LABORATORY REPORT

Course Name

Engineering Workshop

Course Code

EPT183 / 2

Semester

SA

Instructors Name

Mohamad Hatta Musa

Title of Workshop

Injection Moulding

Ernie Suzlyana Binti Mohamed Tasuni

151050827

Nor Nafsiah Binti Annuar

151050868

Mark
Abstract

10

Introduction

25

Methodology

10

Results & Discussions

35

Conclusions

15

Others (Format, References, Appendix)

TOTAL

ABSTRACT

100

2015/16

Injection Moulding (IM) is considered to be one of the most prominent processes for mass production of
plastic products. One of the biggest challenges facing injection molders today, is to determine the proper
settings for the IM process variables. Selecting the proper settings for an IM process is crucial because the
behaviour of the polymeric material during shaping is highly influenced by the process variables.
Consequently, the process variables govern the quality of the parts produced. The difficulty of optimizing an
IM process is that the performance measures usually show conflicting behaviour. Therefore, a compromise
must be found between all of the performance measures of interest.
This thesis demonstrates a method of achieving six sigma standards in small and medium plastic
injection moulding enterprises. A modified six sigma cycle called DAURR (Diagnose, Analyse, Upgrade,
Regulate and Review) based on Taguchi method, Regression analysis and Artificial Neural Network has
been proposed in this work that can be used to find the best compromises between performance measures in
IM, and potentially other polymer processes. Its feasibility was studied with the help of a case study. The
method has been employed for the improvement in two quality characteristics (hardness and over shrinkage)
of injection-molded nylon-6 kamani bush produced in a small enterprise. After the implementation of the
proposed method, targets for improvement are clearly defined with the problems and causes being identified.
The process parameters are then optimized for quality characteristics improvements so that the Six Sigma
standard is reached. This research work provides methodology so that six sigma approaches can be applied
and adjusted according to the requirements of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
This work also presents a novel, general and intelligent approach to multi response process optimization,
with a purpose to obtain a single optimum setting of process parameters that meets specifications of all
considered, possibly correlated, responses.

INTRODUCTION

Injection molding is considered one of the most common plastic part manufacturing processes. It can be
used for producing parts from both thermoplastic and thermoset polymers. The process usually begins with
taking the polymers in the form of pellets or granules and heating them to the molten state. The melt is then
injected/forced into a chamber formed by a split-die mold. The melt remains in the mold and is either chilled
down to solidify (thermoplastics) or heated up to cure (thermosets). The mold is then opened and the part is
ejected.

A Typical Injection Molding Process

In spite of the relatively expensive tooling cost, injection molding remains the most popular manufacturing
process for plastic materials in mass production, thanks to its low operational cost, high throughput, and the
flexibility to make parts with complex shapes.
Pros and Cons of Injection Molding
Pros

Low costs in mass production

High precision

Complex parts. Geometries only limited by mold manufacturability.

Cons

High initial setup costs

METHODOLOGY
Raw material

Recycle material

Material preparation

Drying

Pigment colour

Injection moulding
Mold temperature controller

Product

The process cycle for injection molding is very short. It consists of the following four stages:
1. Clamping
Prior to the injection of the material into the mold, the two halves of the mold must first be securely
closed by the clamping unit. Each half of the mold is attached to the injection molding machine and
one half is allowed to slide. The hydraulically powered clamping unit pushes the mold halves
together and exerts sufficient force to keep the mold securely closed while the material is injected.
The time required to close and clamp the mold is dependent upon the machine - larger machines
(those with greater clamping forces) will require more time. This time can be estimated from the dry
cycle time of the machine.

2. Injection
The raw plastic material, usually in the form of pellets, is fed into the injection molding machine, and
advanced towards the mold by the injection unit. During this process, the material is melted by heat
and pressure. The molten plastic is then injected into the mold very quickly and the buildup of
pressure packs and holds the material. The amount of material that is injected is referred to as the
shot. The injection time is difficult to calculate accurately due to the complex and changing flow of
the molten plastic into the mold. However, the injection time can be estimated by the shot volume,
injection pressure, and injection power.

3. Cooling
The molten plastic that is inside the mold begins to cool as soon as it makes contact with the interior
mold surfaces. As the plastic cools, it will solidify into the shape of the desired part. However, during
cooling some shrinkage of the part may occur. The packing of material in the injection stage allows
additional material to flow into the mold and reduce the amount of visible shrinkage. The mold
cannot be opened until the required cooling time has elapsed. The cooling time can be estimated
from several thermodynamic properties of the plastic and the maximum wall thickness of the part.

4. Ejection

After sufficient time has passed, the cooled part may be ejected from the mold by the ejection
system, which is attached to the rear half of the mold. When the mold is opened, a mechanism is
used to push the part out of the mold. Force must be applied to eject the part because during cooling
the part shrinks and adheres to the mold. In order to facilitate the ejection of the part, a mold release
agent can be sprayed onto the surfaces of the mold cavity prior to injection of the material. The time
that is required to open the mold and eject the part can be estimated from the dry cycle time of the
machine and should include time for the part to fall free of the mold. Once the part is ejected, the
mold can be clamped shut for the next shot to be injected.

EQUIPMENTS OR APPARATUS
Injection molding machines have many components and are available in different configurations, including a
horizontal configuration and a vertical configuration. However, regardless of their design, all injection
molding machines utilize a power source, a set of 2-plate mold, injection unit, mold assembly, and clamping
unit to perform the four stages of the process cycle.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

1. TYPE OF MOLD AND CONSTRUCTION

Injection mold construction is the process of creating molds that are used to perform injection
molding operations using an injection molding machine. These are generally used to produce plastic parts
using a core and a cavity.
Molds are designed as two-plate or three-plate molds, depending on the type of component to be
manufactured. The two plate mold requires a single day in light, while the three plate mold requires two
days. Mold construction depends on the shape of the component, which determines the parting line
selection, runner and gate selection and component ejection system selection. The mold base size depends
on component size and number of cavities to be planned per mold.

2. MACHINE MOULD SPECIFICATION

Injection system
The injection system consists of a hopper, a reciprocating screw and barrel assembly;
and an injection nozzle. This system confines and transports the plastic as it progresses
through the feeding, compressing, degassing, melting, injection, and packing stages.

Machine mould

maximum

minimum

specification
Thickness
Mould size

385mm

200mm
270mm x 270mm

76mm
Ejector pin stroke

3. GATE TYPES
The two main gate systems are manually trimmed gates and automatically trimmed gates. The following
examples show where they are used:

Sprue gate: Used for large components, the gate mark is visible in component and no runner is
required. e.g.: bucket molding (backside cylindrical gate mark visible and can be felt).

Edge gate: Most suitable for square, rectangular components

Ring gate: Most suitable for cylindrical components to eliminate weld line defect

Diaphragm gate: Most suitable for hollow, cylindrical components

Tab gate: Most suitable for solid, thick components

Submarine gate: Used when auto de-gating is required to reduce cycle time

Reverse taper sprue gate (Pin gate): Generally used in three plate molds.

Objective of the Gating System :

The four main points, which enables a proper gating system, are:

Clean molten metal.

Smooth filling of the casting cavity.

Uniform filling of the casting cavity.

Complete filling of the casting cavity.

The mold cavity must be filled with a clean metal so that it prevents the entry of slag and inclusions
into the mold cavity, which in turn minimizes the surface instability. If the mold has smooth filling
then it helps to reduce the bulk turbulence. If it has a uniform filling it means that the casting fill is in
a controlled manner. Complete filling of the cavity makes the metal thin with minimum resistance at
the end sections.

The main elements needed for the gating system are as follows:

Pouring basin : This is otherwise called as bush or cup. It is circular or rectangular in shape. It
collects the molten metal, which is poured, from the ladle.

Sprue : It is circular in cross section. It leads the molten metal from the pouring basin to the
sprue well.

Sprue Well : It changes the direction of flow of the molten metal to right angle and passes it
to the runner.

Runner : The runner takes the molten metal from sprue to the casting. Ingate: This is the final
stage where the molten metal moves from the runner to the mold cavity.

Slag trap : It filters the slag when the molten metal moves from the runner and ingate. It is
also placed in the runner.

4. THE INJECTION MOLDING CYCLE

The modern day process has developed and matured significantly to the level where fully automated,
closed loop, microprocessor controlled machines are the 'norm', although in principle injection moulding
is still a relatively simple process. Thermoplastic injection moulding requires the transfer of the polymeric
material in powder or granule form from a feed hopper to a heated barrel. In the barrel, the thermoplastic
is melted and then injected into a mould with some form of plunger arrangement. The mould is clamped
shut under pressure within a platen arrangement and is held at a temperature well below the thermoplastic
melt point. The molten thermoplastic solidifies quickly within the mould, allowing ejection of the
component after a pre determined period of cooling time. The basic injection moulding process steps with
a reciprocating screw machine are as follows.

i.

Mould Close and Clamping

The mould is closed within the platen arrangement and clamped using necessary force to hold the mould
shut during the plastic injection cycle, thus preventing plastic leakage over the face of the mould. Present
day moulding machines range from around 15 to 4,000 metric tonnes available clamping force (150 to
4000 kN).
Many systems are available for opening/closing and clamping of mould tools, although usually they are of
two general types. Direct Hydraulic Lock is a system where the moving machine platen is driven by a
hydraulic piston arrangement which also generates the required force to keep the mould shut during the
injection operation. Alternatively, smaller auxiliary pistons may be used to carry out the main movement
of the platen and a mechanical blocking arrangement is used to transfer locking pressure from a pressure
intensifier at the rear of the machine, which moves only by a few millimetres, through to the platen and
tool.
The second type of general clamping arrangement is referred to as the Toggle Lock. In this case a
mechanical toggle device, which is connected to the rear of the moving platen, is actuated by a relatively
small hydraulic cylinder, this provides platen movement and also clamping force when the toggle joint is
finally locked over rather like a knuckle arrangement.
ii.

Injection

At this stage in the machine cycle the helical form injection screw (Figure 1) is in a 'screwed back'
position with a charge of molten thermoplastic material in front of the screw tip roughly equivalent to or
slightly larger than that amount of molten material required to fill the mould cavity. Injection moulding
screws are generally designed with length to diameter ratios in the region of 15:1 to 20:1, and
compression ratios from rear to front of around 2 : 1 to 4 : 1 in order to allow for the gradual densification
of the thermoplastic material as it melts. A check valve is fitted to the front of the screw such as to let
material pass through in front of the screw tip on metering (material dosing), but not allow material to
flow back over the screw flights on injection. The screw is contained within a barrel which has a hardened
abrasion resistant inner surface.

Figure 1. Reciprocating screw injection moulding unit

Normally, ceramic resistance heaters are fitted around the barrel wall, these are used to primarily heat the
thermoplastic material in the barrel to the required processing temperature and make up for heat loss
through the barrel wall, due to the fact that, during processing most of the heat required for processing is
generated through shear imparted by the screw. Thermocouple pockets are machined deep into the barrel
wall so as to provide a reasonable indication of melt temperature. Heat input can therefore be closed loop
controlled with a Proportional Integral and Derivative (PID) system. The screw (non-rotating) is driven
forward under hydraulic pressure to discharge the thermoplastic material out of the injection barrel
through the injection nozzle, which forms an interface between barrel and mould, and into the moulding
tool itself.
iii.

Holding Pressure and Cooling

The screw is held in the forward position for a set period of time, usually with a molten 'cushion' of
thermoplastic material in front of the screw tip such that a 'holding' pressure may be maintained on the
solidifying material within the mould, thus allowing compensating material to enter the mould as the
moulded part solidifies and shrinks. Holding pressure may be initiated by one of three methods: by a set
time in seconds from the start of the injection fill phase; by the position of the screw in millimetres from
the end of injection stroke; or by the rise in hydraulic pressure as measured by a pressure transducer in the
mould itself or in the injection hydraulic system.
As the material solidifies to a point where hold pressure no longer has an effect on the mould packing, the
hold pressure may be decayed to zero, this will help minimise residual stresses in the resultant moulding.
Once the hold pressure phase has been terminated the mould must be held shut for a set period of cooling
time. This time allows the heat in the moulding to dissipate into the mould tool such that the moulding
temperature falls to a level where the moulding can be ejected from the mould without excessive

distortion or shrinkage. This usually requires the moulding to fall to a temperature below the rubbery
transition temperature of the thermoplastic or Tg (glass transition temperature). Depending on the type of
plastic this can be within a few degrees or over a temperature range. Mould temperature control is
incorporated into the tool usually via channels for pressurised water flow. The mould may be connected to
a cooling unit or water heater depending on the material being processed, type of component and
production rate required.
iv.

Material Dosing or Metering

During the cooling phase, the barrel is recharged with material for the next moulding cycle. The injection
screw rotates and, due to its helical nature, material in granule or powder form is drawn into the rear end
of the barrel from a hopper feed. The throat connecting the hopper to the injection barrel is usually water
cooled to prevent early melting and subsequent material bridging giving a disruption of feed. The screw
rotation speed is usually set in rpm which is measured using a proximity switch at the rear of the screw.
Screw rotation may be set as one constant speed throughout metering or as several speed stages.
The material is gradually transferred forward over the screw flights and progressively melted such that
when it arrives in front of the screw tip it should be fully molten and homogenised. The molten material
transferred in front of the tip progressively pushes the screw back until the required shot size is reached.
Increased shear is imparted to the material by restricting the backward movement of the screw, this is done
by restricting the flow of hydraulic fluid leaving the injection cylinder. This is referred to as `back
pressure' and it helps to homogenise the material and reduce the possibility of unmelted material
transferring to the front of the screw.
v.

Mould Open and Part Ejection

When the cooling phase is complete the mould is opened and the moulding is ejected. This is usually
carried out with ejector pins in the tool which are coupled via an ejector plate to a hydraulic actuator, or by
an air operated ejector valve on the face of the mould tool. The moulding may free fall into a collection
box or onto a transfer conveyer, or may be removed by an automatic robot. In this latter case the moulding
cycle is fully automatic. In semi-automatic mode, the operator may intervene at this point in the cycle to
remove the moulding manually. Once the moulding is clear from the mould tool, the complete moulding
cycle can be repeated.

5. INJECTION MOLDING CONTROL PARAMETER

These parameters fall within four major areas: pressure, temperature, time, and distance, as shown in

Figure 2.

Figure 2 Four parameter areas.

To the troubleshooter, all four areas are important. But, the pressure and temperature areas are the ones
most commonly considered during the troubleshooting process. Based on the requirements of any
particular plastic material, the pressure must be sufficient to inject the plastic material and to hold the
mold closed. In addition, the temperature of the injected plastic and mold must be correctly maintained.
In the following section, we will discuss the importance of various facets of the pressure and heat
parameter areas. Distance and time will not be discussed here as they are beyond the intended scope of
this chapter.
PRESSURE
Pressure is found primarily in the injection area, but there is also pressure found in the clamp unit of the
molding machine. We will address all of these pressure requirements here.
BACKPRESSURE
The first pressure to consider is backpressure. This is pressure that is created during the return action of
the screw after injecting material. The screw turns (augers) to bring fresh material into the heating
cylinder. This material is placed in front of the screw and nudges the screw backwards. A buildup of
pressure is created at the front end of the screw. This pressure is used for better mixing of the plastic
(especially if colors are added at the press), removing small amounts of trapped air, and controlling the
weight of the shot by maintaining an accurate density of a given volume of melt. The back pressure setting
should start at 50 psi and be increased in 10 psi increments as needed, with a maximum setting of 300 psi.
The maximum setting is needed because anything over that will cause too much shearing of the plastic
and result in thermally degraded plastic.

INJECTION PRESSURE
The next type of pressure to consider is injection pressure. This is the primary pressure for injecting 95%
of the molten plastic into the closed mold. Normally, the highest pressure and fastest fill rate are the best
condition. However, high pressure will increase molded-in stress. And, that stress will be released at some
time. There is no question as to its being released, only as to when it will be released. The greater the
pressure, the greater the stress, and the greater the reaction when it is released. So, you should determine
the minimum amount of pressure necessary to fill the mold, and then use all of it. And, remember, the
hotter the plastic, the more fluid it becomes and the lower the pressure can be to fill the mold.
HOLDING PRESSURE
Once the majority of the plastic (95%) has been injected using standard injection pressure, the machine
should drop into hold pressure. This pressure is about half of the injection pressure and is used to finish
filling the mold by packing the molecules together in an orderly fashion. Hold pressure is required until
the gate freezes off, normally in 3 to 4 seconds. Once that happens, hold pressure has no more effect on
the molecules on the other side of the gate. If hold pressure is released before the gate freezes, the material
in the cavity is still molten and will be sucked back out of the cavity. At the very least, there will be
insufficient pressure to pack the molecules together and uneven shrinkage and cooling will take place. If
valve gating of a hot runner system is used, holding pressure can be released earlier than with standard
surface gating.

CLAMP PRESSURE
At the other end of the machine, we have clamp pressure. The only reason to have clamp pressure is to
keep the mold closed against injection pressure. Therefore, the amount of clamp pressure required is based
on the material being molded. The easier flow materials require less injection pressure, thus they require
less clamp pressure. Conversely, the stiffer flow materials will require more injection pressure, thus more
clamp pressure.
To determine how much clamp force is needed for a specific product, find the projected area of the part
being molded and multiply it by two to six tons for each square inch of projected area.

Figure 3 Determining Clamp Force Requirement

For example, if we were molding polycarbonate for the part shown in Figure 3, we would need five tons
per square inch of area (as published by the polycarbonate supplier). So, the total force required would be
180 tons (36 sq. in. x 5 tons). But, if we were molding nylon 6/6, we would only need two tons per sq. in.
(as published by the material supplier) so the total force would be only 72 tons (36 sq. in. x 2 tons).
Therefore, we could run the mold in a smaller press, or use only a portion of the tonnage available in the
press the mold is in. Reducing the tonnage requirement also reduces the cost to mold the part because we
use fewer resources.
There is one factor, however, that must be discussed regarding clamp tonnage calculations. When the
material suppliers state a specific clamp tonnage value (such as five tons per square inch for
polycarbonate), the supplier assumes there is a proper shutoff land surrounding the cavity image. A typical
shutoff land is shown in Figure 4. This shutoff land is simply a wall of steel surrounding the part and is
approximately 0.002/0.003 inches in height and at least 1/4" wide.

Figure 4 Shutoff Land

The purpose of this shutoff land is
to concentrate all the clamp force
to the area surrounding the cavity.
That allows us to use less total
force than if the clamp force is
dispersed over the entire face of
the mold base. Without the shutoff
land, the amount of clamp force
will be 3 to 4 times as much as
with the shutoff land.
The calculations shown earlier
assume there is a shutoff land. If
you use these calculations and the
mold flashes easily around the
part, chances are there is no shutoff
land being utilized.
HEAT
The next parameter area we will look at is heat. Heat is used to soften the plastic to the point of being able
to inject it, but heat is also found in the mold and in the heat exchanger of the machine. We will
investigatecontrolling all of these areas.
INJECTION UNIT
There are four zones of heat that must be controlled in the injection unit. They are the rear, center, front,
and nozzle zones. Each is controlled independently of the others. See Figure 5 for reference.

Figure 5 Injection Unit Heat Zones

The injection unit is designed to drag material through the four zones and to heat it gradually as it travels
through the heating cylinder. The heat should be lower in the rear than in the front, and the nozzle should
be the same as, or 10 degrees (F) hotter than, the front zone. Modern temperature controls are able to hold
a temperature setting to within 1 degree (F).
It is important to understand, however, that the heat is created by heater bands strapped around the outside
of the injection cylinder as well as by the turning action of the screw inside the heating cylinder. The heat
is provided at a rate of approximately 50% for each of these devices.
The temperature control units do not measure the actual temperature of the plastic being heated, but rather
the temperature of the steel of the injection unit's heating cylinder. This is important because the settings
for the heating cylinder temperatures must be made higher than the actual melting temperature of the
plastic. This is because the plastic is moving through the heating cylinder at a fairly rapid pace and must
absorb enough heat during its travel to get to the desired temperature. In most cases, the heating cylinder
will be set at 50 to 100 degrees (F) higher than the melt temperature of the plastic.
The plastic must be at the right molding temperature as it leaves the nozzle of the molding machine. We
can determine that temperature by sliding the injection unit back from the mold and injecting material into
the air. This is called an air shot. When it falls upon a special plate of the machine that is designed to
accept this material (called a purge plate) we can use a pyrometer to measure the molten plastic
temperature. Figure 6 depicts this action.

Figure 6 Measuring Melt

Temperature
The temperature at this point should
be the temperature requirement
published by the material supplier.
You can find this value for some
common materials in the area of our
site that discusses Melt Temperatures.

MOLD TEMPERATURE
The most common method used for cooling the plastic once it is injected into the mold is a set of water
lines. These lines are connected to a source of temperature-controlled water that circulates through the

mold and pulls out heat that is building up in the mold over time.
One common mistake of most troubleshooters is believing that the water leaving a mold should be hotter
than the water entering the mold. The belief is that the water is used to pull heat from the plastic and
therefore must be hotter when the job is complete. Actually, the water is being used to maintain the
temperature of the mold and should be the same temperature leaving as entering (within 10 degrees F).
That is the definition of maintaining the temperature.
The waterlines are sized and located such that the water pulls heat out of the mold as fast as it is being
generated. That is true maintenance of temperature. If the water leaving the mold is hotter than that
entering the mold it means there is still a lot of heat left in the mold and the waterline design is not
adequate to pull heat out as fast as it is being generated.
The material supplier is the source that defines the proper mold temperature and this is published
information for mold temperature requirements for some common materials). It must be cool enough to
solidify the plastic quickly, but warm enough to keep it from becoming solid too fast. If the plastic
solidifies too fast, the molecules do not have a chance to ``bond'' properly and the part will be weak or
brittle. This is especially true of crystalline (or semi-crystalline) materials. Each plastic family has a
specific mold temperature range within which it should be processed for highest quality parts at lowest
possible cost.
HEAT EXCHANGER
The heat exchanger is a sophisticated radiator device that controls the temperature of the hydraulic oil
used in the molding machine. This oil usually must be maintained at a temperature between 100 and 125
degrees (F) for proper use. If it is too cool, the machine actions are sluggish and inconsistent, and if it is
too hot, the additives in the oil will fall out of solution and clog hydraulic mechanisms causing them to be
inoperative or slow to respond. The oil is passed over a series of copper tubes that have water running
through them. As with the mold, this circulating water pattern is designed to pull heat from the oil as fast
as it is being generated.
If the water leaving the heat exchanger is hotter than the water entering it, this indicates a blockage (such
as calcium deposits) in the heat exchanger that is interfering with proper heat transfer. The heat exchanger
must then be removed and the copper tubing must be flushed with acid or drilled out with special cleaning
equipment.
CONTROL AND CONSISTENCY
The two most important things necessary for the molding of the highest quality products at the lowest

possible cost are control and consistency.

Control should be applied to every possible parameter that can be determined. These include those of the
four areas mentioned earlier, but also such items as the environment in which the parts are molded, the
placement and operation of portable cooling fans, standardization of mold components, operation of
secondary equipment, and any other action that is adjustable or variable. There should be no random or
wandering motions or actions.
Consistency should be applied wherever possible, but primarily in machine actions. One area of major
importance is that of any operator-controlled activity such as the opening and closing of a safety gate
(often called the operator's gate). Most machine actions are controlled through electronic devices or
computer controls and are extremely consistent. But any operator-controlled action tends to be
inconsistent due to the nature of human endeavor. The human being works at varying speeds and distances
throughout the day, ranging from quick and short at the start of a shift and after each break or rest period,
but slower and longer in between those times. The inconsistent action causes inconsistent cycles and
molded parts that vary in quality, not to mention cost. This is the major reason many molders are utilizing
robots or other automated methods of molding. They wish to remove the human tendency towards
inconsistency thus improving quality and reducing cost of the molded parts.
Human consistency can be achieved, however, through proper training and knowledge transfer. The
operators can be instructed in the value of consistent operation and strive for consistency in their personal
actions. A conscientious operator (and most are) will find ways of achieving the required consistency by
humming tunes, tapping feet, singing songs, reciting poetry, or simply listening for a specific sound
produced by the molding machine or mold. When they find a method that works they can be as consistent
as the automated molding machine for an entire shift. Once control of as many parameters as possible is
established and maximum consistency is achieved, defective parts will be minimized and production costs
will be reduced as the quality of the molded parts increases. All of this reduces the necessity of
troubleshooting activities as fewer defects are being produced.

6. INJECTION MOLDING PRODUCT DEFECTS

Incomplete Fillings:

not enough resin to fill the mold completely

inadequate injection stroke

low injection rate

low injection pressure

resin viscosity too high

exotic geometry

Surface Imperfections:

moisture or air bubbles in the resin

temperature too high causing resin decomposition

not enough pressure to fill the mold completely

dirty mold

Burned Parts:

temperature too high

polymer trapped and degraded in the nozzle

slow chilling cycle

Warped Parts

uneven mold surface temperature

design flaws

parts removed from the mold too early

7. INJECTION MOULDING PRODUCT DESIGN EVALUATION

1. Use uniform wall thicknesses throughout the part. This will minimize sinking, warping, residual
stresses, and improve mold fill and cycle times.
2. Use generous radius at all corners. The inside corner radius should be a minimum of one material
thickness.
3. Use the least thickness compliant with the process, material, or product design requirements. Using
the least wall thickness for the process ensures rapid cooling, short cycle times, and minimum shot
weight. All these result in the least possible part cost.
4. Design parts to facilitate easy withdrawal from the mold by providing draft (taper) in the direction of
mold opening or closing.
5. Use ribs or gussets to improve part stiffness in bending. This avoids the use of thick section to
achieve the same, thereby saving on part weight, material costs, and cycle time costs.
The following are some commonly used design elements:

Ribs

Boss

Counter bore/sink

Inserts

Self-Tapping Screws

Snap Latches

Living Hinge

Mould Design
Mould design is in itself an extremely diverse and complicated subject. However, it is useful to
understand basic design features and construction of simple injection mould tools (figure 2).

Figure 2. Typical mould tool arrangement.

In this case the mould simply consists of two halves commonly referred to as the moving (core) half and
fixed (cavity) half. Starting from the injection side, a location ring is fitted to the back of the rear
backing plate, this locates and centralises the mould into the fixed platen. Through the locating ring a
sprue bush can be seen. The sprue bush is profiled with a radius to match up with the injection unit
nozzle so that material can be directly transferred from the injection unit through to the mould cavity.
In the case of a single impression (cavity) mould, the sprue may feed directly onto the component, in
the case of a multi impression mould, the sprue feeds onto a runner system machined into the tool
face that acts as a transfer system to the cavity for the molten material. Heated or hot runner systems
may be incorporated in the fixed half of the mould such that the sprue and runner feed system is
constantly molten and therefore not ejected at the end of the cycle. Instead the molten material
remaining in the hot runner system after injection of a component forms part of the next shot. Many
different types of gating may be used to connect the runner system to the mould cavities. Gates are
preferably as small as possible in order to minimise the potential witness mark on the component. It
can be seen that a sprue and a cavity form in the mould creates the component shape, these may be
machined directly into solid steel or aluminium plates, or made separately as inserts which may be
subsequently fitted to the core and cavity supporting plates. In this particular example, hardened pins
are used to eject the components from the mould, these are fixed into a rear ejector plate which is
connected to a hydraulic actuator behind the moving platen. A profiled ejector pin behind the sprue
bush ensures separation of sprue from sprue bush when the mould opens and aids ejection of the
runner system. Cooling channels are machined into the core and cavity plates in order to remove the

process heat from the tool. The complete tool is held together with a system of spacer blocks, bolster
and backing plates such that it may be bolted directly to the machine platens and is completely rigid
and able to resist injection forces.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, injection molding is an extremely useful tool for mass-producing polymer parts once the
parameters for its ideal operation have been ascertained. This lab was useful in exploring and understanding
how different effects on a desired characteristics for a part. Through the use of design expert it was shown
how some control variables have a strong effect on a specified characteristic, while others have little t n
effect. Through design expert it was found that the variables affecting the final weight of the plastic mold
injected part the most, were pressure and flow weight. Each of these factors had a larger impact than the
nozzle temperature and dwell time combined. Even though this experiment was a half factorial, a lot of
useful data was collected about the different factors and how they interact with each other.
Finally, we conclude that plastic injection molding is very helpful in making all necessary basic
goods like tumblers, body of the brush etc which attract people with snazzy colours as well as shining and
their smoothness.

APPENDIX

Mould with ejector pin

Hopper

Products

REFERENCE

Injection Mould Design R.G.W. Pye Godwin Books; 3rd Revised edition (1 February 1983)

Manufacturing Engineering and Technology Serope Kalpakjian, 6th Edition

Injection mold construction - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injection_mold_construction#Gate_types