DESIGN OF COST EFFECTIVE HOT RUNNER UNIT MOULD

SADIQUE BASHA
Lecturer
Faculty of manufacturing engineering
TAT university college, Kemaman, Terengganu Darul Iman.
Email : sadiqueb@tati.edu.my
1.1 Abstract
Hot runners constitute a technique that has been used in thermoplastics injection moulds for over 30 years
now. Use of hot runner mould is constantly increasing, and it is estimated that hot runner technology is
used in every fourth mould made. The basic hot runner principle was patented in the USA as long ago as
1940.Despite the time that has passed since then, the technique has not altered and todays hot runner
developments differ little from the idea that lies behind the prototype. The technique developed slowly at
first, and interest was limited, especially as hot runner systems were designed and built on an individual
basis at that time. It was not until the oil crisis of 1973 that the economic conditions combined to favour
rapid development of hot runner. When raw material prices were rising from week to week, processors
were forced into radical material cost reductions. One way of achieving this was through use of HR
systems, which eliminated waste in sprue form. Manufacturers of hot runner nozzles, and later of full hot
runner systems, appeared in the market. The sudden rise in demand for hot runner systems did, however,
have a negative effect manufacturers had not the time to upgrade systems. Hot runner nozzles were
vulnerable to blockage, not properly adapted to the properties of the plastic, temperature controllers lacked
sensitivity, and there was no such thing as an automatic heating starting function. This caused
disillusionment with hot runner technology and a fall in demand. The period of stagnation, however,
brought about an increase in outlay on technical and quality development, with the result that hot runner
systems of the last decade may now be regarded as technically mature developments. There is such a large
range of hot runner systems on the market nowadays that efficient systems can be selected for most
applications and virtually all thermoplastics. The wide variety of designs is partly a consequence of the
continuous development of hot runner technology, but also arises from the patent situation, which restricts
the freedom of dissemination of optimal designs.
1.2 Keywords
Design aspects, manifold block, melt flow way, the inlet aperture, expansion problems,
secondary nozzle design, valve systems, heating considerations.
1.3 Problem statement
Hot runner technology is continuing to experience a phase of intensive development brought about by
the increasing demands of the plastics processing industry. This industry is faced with a need to meet
the following requirements.
1. The cost is higher than that of a standard mould and in some cases than that of an underfeed
mould.
2. Polymer melt leaking from the hot-runner unit can create problems.
3. Polymer material at the gate may solidify and interrupt production.
4. Heat expansion of the hot-runner unit can create difficulties for operation process.
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1.4 Objectives
The main objectives of the research are:
i. To design and develop cost effective hot runner unit mould with good design aspects.
ii. Multi-level manifolds are also made up from separate units(in the form of beams, cross-
pieces,etc.) enabling flow paths to be shortened. This makes it possible to design multi-level
manifolds for 4-64 nozzles. This system gives the user considerable freedom to locate nozzles
in the mould using standard manifolds, which lower the cost of the mould.
iii. Achieving reliable leak proofing in systems with external heating, one approach to this
problem is the concept of the nozzle screwed into the manifold.
iv. Reduction in melt temperature fluctuations in systems with 230 V heating.
Improvements have been made by using microprocessor-controlled regulators with self-optimization.
Work is continuing to computerize control and to include it into the injection machine control and
regulation system.
1.5 Importance of the research
Hot runner technology is continuing to experience a phase of intensive development brought about by
the increasing demands of the plastics processing industry. This industry is faced with a need to meet the
following requirements;
Reduction in manufacturing costs, which means full automation, reliability, less down time
and increased output:
Quality meeting the expectations of increasingly demanding customers.
Expansion of potential, meaning removal of the barriers to use of hot runner systems. This
particularly involves use of hot runner in new injection molding processes, for example
decorative lamination, gas-assisted injection molding, etc., and easier processing of new
engineering plastics.
1.6 Scope of the study
Use of a hot runner system always requires a detailed technical and cost feasibility study.
Simplification of the design of certain types of mould. Use of cold runner moulds with an extra parting
line have major restrictions. The functioning of such mould is difficult to automate because of the
sprue removal aspect, and because of the tendency for the sprue to get stuck between the mould plates.
A determination is made of the reduction in production costs resulting from the elimination or
diminution of waste in the form of sprues and runners. Technical development is increasingly
competitive, particularly for the economics of manufacturing mass-production items, and also as
regards the quality of technical products. Analysis of world trends shows that the most important factor
in providing the conditions for use of hot runner is increasing employee skills. There is no such thing
as an hot runner system that would be ideal for all materials and all types of product.
1. LITERATURE REVIEW
Hot runner unit mould which contains a heated runner manifold block within its structure. The block
suitably insulate from the rest of the mould, is maintained at a closely controlled elevated temperature
to keep the runner permanently as a melt. The polymer material can thereby be directed to the mould
extremities without loss of heat and without the pressure loss associated with the temperature
variations.
Most hot runner manifolds are balanced, although there are cases where balancing can be only partly
achieved if the mold layout is such that a fully balanced layout would make the mold unwieldy or too
complicated. In principle, balancing of hot runners is similar to the balancing of cold runners.
The inlet aperture into the main flow- way may be incorporated in the manifold block design (i) via a
manifold bushing, (ii) via an internally heated manifold bushing or (iii) via a short-length flow-way.
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One important consideration which must not be overlooked when designing a hot-runner unit mould is
that metals expand when heated. The manifold block increases in all three dimensions when the
temperature is increased.
The valved gate is further development of the gate technology in that it provides external mechanical
control of the plastic through the gate.
The purpose of the hot-runner unit is to provide, a flow path for the polymer melt from the injection
machines nozzle to the entry point (sprue or gate) in the cavity plate. The polymer material in the
flow-way must be kept at an elevated temperature so that it remains in the melt condition during its
passage to the impression.
2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A hot runner unit is an insulated heated assembly which is mounted within the structure of a mould to
provide a flow-path for the polymer melts from the injection machines nozzle to the gate entry into the
impression.
There have been some improvements to the concept of insulated runners to facilitate the start up. The
most important one is the introduction of heaters inside the drop to keep the plastic near the gate hot
and to extend the critical time in which freezing could occur, resulting in the need for restarting.
Heat expansion of the hot runner unit can create difficulties, if not allowed for.
There is a tendency for certain types of heating element is sometimes difficult and can be time
consumed.
Replacement of the heating element is sometimes effect the mass production.
Changing the colour and the type or grade of a material can also be a problem.
In order to overcome the problems, the proposed hot runner design is developed
With the usage of effective manifold heaters and melt flow ways.
The research covers the following topics.
i. The manifold heater is designed for the effective hot runner unit moulds.
ii. Balanced runner system for the mould.
iii. The inlet aperture system for the mould.
iv. The thermal expansion problems in the hot runner unit moulds.
v. Valve systems for the controlling of the plastic flow.
vi. Heating methods for manifold block.
EXPECTED RESULT
The method of diffusion welding of plates enables manifold channel and also cooling channels
with complex paths to be produced. Multi level (tiered) manifolds are also made up from separate units (in
the form of beams cross-pieces, etc.), enabling flow paths to be shortened. One interesting manifold system
is a modular design in which, for example, the main manifold cross-piece connects to four intermediate
cross pieces. This makes it possible to design multi-level manifolds for 4 to 64 nozzles. This system gives
the user considerable freedom to locate nozzles in the mould using standard manifolds, which lowers the
cost of the mould.