Introduction Mold process wheel speed Sensors

Injection moulding : Material (PA66), Process (Engel), Tooling

Material : For Wheel speed sensors, different types of polyamide are used. All polyamides have a typical behaviour in the molding process. Most important properties will be discussed. Process : A description of the molding process, related to the use of polyamide and the Engel machines Tooling :

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Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Polyamide : Crystallinity
Crystallinity : Most polyamides have a partially crystalline structure. This means that a proportion of the polymer solidifies in a certain ordered and regular crystalline structure. The rest solidifies in an amrphous state having now regularity. Most important properties of crystaline material in contrast to amorphous materials : Big volume changes with temperature when changing from liquid to solid state and viceversa. This is the mean reason for voids/bubbles in the sensorbody ! As you can see on the graph, a volumechange from over 15% is normal !

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Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Polyamide : Heat Energy

Heating requirements : The energy needed to raise the temperatur of the material. In case of material with a crystalline structure, additional heat is necessary to bring the material from the solid state to the liquid state. The energy is transferred into the material mainly through friction between screw and cylinder ! Screw and barrel has to be designed for PA (Length/diameter =>20) Melting point of PA66 : 240 C ! The difference between melting point and processing temperare is relative small for PA : Cooling time can be relative short ! This property can be used to determine the type of PA : PA6, PA66, PA12 have different peaks for specific heat !

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Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Polyamide : Melt viscosity

Melt viscosity determines to a large the filling pressure of a mould high viscosity implies less flow and higher pressure drops. The melt viscosity is also primarily a function of the molecular weight of the resin. The melt viscosity of nylons is influenced by a large number of factors. Most important factors : 1. Temperature of the melt (cylinder temp) 2. Shear rate (injection speed) 3. Moisture content 4. Hold-up time 5. Glassfibre content 6. Molecular length, type of PA, brand

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Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Polyamide : Viscosity
Shear rate is a parameter characterising deformation velocity of the material flow. It is dependent on velocity of the flow and geometry of the flow channels. Therefore, by increasing the injection speed the viscosity can be reduced ! On the Engel machines, the viscosity is measured as the average pressure during a part from the injection cycle. It is the so called Flownumber It can be used to see the effect of parameter changes !

Continental Automotive Systems

Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Polyamide : Viscosity ; influence of moisture

Moisture can influence very highly the viscosity. Main reason is that HO has a chemical influence on the resin : the so called hydrolysis. The equilibrum moisture content is around 0.12% Higher moisture contents gives a important decrease in viscosity, dependent also from the hold-up time. Once the moisture content is more then 0.25%, there will be a loss of mechanical properties on the moulded part.

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Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Polyamide : Thermal degradation

Thermal degradation depends of hold-up time and melt temperature. Under normal circumstances, the rate of thermal degradation is so low that it does not need to be considered. With our process, interruptions are always possible. Clear instructions are necessary when purging is necessary ! Special attention when the dosing stroke is very short (hold-up time is relative long). Premold ! The process temperature is limited by this property. For PA66, max 315C !

Continental Automotive Systems

Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Molding process : important processparameters

The injection process can be divided in different fases : 1. Closing mould (mould safety, mechanical movements, closing force) 2. Injection fase (filling the mold, regulating of FORWARD SCREW SPEED) 3. Switch over point (switch over from SPEED to PRESSURE regulation) 4. Post pressure fase (compensating for materialschrinkage, regulating of PRESSURE) 5. Cooling fase + simultanous dosing (preparation of MELT for next shot) 6. Opening mold (mechanical movements) 7. Ejection finished part (mechanical movement)

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Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Injection fase : screw is pushed forward, non return valve closes

Screw is pushed forward with hydraulic pressure. Material (melt) in front of the screw (red) is pressed in to the mold The non-return valve (R) prevents that the melt goes backwards in the screw The injection speed is regulated

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Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Postpressure fase : screw is under post pressure

Screw is under pressure for volumecompensation from shrink No speedregulation, only pressureregulation ! When the gate is solid, no melt can come into the cavity anymore : end of post pressure fase At the end of this fase, there is still some material in the screw : buffer ! This buffer is normally in the range 5 to 15 mm for a screw from diameter 30mm
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Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Switch-over point : cavity is almost filled completely

Cavity is almost filled completely Injection speed of the screw has to slow down to almost 0 Melt in the cavity is shrinking (liquid fase to solid fase)

Switch over from speed tot pressure regulation

Which parameter use to switch over ? Different possibilitys : 1. Stroke dependant (after injection of a certain volume) 2. Time dependent 3. Inner pressure dependant 4. Hydraulic pressure dependant Most exact method : inner pressure (pressure transducer in mold necessary) Most common used : stroke dependant

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Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Dosing fase : screw is rotating to prepare melt for next shot

Screw is rotating, melt is pushed in front of the screw. Non-return valve opens (pressure in screw is higher then pressure in cylinder) Material cannot escape throuhg nozzle : runner is solid, nozzle still against mold Dosing fase ends when the stroke is reached for next shot Dosing and cooling fase is simultaneous
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Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

How setting up injection speed on a ENGEL ?

SETPOINTS : A speed profile can be choosen (10 different setpoints) The complete dosing stroke is divided in 10 parts.

For every part, the setting speed can be choosen.

Practical profile : first 5 speed the same, then slow down to the switch over point (speed at switch over = ca 20mm/sek) LIMITS :

Injection time monitoring : the injection time (time from start injection until switch-over point). Min and max time can be guarded. Out of limit : immediate INTERRUPTION, no Post pressure !
The injection pressure limit can be seen as a safety limit. Under normal circumstances, this limit may not be reached ! (no speed regulation anymore !)No process interruption ! Only warning ! FEEDBACK from IST values : Max inj speed : max speed that is reached during injection Injection time Zsx : actual time from last injection Use this feedback when changing parameters !!

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Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Setting up injection speed

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Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Grahical display of injection speed setup

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Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

How setting up Post Pressure on the ENGEL ?

SETPOINTS : Total Post Pressure time : time frow Switch-over until end of Post Pressure This timeperiod is divided in 10 parts : for every period, a different pressure can be set. Normal range for cable sensors and 30mm Screw : between 30 and 50 bar. The relation between meltpressure and hydraulic pressure is machine dependant. (relation between srew surface and hydraulic cylinder surface) Total cooling time : End of Post Pressure until start opening mold. LIMITS : At the end of the Post pressure, a certain volume should be left in the injection cylinder : the so called buffer. Min and max buffer can be guarded. No interruption by out of limit ! Only warning ! FEEDBACK : Actual cooling time : as the operator gives the Start signal for the next cycle, the mold stay closed until this signal. The cooling time depends from the operator ! If there is : inner pressure mold. There is a direct relationship between post pressure hydraulic and innerpressure.

Continental Automotive Systems

Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Continental Automotive Systems

Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Continental Automotive Systems

Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Setting up heating
Setpoints : Temperature from nozzle and cylinder zones. For PA66 : max 315C, min 270C. Setpoint temperature hydraulic oil (normal 40C)

Setpoint lower temperature (to prevent burned melt in screw)

Limits : Max positiv and negativ deviation from temp (out of limit : processinterruption) Max time without screw-movement (out of limit : temperature goes down to lower setpoint) Max and min oiltemperature (out of limit = processinterruption) Feedback : Actual cylindertemperature Actual oiltemperature If used : mouldtemperature (thermocouple in mould ) Relation between flownumber and temperature melt : higher temp = lower flownumber !

Continental Automotive Systems

Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Continental Automotive Systems

Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Setting dosing parameters :

Setpoints : Dosing stroke C1 (mm) Screw speed. Complete stroke is divided in 5 parts. The speed for every part can be set separately : as low as possible, dosing has to be done within cooling time. Back pressure : The pressure on the screw while dosing. Normal range : between 5 and15 bar. The higher the pressure, the more intens the mixing of the melt. Decompression before dosing : Retraction before start screw-rotation. Decompression after dosing : Retraction after dosing stroke is reached. Prevents leaking nozzles, Pressure on melt is decreased. Screw retraction speed : speed from decompression Limits : Dosing time min and max : easy check of resin is present. Process interruption if time is out of limit.

Continental Automotive Systems

Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

Continental Automotive Systems

Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG

How to start with setting up a new mold ?

Start with set up from mechanical movements (mold closing, mold safety, mold opening, ejector stroke, turning tabel) Set temperatures (depending on material, PA 66 : nozzle 290C, cylinder 270, 280, 290) Define switch over point (stroke : 10mm 15 mm). Check if inner pressure transducer is working properly. Define injection speed. Start slow (100 mm/sek, decreasing to 20mm/sek) Set pressure-limit to save side (60 to 100 bar) Set post-pressure to save side (25 to 35 bar) Chose dosing stroke at the save side (too small !) After first shot : start adjusting dosing stroke until buffer is properly (10 mm) Start adjusting switch-over point (switch-over point = buffer + 3 to 5 mm) Setup Micrograf : valuable feedback for adjusting ! Increase pressure limit and injection speed until injection time = 0.5 to 1 sek Increase post pressure

Continental Automotive Systems

Jan Heynen / 12-04-2005 Continental AG