recommended wall thickness guidelines
iterative testing in engineering-grade materials particularly helpful as our software looks at remember this is only a general rule as not all
similar to that of molding. And many simply each part feature separately and compares it parts may have wall thicknesses at the high
jump right to injection molding. to our toolset. The design analysis highlights and low ends indicated on the chart.
the part geometry where increased draft and
We've learned from experience that, before thickness may be required.
production begins, there are important design
elements to consider. These may improve the Radii on the other hand isn't a necessity for
moldability of the parts, and ultimately, may injection molding, but should be applied to
reduce the chance of production hiccups, your part for a few reasons eliminating
cosmetic defects, and other issues. sharp corners on your part will improve
material flow as well as part integrity.
Draft and Radii The resin filling the mold cavity flows better
Applying draft and radii to a part is vital around soft corners much like the flow of a
to a properly designed injection-molded river. Rivers don't have 90 degree corners
part. Draft helps a part release from a mold as the water flow creates inside and outside Sharp corners have high-stress concentration and plastic
with less drag on the part's surface since corners so it moves easily towards its final flow is hindered. Rounded corners have reduced-stress
concentrations and plastic flow is enhanced.
the material shrinks onto the mold core. destination. Similarly, plastic resin wants to
Limited draft requires an excessive amount take a path of least resistance to minimize
of pressure on the ejection system that may the amount of stress on the material and
damage parts and possibly the mold. mold. Radii, like draft, also aid in part
Next, we'll focus on the design of the support

ribs. The ideal way to design ribs is by using a
rib-to-wall thickness ratio of 40 to 60 percent
the thickness of adjacent surfaces. The main
body of the part should be designed thick
enough so any adjacent rib extruded from it
is about half of the thickness. This helps you
avoid thick sections that may cool at different
rates than the thin sections. It also helps in Deep-Rib Approach: Box designed with walls as rubs. Higher
cost to machine and polish cavity. Core-Cavity Approach:
reducing sink and stresses that can create Box designed through core-cavity method. Can get to
warp in your part. features with bigger, faster cutter. Easier and faster to polish.
Ramps and gussets are yet another design Core-Cavity

Thickness recommendation element to strengthen and cosmetically The core and cavity are often referenced as
improve your part. Again, plastic prefers the A and B sides or top and bottom halves of
Coring Out and Ribbing smooth transitions between geometries and a mold. A core-cavity approach to part design
Along with employing proper wall thickness, a small ramp helps the material flow between can save manufacturing time and money and
additional considerations should be looked at to levels. Gussets help supporting walls or improve the overall part cosmetics.
ensure a part's design integrity remains intact. One features while reducing molding stresses.
may assume that the thicker the part, the stronger Let's say you're designing a simple box. When
the partthis is a false assumption. A properly draft is applied to the outside and inside surfaces
designed part that is intended to be structural in the same mold half, you create a very deep
should contain ribs and supporting gussets, which rib that is difficult to manufacture and increases
increase strength and can help eliminate cosmetic tooling costs. It also increases the chance of mold
defects like warp, sink, and voids. damage due to difficult ejection and short shots
due to lack of mold venting in the deep rib.
Let's begin by coring out your thick part,
which will still retain the overall height and You can minimize all of these concerns
diameter of your part without necessarily through a core-cavity approach. This design
sacrificing performance. There's a good To prevent sink, the thickness of the rib should be about half technique requires the outside and inside
chance you'll increase the part's performance of the thickness of the wall. walls to be drafted so they are parallel to
and cosmetic appearance, too. one another. This method keeps a consistent
wall thickness, maintains the part integrity, Sub gates are generally used by incorporating
improves the strength and moldability, and a tunnel gate into the side of the part or into an
decreases the overall manufacturing cost. ejector pin (post gate). Both gate styles generally
can decrease the size of the vestige left on the
Undercuts exterior of the part. Tunnel gates still enter the part
Rapid injection molding requires that your externally, but are mid-way down a parts surface,
part design should be as simple as possible, so they typically leave less of a gate vestige. Post
The left image illustrates a clip with undercut feature. On the
right? This is another false assumption as we right image, an access hole beneath the undercut allows the
gates leave no visible vestige on the exterior of
support complex part designs that require mold to protrude through the part and provide the needed the part as the part fills through one of the ejector
latch shutoff geometry. pins close to the perimeter of the part. The risk
undercuts, through holes, and other features.
Gating and Ejection is the cosmetic shadow left on the opposite side
External undercuts are the easiest and most of the part due to heat and part thickness. So, be
Gating and ejector pins are a necessity for plastic cautious when using this for highly cosmetic parts
cost effective as we accommodate through resin to strategically enter the mold and plastic
pin-actuated side-actions. These side-actions that have texture or a high polish.
parts to effectively be ejected from the mold.
move in tandem with the mold when it is We've learned from experience that there are
opened and closed while the cam rides along Hot tip gates work well as they have minimal
several ways to gate or eject your part, and the part waste from sprue and runner systems. A
an angled pin. When opened, the cam is fully locations should be considered before you are
retracted so the part can be easily ejected hot tip is best for parts that require a balanced
ready to proceed with tooling. fill from the center to the outside edges. This
without mold damage and closes again till
the cam is in position to create the next part. minimizes any mold shift as tab gates can create
Tab gates are most commonly used as they an unbalanced pressure in a mold. Hot tip gates
offer a mold technician the optimal processing are often the most cosmetically appealing gate
In cases that are not adaptable for side- capabilities and have the ability to be increased
actions, we can use manually removed (about 0.050 in. diameter) and often times can
in size if the process requires it. A tab gate is be hidden in a dimple or around a logo or text.
inserts. These are mold components that are tapered down in size from the runner, so the
greater than a half-inch cube and are loaded smallest point is at the part's surface. This allows
by an operator into the press before it closes. Direct sprue gates are the least appealing and
a freeze point between the part and runner are used with specific materials that have a
After the part has been molded, the part is removing the heat from the surface of the part.
ejected along with the insert. The operator high glass content or where the middle of the
You want the heat removed from this surface part requires secondary machining. Direct
then takes the part and manually removes to minimize any risk of sink in the part. After
the insert and places it back into the mold sprue gates have a large diameter that is
molding, the tab gate needs to be manually difficult to manually remove and often times
for the next part. removed leaving a gate vestige within 0.005 in. require a fixture that is removed by milling.
13 COSMETIC of its thickest section. Material flow within

the mold should travel from thick to thin
DEFECTS AND HOW whenever possible, which might mean
reorienting the mold cavity, or placing the
TO AVOID THEM gate in an area originally reserved for a
cosmetic surface.
As with any manufacturing process, injection
molding comes with its own set of design Warp
guidelines, and design engineers who
Design a part with walls too thin for the target
understand these best practices will increase
material and its likely to curl up like a potato
their chances of developing structurally sound
chip. This is called warp, and is easily avoided by From left to right, Figure 1 represents a part designed with
and cosmetically appealing parts and products. thick features and the resulting sink once molded. Figure 2 also
following the same rules used with sink, namely
shows a part designed with thick features, but this time the
staying within the general wall thickness warp that occurs once molded. Image 3 demonstrates how
Here are some common cosmetic defects that
guidelines. Ironically, the glass-filled materials coring out thick features helps create an optimally molded part.
occur on plastic injection-molded parts, and
that work well with sink-prone parts are more
tips on how to avoid them:
susceptible to warp. Thats because, as the part On a donut shape such as this, theres little
cools, the glass fibers tend to line up in the same choice over the parting-line location, but many
Sink
direction, creating internal stresses. Parts with orthogonal parts have sharp corners, which
As its name implies, sink appears as a dimple internal support structuresgussets to support make a clean, crisp junction at which the mold
or shallow depression on the surface of a thin walls, or ribbing of large flat surfacesfare can separate. Flash or no, you should expect
molded part. Its caused by thicker than best against warp. a parting line on most molded products, but
normal cross sections, non-uniform part we will identify the parting line location on
design or an improper gate placement Flash your ProtoQuote, and may suggest ways of
the doorway through which hot plastic first modifying the part geometry to avoid one.
Look closely at a rubber O-ring and youll see a
enters the mold cavity. Some plastics
thin line of material at its outermost periphery.
polypropylene and acetal, for example Swirling
Thats a parting line, the seam where the
are very susceptible to sink, whereas fiber
two halves of the mold come together. With From Honey Beige to Cornflower Blue, we stock
and glass-filled materials are less prone to
free flowing materials such as Santoprene or more than 40 standard colorants. These are
sink. At Proto Labs, we have wall thickness
unfilled nylon, a small amount of flash can mixed with natural resin pellets immediately
recommendations for each material, and
sometimes ooze into the seam, and often prior to the molding run and are usually quite
advise that a workpiece minimum wall
requires trimming once the part has cooled. close to the target color, but the final product
thickness be no less than 40 to 60 percent
may vary due to the polymer being used, texture marks, while an SPI-A2 will be smoother than done to avoid it is orienting the part in the mold
and polish of the tool, and swirling during the a fresh jar of peanut butter. Texturing via bead such that cosmetic surfaces are unaffected
mixing process. If you want an identical color blasting is another option, which generally when molding a Statue of Liberty replica, for
match on your parts, it would be best to purchase leaves a uniform matte finish, except in example, the gate should be placed on the
color-matched, pre-compounded resin from thicker areas, around knit lines, and in darker soles of Lady Libertys feet. When submitting a
an external vendor. We accept most customer- materials. Bear in mind that deep slots and design to Proto Labs, always be sure to speak to
supplied resins sent our way. cavities are difficult to reach for polishing a customer service engineer to be sure surfaces
and texturing, and that fine finishes may that require a vestige-free appearance can
Knit Lines impact quick turnaround time because of the be accommodated. We may have options to
Worried about those fine lines that look like additional effort needed for polishing. We offer change a gate style depending on the material
hairline cracks in your injection-molded part? eight surface finish options to choose from for and part geometry. It is much easier to do this
Dont be. Those are knit lines, formed when injection-molded parts. during the review stages rather than after the
two opposing flows of material join together mold design stages have begun.
in the mold cavity. Commonly seen at the edge Drag
of a hole or other cored feature, knit lines are Sufficient draft is an important part of any Jets, Orange Peels, Etc.
as a rulepurely cosmetic, but may create a mold design, and quick-turn tooling is no There are several miscellaneous problems that
physical failure point if present in an area of exception. Vertical walls, meaning those part can crop up with injection molding, several of
the part that receives substantial stress, such surfaces parallel to the direction of mold which can be tied back to wall thicknesses that
as the head of a screw. In this case, designing a operation, should have a minimum draft exceed general recommendations:
strengthening boss feature around the hole is angle of 1/2 degree, and 2 degrees is even
a good precaution, or just skip the hole entirely better; heavily textured surfaces may require Jetting, a wormlike swirl that appears near
and drill it afterwards. 5 degrees or more. Without proper draft, part especially thick gate areas, is caused by
ejection becomes difficult if not impossible, temperature variations within the material flow.
Surface Imperfections and drag or scrape lines may occur. Similarly, a surface that looks like an orange peel
If you select a PM-F0 non-cosmetic finish on can be caused by flow variations in the mold
a tool, the finished part will likely show small, Vestiges cavity, usually in thicker sections of the part.
circular, end-mill marks and tool transition Gate vestige is that small ugly spot at one end Silvery streaks and material flaking is known
lines. If you need a surface finish thats more of the part left by removal of the gate after as splay, and can occur as a result of moist
cosmetically appealing, its generally a simple, molding, usually with a side cutter or razor knife. or degraded resin, but can also be caused
if more expensive matter to manually polish Its an unavoidable fact of injection molding. by material shear due to higher than normal
the tool. A PM-F1 finish removes most tool The only thing, for the most part, that can be injector-screw speeds.
Blush, a cloudy discoloration normally found

near gate areas, can be caused by improper
fill speeds, but proper part geometry and
gate placement also play a factor.
Thankfully, most of these issues can be

resolved through slight modifications to part
design and/or selecting a different material.
Difficult part geometries often require fine-
tuning of the molding temperature, injection
speed, hold times, or all three. Material
selection also plays a big part with cosmetics.
Two examples of this are polypropylene
and HDPE, which tend to sink more than
polybutlylene or acetal, but flow better
into small part details. It is possible to test
different materials using the same mold, but
unfortunately shrink factors may prevent parts
from having dimensions that match the CAD.
In some cases after testing multiple materials,
a new mold may be required for further
testing or production parts.
3 KEY DESIGN
ELEMENTS
FOR RAPID
OVERMOLDING
Injection molding is a common and cost-
effective method for manufacturing parts. Its
widely used for everything from medical devices
and childrens toys to household appliances
and automobile parts, producing parts that are
both strong and light, in many cases replacing
machined or cast metal products.
Sometimes, however, injection-molded plastic

parts need a little help. Low impact or vibration
resistance, slippery surfaces, poor ergonomics,
and cosmetic concerns are just a few of the
reasons why a second molded part is often
added as a grip, handle, cover, or sleeve.
Some manufacturers choose to assemble these This design tip explores three important
two different molded components together elements of rapid overmolding:
with glue, screws, or an interference fit, but Bonding
this takes time and costs money, and may lead Materials
to less-than-desirable results. Fortunately, Principles
the process of rapid overmolding offers an
alternative solution.
Proto Labs rapid overmolding process can be used to add a

second molded part, such as a grip, handle, or cover, to an
existing part, as seen in this sample.
What is Rapid Overmolding? Bonding made of a soft sealing material. Once the cover
is locked in place, the gasket has nowhere to
This process uses a mechanical or chemical bond Lets start with bonding. In a perfectly
go. All thats needed is enough bond to hold
(and oftentimes both) to permanently marry two overmolded part, the overlay is impossible to
the gasket to the substrate so it cant fall out
parts together. This sidesteps assembly hassles, remove, and will tear before separating from the
or be misplaced during assembly. This is an
simplifies product design, and can improve the substrate, or even take some of the underlying
excellent application for overmolding, by the
characteristics of many injection-molded parts. material with it. The thermoplastics TPU and
way, since it eliminates the need for a stamped
TPC, for example, form a strong chemical
paper or rubber gasket that must then be
At Proto Labs, it works by placing a previously bond with ABS, polycarbonate, and PBT Valox
manually glued in place.
molded partthe substrateback into the (a type of polybutylene). Santoprene TPV, a
press and injecting a second plastic or liquid tough but flexible vulcanizate widely used in
In most cases, we recommend a mechanical
silicone rubber (LSR) over, into, and around the weatherseal, food service, and wire and cable
interlock to augment or even replace a
original part. The two-shot process requires a applications, is more restrictive, readily bonding
chemical bond. This can be achieved by
pair of moldsone for the substrate, and one to polypropylene but little else.
placing an undercut in the substrate part, or
for the complete, overmolded product. It also
a series of reverse-tapered or counterbored
needs a human to tend the machine, loading Achieving a high-level chemical bond isnt
holes into which the overmolding material
substrate parts and unloading completed always possible, though, nor even necessary
can flow, assuring a no-fail mechanism in
products, a process known as pick-and-place in many cases. Consider a molded electronics
all but the most demanding applications.
overmolding. housing cover with an overmolded gasket
If youre unsure how to add these features
to your part design, contact one of our
Whats next? Before embarking on any
application specialists at 877.479.3680 or
overmolding design project, several design
customerservice@protolabs.com.
considerations should be explored first:
Bonding. A strong bond between the two Maximizing Material Choices

materials is critical to overmolding. There are many reasons to overmold. One
Materials. Substrate and overmold materials of the most common is improve a products
should be physically, chemically, and grip while retaining its physical strengththe
thermally compatible. handle on a power tool, for example, or a non-
Principles. Substrate and overmold slip grip for a surgical instrument. In this case,
materials should be physically, chemically, TPU over ABS is an excellent choice. Aesthetics
A mechanical interlockas shown hereis strongly
and thermally compatible. recommended if bonding is critical to your application. This and product branding are also readily achieved
can augment or even replace a chemical bond.
with overmoldinga sports franchise might
use the team colors in two-piece overmolded The thickness of the overmold material Because rapid overmolding is more complex
mouth guards for its players, while a well- should be less than or equal to that of the than standard injection molding, the upfront
known tractor manufacturer could dress up substrate below it. tooling costs might be slightly higher than
its riding lawnmowers with green and yellow The melting temperature of the overmolding the sum of two molded and assembled
overmolded cowlings. material should be less than that of the components. Any additional investment is
substrate (as in our LSR example). quickly absorbed, however, by the elimination
LSR is another popular injection molding of secondary assembly costs, as well as a
If chemical bonding isnt practical, dont
material. It offers excellent tensile and tear higher quality, more durable product.
despair. Mechanical interlocks are a great way
strength, is hydrophobic (repels water),
to hold it all together, and should be used
flexible, bacteria and UV-light resistant, and
wherever possible.
biocompatible. About the only downside
to LSRat least in an overmolding Texturing of the substrate workpiece
situation&mdsh;is its relatively high molding may help with adhesion. Texturing of the
temperature of 350 degrees F (177 C), hot overmolded part may provide a better grip
enough to soften substrate materials such as and more attractive surface.
ABS, polyethylene, and others. Fortunately, The surface of the overmolded part should
polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and glass- be even with or slightly below any adjacent
filled nylon hold up just fine. substrate surfaces.
At Proto Labs, we offer more than 100 Overmolding is a great way to improve your
engineering-grade thermoplastic and liquid products physical attributes or enhance Overmolding is regularly used to create durable gaskets for
silicone rubber materials, and dozens of its appearance. As with our other injection industries like automotive and health care.
colorants. molding services, we produce cost-effective

tooling with production quantities of
Following the Rules 25 to 10,000 or more in about 15 days. If
Overmolding reads from the same playbook as youre looking to make millions of parts,
traditional injection molding processes, with a rapid overmolding is also a great way to
few additional idiosyncrasies: test prototypes for bonding and material
compatibility prior to investment in two-shot
Proper draft angles, uniform wall thickness, production molds, or to serve as bridge tools
and smooth transition lines must be until those molds are ready.
maintained in both parts.
14 REASONS Since Edisons time, glass has seemed like

the ideal shell for lightbulbs. It is almost
of 70. (For comparison, the heel of a shoe
typically has a durometer of about 80.)
WHY OPTICAL perfectly transparent, inexpensive, has
a defined manufacturing process, and is
The stiffness of optical LSR is particularly
valuable in applications like vehicle lenses
LSR IS GOOD more or less impervious to the considerable
heat generated as a wasteful byproduct
where lights can be exposed to a variety of
vibrations and blows.
FOR LIGHTING of incandescent light. Heat loss, or wasted The material is also scratch and crack
APPLICATIONS electricity, is the very reason incandescent
bulbs are dying. And that same heat is why
resistant, which helps preserve both its
physical integrity and optical properties.
The history of plastic is all about replacing they have to be regularly replaced. LEDs You could cut a part made of optical LSR
other materials, beginning with ivory and on the other hand, while somewhat more with a razor, but if you were to drag it across
tortoiseshell back in the late 19th century. expensive to produce at this time, more than the ground or other rough surface it would
Today, as LEDs increasingly supplant metal make up for their initial cost with energy most likely conform to the surface as it was
filaments in light bulbs, optical liquid silicone efficiency and long life. While glass could be dragged and not be marred.
rubber (LSR)in addition to plastics like used to enclose, cover or direct them, optical
LSR is optically and mechanically stable
polycarbonate and acrylic resinsis replacing LSR is a better choice in almost every way.
at temperatures up to 150C, which is
glass in many optical applications including Heres why:
important since LEDs do generate heat,
lens covers and light pipes. Optical LSR is almost as transparent as though far less than an incandescent
the best glass across both visible and UV filament.
spectra. Its wide operating temperature range, UV
It does not discolor or lose transparency stability and flexibility make LSR ideal for
with age or with exposure to heat or UV. outdoor applications.
It is significantly lighter than glass and most Flexibility of the material also allows
other plastics. designers and engineers the opportunity
LSR is far more flexible than glass, reducing to combine a lens with a seal to reduce
the chance of breakage. While flexible assembly cost, inventory control, and seams
enough not to break, it is significantly stiffer in the assembly.
Optical LSR is a transparent, flexible thermoset material that than the LSR that is used in floppy bakeware. In its liquid state, optical LSR can be mixed
is replacing glass in many optical applications. That material has a durometer (hardness) of with colorants or phosphors to extend its
40 to 50, while optical LSR has a durometer
lighting capabilities (not available at Proto resins. Note: Low viscosity also increases marks on the finished parts. If this could be a
Labs, yet). the likelihood of flash where mold halves problem, you should bring it to the attention
LSR molding is an optimized process that meet. Chances of flash can be reduced by of our engineers before your order is finalized.
uses less manufacturing space and energy designing parts that can have clean, flat
than a glass manufacturing facility, which parting lines. To recap, optical LSR is a thermosetting material
allows for prototype and low-volume The material cools without creating that is ideal for many optical applications. It is
production runs. significant sink or internal stresses, and second in clarity only to glass. It can withstand
its dimensional stability allows accurate heat in proximity to high-output LEDs and
production of lenses. Reduced likelihood of operate in a range of ambient temperatures. It
sink also permits designs with thicker walls is flexible enough for rough duty, outdoor, and
than would be acceptable in other resins. automotive use. It allows for very flexible design
including accurate replication of fine features.
The material can be molded within a It can support minor undercuts and negative
polished mold without the use of secondary draft without the need for side-actions, and both
polishing processes required to polish thick and thin walls. Designs in this material
individual parts, saving time and money can often integrate multiple parts into a single
in production. Some tooling can support unit, combining for example a lens, a clear lens
optical surface geometry and finishes. cover and a sealing gasket, reducing the bill of
Its high operating temperature range, UV stability and
flexibility make optical LSR ideal for outdoor applications. Due to the materials somewhat rubbery materials for a final assembly. Proto Labs stocks
consistency, shapes with small undercuts Dow Corning MS-1002 LSR, a material that has
and negative draft that would be been engineered for molding finely detailed
In addition to its performance-enhancing
unacceptable in a more rigid material may parts for LED applications.
characteristics, optical LSR has several positive
be able to be safely unmolded. These can be
traits that simplify design and molding.
treated as bump-offs or pickouts.
Its low viscosity allows easy flow within
a mold, so the material can move readily Finally, there are issues of mold designgate
through thin areas and fill small voids. and ejector placementthat impact a parts
This gives the designer greater freedom final appearance. Proto Labs designers will
when creating fine features for function or work to minimize the afore-mentioned
cosmetics. It allows molding of thinner walls problems, but nearly all molds require gates
than could normally be produced in other and ejectors, and these will leave their
5 DESIGN of which increase the risk of partially-

filled cavities and sink as well as part
Hold the Gate
One of these tweaks is the gate. Cattle
CONSIDERATIONS deformation after ejection. gates, child gates, Gate E24 at the
TO IMPROVE When moving from single- to multi-

cavity tooling, its important to
airporteach is designed to control
traffic. The gates used in plastic
MULTI-CAVITY recognize that parts that behave
injection molding are no different.
They allow molten plastic to flow
perfectly in single-cavity mold might
MOLDS not play well with others, at least not
into the mold at the beginning of the
injection cycle, and then hold it under
without first making some tweaks to the
Moving from a single cavity mold to pressure until the mold cools, the
part, the process, or even the material.
one that produces two, four, or eight plastic has solidified and the part is
parts at once seems like an easy way subsequently ejected.
to increase production volume and
reduce part costs. This can be true in In moldmaking, there are more types
many cases, but only if the right steps of gates than there are players on a
are taken and the requisite homework baseball team. Proto Labs relies on
done first. Designing a part for multi- three. Pin-style and hot tip gates are
cavity molding is not as simple as often employed on single-cavity molds
copying the CAD file for a single- to solve challenges with complex
cavity mold multiple times. part geometries and to reduce gate
vestigethe small remnant of runner
The physics encountered when forcing material that must be trimmed from
molten plastic through a molds the finished workpiecebut these
sprues, runners, and gates change are rarely if ever used on multi-cavity
as molds become larger and more molds. Here, tab gates (also known
complex, something that can impact as edge gates) are the rule. Not only
molding performance and part quality. is gate placement far more flexible
Also, thermal variations within a multi- something very important when
cavity mold body become more of a In the first image, a single 3D CAD model of a lens is shown trying to squeeze multiple parts into
before it moves into the multi-cavity mold shown in the
concern, and plastic must travel longer second image. a moldbut the larger vestige that
distances to reach the finish line, both comes with tab gating works well to
absorb residual flow stress around that Side-Actions and Pick-Outs Family Style
section of the mold. Similar situations can occur with a side- Customers at Proto Labs occasionally
action. Lets say that youve designed employ family molds for low-volume
Another example where costly part a lightweight bobbin with holes like production needs. This type of mold
redesign can be avoided when making Swiss cheese running through each is used to manufacture different
the jump to multi-cavity is gate flange to reduce mass. This is a perfect components of a multi-part assembly,
placement. Consider a mold for a plastic use for side actions, which slide into or multiple variations of a single
water bottle lid. Initial limited production place prior to the plastic entering the component, in a single shotif youve
expectations might dictate placement moldthus restricting material flow ever assembled a plastic model of a
of the gate in a single-cavity mold gate and pop back out before part ejection. Ford Pinto as a kid (or a Star Wars
at a certain mold location. But when While side-actions can work great for a TIE-Fighter replica as an adult),
production ramps up and the head of single-cavity mold, this sewing machine youve handled family-molded parts.
supply chain decides its time to invest accessory most likely wouldnt qualify If this is the approach you want to
in a multi-cavity tool, the original gate for multi-cavity tooling due to that very take for your project, be prepared for
location may be impossible to achieve requirement. some additional work and a greater
due to the changes in part orientation tooling investment.
required for multi-cavity molding. By Manually loaded inserts, or pick-
discussing product expectations with outs, should also be given careful
Proto Labs customer service engineers consideration. Placing a small block
early in the design cycle, hiccups like of metal into a mold cavity to create
this can potentially be avoided. a cutout on an internal feature, for
example, is fairly straightforward in
Note that we also advise against single-cavity molding. That same
designing your own runner and gate approach on an eight-cavity tool,
system to create your own multi-cavity however, is time-consuming, and should
toolProto Labs can help facilitate the be avoided if large quantities are in your
design of your multi-cavity mold. products future. If this is the case, let us
know and well help you design a more
efficient mold from the start.
Two halves of a handheld medical device are designed into
a family mold
Due to the different size and For Your Consideration Some customers test multiple iterations
geometry of parts, family molds bring In addition to the design elements of the same molded part in parallel
added design challenges, and it might unique to multi-cavity tooling, there of with multiple single-cavity molds,
make sense to investigate alternative course are common injection molding select the winner, and then move into
molding options (e.g., multiple single- guidelines to keep in mind like draft, a multi-cavity mold. This can increase
cavity tools) until larger production wall thickness, material choice, and your overall speed to market by helping
volumes warrant higher tooling costs. surface finish. The likelihood of you avoid development speed bumps
That said, Proto Labs has successfully success increasesespecially as the along the way.
tackled many projects involving number of cavities increaseswith
family molds, part geometry and part designs that account for these
family size permitting. Dont throw in variables and others. See our recent
the towel before giving us a shot. Design Tip on leveraging low-volume
injection molding for a more thorough
Easy Flow examination of design considerations
Materials that flow well, like liquid for plastic injection molding.
silicone rubber (LSR), are typically
well-suited for a multi-cavity The bottom line is this: Efficient
situation. Because silicone flows more injection-molded part design is about
easily than nickels at a Las Vegas reducing part costs. This is true
casino, most of the challenges faced whether youre making 5,000 parts
with multi-cavity and family molds or 5,000,000. Some designers and
are greatly reduced. If your project manufacturers aim to shortcut the
requires a flexible material with mold development cycle by jumping
excellent strength and dimensional feet first into multi-cavity tooling,
stability, good performance at skipping the critical prototyping
extreme temperatures, chemical phase. Proto Labs advises against this
resistance and biocompatibility, LSR approachnot because we want to
is a solid option. sell you another mold, but because
testing parts using a single-cavity
mold is an excellent way to vet design,
improve quality, and likely save some
money in the long run.

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DESIGN

As a quick reference guide, weve gathered some of our

DESIGN ESSENTIALS A good rule of thumb is to apply 1 degree

MOLDING Proto Labs uses CNC milling to manufacture

Next, we'll focus on the design of the support

Ramps and gussets are yet another design Core-Cavity

13 COSMETIC of its thickest section. Material flow within

Blush, a cloudy discoloration normally found

Thankfully, most of these issues can be

Sometimes, however, injection-molded plastic

Proto Labs rapid overmolding process can be used to add a

Bonding. A strong bond between the two Maximizing Material Choices

colorants. molding services, we produce cost-effective

14 REASONS Since Edisons time, glass has seemed like

5 DESIGN of which increase the risk of partially-

TO IMPROVE When moving from single- to multi-

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