Injection Molding

MFG 355
15 Ton Injection Molding Machine

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77 Ton Injection Molding Machine

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150 Ton Injection Molding Machine

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 Equipment
• Injection Unit
Feed
hopper

Barrel heaters Nozzle

Screw drive Tool
arrangement

Screw Check valve Screw tip

 Equipment
• Injection Unit
 Injection
• Parts of the injection screw
– Screw
– Head and check ring
 Equipment
• Molds
Molds
 Mold Materials
• Aluminum filled epoxy
• Aluminum
• Tool steel
• Stainless steel
• Hotwork die steel
• Beryllium-copper
 Mold Materials
• Choice based on critical properties
– Machinability
– Coefficient of thermal expansion
– Specific heat capacity
– Thermal conductivity
– Density
– Hardness (abrasion resistance)
– Yield strength
– Weldability
 Mold Parts
• Bases
– Standard sizes
– Hold mold inserts
– Can decrease overall mold costs
 Mold Parts
• Guide pins
– Align mold cavities

Guide pins
 Mold Parts
• Sprue Bushing
– Hot sprue
– Cold sprue
 Mold Parts
• Sprue Bushing
– Hot sprue
 Mold Parts
• Sprue Bushing
– Cold sprue
– Sprue puller
 Mold Parts
• Sprue Bushing
– Cold sprue
– Sprue puller
 Mold Parts
• Runner
 Mold Parts
• Runner
– Layout
Conventional Improved Balanced “H” Circular
 Mold Parts
• Runner
– Layout
Conventional Improved Balanced “H” Circular
 Mold Parts
• Runner
– Cold well
 Mold Parts
• Runner
 Mold Parts
• Gates

Submarine Gate

Fan or Edge Gate

Pinpoint Gate
 Mold Parts
• Gates

Tab Gate

Sprue Gate

Flash Gate
 Mold Parts
• Gates

Internal Ring Gate

External Ring Gate
 Mold Parts
• Gate
 Mold Parts
• Gate
 Mold Parts
• Gate
 Mold Parts
• Cavity
– Where the part is made
– Layout is critical to material flow
 Mold Parts
• Cavity
– Knit/weld lines

This shows where the

weld lines (shown in red)
will most likely occur with
the part gated in the
center (yellow cone).
 Mold Parts
• Cooling
– Reduce cycle time
– Control formation of crystalline areas
– Freeze part

Mold cavity

Cooling lines
 Mold Parts
• Ejector system
Ejector pins

Return Springs

Ejector Plate
 Equipment
• Clamping Unit
 Equipment
• Clamping Unit
– Toggle clamping
– Hydraulic clamping
– Hybrid hydraulic-toggle clamping
 Equipment
• Clamping Unit
 Equipment
• Clamping Unit
– Toggle system

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Plant Concepts
 Safety
• High clamping forces
• High pressure lines
• High voltage
• High temperatures
 Safety
• Position switches
– Mechanical, hydraulic and electrical
• Shields
• Lock out/tag out
 Material and Product
Considerations
• Shapes
– Possible to do very complex shapes
• Structural features
– Pins, ribs, bosses, threads, holes
– Deep parts are possible
– Internal or external threads
– Undercuts require sliding mold sections
Sliding Mechanism
 Material and Product
Considerations
• Part design
– Uniform wall thickness
• Helps reduce dimples, shrink marks and distortion
– Ribs
• Save weight at given strength
– No sharp bends
• Helps to fill the mold cavity easier
– Oversize the mold
• Shrinkage amount is dependant on material and
additives/fillers
 Operations and Control
• Temperature of melt
• Temperature of mold
• Pressure of injection and hold
• Injection or fill rate and time
• Dwell time
• Freeze time
• Ejection (dead time)
 Special Injection Molding
Processes
• Coinjection molding
– Two separate screws
– Two different material selections
• Color, strength, flexibility
 Special Injection Molding
Processes
• Coinjection molding

1 2 3
 Special Injection Molding
Processes
• Coinjection molding

Part 1

Part 2
 Special Injection Molding
Processes
• Flow-controlled injection processes
– Sometimes called Scorim
 Special Injection Molding
Processes
• Flow-controlled injection processes
– Sometimes called Scorim
 Special Injection Molding
Processes
• Gas injection molding
– Employs gas to create hollow parts
 Special Injection Molding
Processes
• Injection-compression molding

Parts were
made with the
same mold.
The only
difference
between the
two parts is the
use of the
compression
cycle

Injection-Compression Injection Molding

Molding
 Modeling and Computer-Aided
Mold-Flow Analysis
• Used to help identify
potential problems
with the mold/part
design
• Models based on the
CAD part
• Adjusted by resin
Thank You