Abstract to this process control, the advantages of the liquid process
medium water (inexpensive, available everywhere, re- The water injection technique (WIT), developed usable, good cooling effect and easy removal from the at the Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV), Aachen, molded part) take effect. Germany, is an innovative specialty injection molding process that is closely related to the well-known gas- In principle, the process variants of WIT are assisted injection molding (GAIM). The primary aim of the identical with those of GAIM and sandwich injection development was to reduce cooling times in the material- molding. Figure 1 illustrates the four most common process saving production of hollow plastics articles by means of variants for fluid injection. The single processes distinguish using water as a process medium for melt displacement. themselves concerning the respective process controls. Besides other advantages, especially the considerably more These again result in specific advantages and disadvantages efficient cooling effect of water meant that cooling times relating to material-saving, material strain/damage, could be reduced by up to 70 % compared with GAIM. changeover marks, perfect filling of compact areas in Investigations on a wide range of unfilled and filled highly integrated molded parts, mold complexity, materials show that WIT constitutes an attractive patent/royalty situation etc. alternative and supplement to GAIM. Plant and injector technology Historical milestones of fluid injection In principle, volume- or pressure-controlled Gas-assisted injection molding is a specialty plants, as known from water hydraulics, can be and are injection molding process and has been an established and used for the proper plant technology with WIT (8). acknowledged technique in manufacturing thermoplastic Figure 2 schematically shows an example for a WIT variant parts with reduced material consumption, no/little warpage besides a photograph of the mobile WIT pilot plant of IKV. and without sink marks for many years. There are, This simple and compact WIT plant is based on the however, certain limitations to the gas injection technique, functional principle of a bypass in combination with a such as the low level of heat elimination via the gas, the plunger pump. potential foaming of the melt, the limit on the diameter of the part and the long cooling and cycle times etc. The basic requirement for the WIT is the realization of a sufficiently high volume flow rate and the The idea of using liquids as fluid process media formation of a melt displacing flow front (8). Here, the for melt displacement instead of gas is therefore self- injector represents the most crucial link between the WIT evident. In many applications for intellectual property plant and the injection molding machine or the injection rights on GAIM, the terms pressure fluid or flowing mold, respectively. Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of medium are often used for a comprehensive coverage different injectors of IKV, which are generally fit for fluid since the mid-80s. Yet, until today, the development injection technology, but especially for the WIT. All three relating to this process has been focussed on GAIM, which injector concepts have been developed and already been has become generally known at latest through Mohrbach thoroughly tested and optimized at IKV. and Yasuike in the 70s (1; 2). Until today, a multitude of GAIM processing variants has been filed for patent world- The Type 1 injector represents a very simple wide (among others: 3-5). concept of a self-operated WIT injector. It can always be utilized, when existing GAIM molds shall be modified The water injection technique (WIT) developed without great effort relating to design, time and costs, in at IKV at the end of 1998 is carried out in such a way that order to carry out feasibility studies with regard to the the water does not evaporate during melt displacement WIT. In contrast, Type 2 and 3 injectors are externally when forming hollow sections. This is due to the high operated injectors, which offer significant advantages over volume flow rate and high pressure (6; 7), which is of self-operated injectors (Type 1) with regards to process particular importance for the WIT process itself. Only due control and process reliability. Whereas Type 2 represents a pneumatic concept of a dual sleeve, Type 3 injector is a structure on the mold side and growing structures towards hydraulically operated injector. Externally operated the inside. The most coarsely crystalline structure is on the injectors allow an automatic water retrieval from the closed gas side of the GAIM-specimen, whereas the WIT- mold during the injection molding cycle, which is a matter specimen shows a finely crystalline structure inside and of particular interest for series production. Even though the outside, with the most coarsely crystalline structure in water may remain (at least temporarily) within the (sealed) between both marginal layers. molded part, the water must be stringently removed in most cases, especially if the molded parts are to be subsequently In addition, further comparative investigations used outdoors (possible exposure to freezing temperatures). were carried out with GAIM and WIT, each with an The Type 3 injector offers the best process reliability. unfilled/natural as well as a filled (30 % glass fiber reinforcement) polymer and a rod-shaped test molding of Comparison of GAIM and WIT IKV (Figure 6). Here, it turned out that smoother inner surfaces can generally be achieved with WIT something, Surely, the most demonstrative advantage of which is particularly attractive for applications such as WIT compared with GAIM is the considerably more media ducts (9). Figure 6 illustrates the difference in fluid- efficient cooling effect of water versus gas, as mentioned sided surface quality of molded parts manufactured with above. This results in significantly reduced cooling times GAIM (G) and WIT (W), and again each with an by up to 70 % in water-assisted injection molding unfilled/natural (N) as well as a filled (F) polymer. As compared with GAIM, depending on the part size and shown in the photographs, there is a significant difference geometry and on the specified product properties. in the resulting inner surface quality, when comparing GAIM and WIT parts. Figure 4 indirectly depicts this phenomenon, instancing a simulation of the temperature profiles across Furthermore, with the WIT, it is generally the residual wall of a rod-shaped hollow molding for possible to achieve larger part dimensions for a lower GAIM (upper half, left) and WIT (lower half, left) residual wall thickness than with the gas injection 10 seconds after fluid injection. With WIT, the heat technique, as shown exemplarily in Figure 6 with the same elimination via the water is on a similar level as the one via rod-shaped test molding. This decrease in residual wall the mold. On the other hand, nitrogen has a heat thickness from GAIM to WIT can be explained by the fact, conductivity approximately 40 times and a heat capacity that with WIT, the penetrating water instantly freezes a about 4 times smaller than water. Thus, gas has no certain amount of the polymer melt on contact. Thus, significant cooling effect on the polymer melt so that the during the subsequent melt displacement, this membrane of part cools down only from the mold side (from outside) frozen polymer melt is pushed through the molded part all with GAIM. the way to the end of the flow path by the water core. Functioning similar to a snowplow, more material from the According to the diverse cooling down processes residual walls can thus be displaced to the flow paths end. with GAIM and WIT moldings, totally different molded As mentioned above, gas (i. e. nitrogen) does not have a part defects may occur, as shown in Figure 4 on the right quarter as good cooling impact on the inside. This explains hand side. Due to an inadequate choice of processing the greater residual wall thicknesses with parts parameters, foaming at the inner surface may occur with manufactured with GAIM. GAIM parts, whereas voids between the already frozen inner and outer marginal layers are possible with WIT Finally, compared with GAIM, a significantly moldings. The results of the simulations were verified by better centricity of the hollow section can be realized extensive practical tests as to demolding temperatures at through the use of WIT, especially in curves and IKV. redirections (Figure 7). This was the result of extensive investigations on the differences in residual wall thickness The different cooling down procedures with of a flow path, another test molded part of IKV. GAIM and WIT directly affect the resulting microstructures across the residual wall, as illustrated with As every processing technique, the WIT also moldings made of PP at a constant mold temperature of bears some disadvantages besides its above mentioned 30 C (Figure 5). First of all, a distinct difference in preferences. One of the disadvantages with the WIT is the residual wall thickness stands out, when comparing GAIM risk of water splashes in the event of tool setting errors for and WIT moldings. The use of WIT obviously implies example. In addition, the water must be removed from the smaller residual wall thicknesses compared to GAIM with molded part in many cases, similar to the gas retrieval with matchable parameters. As expected, there is no significant GAIM. Gas-assisted injection molding, on the other hand, difference in the morphology on the mold side of each part. is a dry process in the event of tool setting errors. Both specimens show a similar, very fine crystalline Fields of application technologies for small and medium-sized companies program (12 ZN). The main area of application for water-assisted injection molding lies in the field of material- and cooling- Keywords time-saving production of thick-walled and rod-shaped parts. Quite recently, the production of functional cavities Fluid Injection Molding, Plant/Injector Technology, in the field of fluid injection technology has been gaining Process Technology, Cooling Time Reduction increasing importance. This field covers, for example, media ducts, where GAIM or WIT permits a significant References reduction in production costs compared with the traditional manufacturing process (extrusion, forming and subsequent (1) Mohrbach, E., Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum fabrication or 3D-blow molding). An example of one such Spritzgieen von Gegenstnden aus Kunststoff, OS-DE complex media duct with a large number of functional 2106546, 1972 elements (flanges, clips etc.) is shown in Figure 8. To produce this WIT demonstration molding, which is very (2) Yasuike, A., Verfahren zur Herstellung geformter close to industrial practice, the IKV used a test mold with Gegenstnde aus synthetischen Harzen, OS-DE 2461580, which either the overspill cavity or the melt push back 1973 process can be applied. (3) Friederich, E., Method for injection molding of hollow Conclusions and outlook shaped bodies from thermoplastic resins, US-PS 4101617, 1978 The materials intended to be used for the application should always be tested in preliminary trials. A (4) Yamazaki, K., Method of injection moulding and large number of different test molds are available at the mouldings produced thereby, EP 0289230, 1988 IKV for this purpose (pipe sections with diameters 10- 60 mm and lengths between approximately 500 and (5) Jaroschek, C., Verfahren zum Spritzgieen 3000 mm). So far, PA, PP, PE, ABS, ASA, PBT and HI-PS fluidgefllter Kunststoffkrper und Vorrichtung zur have been successfully processed with the WIT using the Durchfhrung des Verfahrens, DE 3913109, 1991 short-shot or full-shot processes. (6) Michaeli, W; Brunswick A.; Gruber, M., Gas geben mit Whether or not the WIT is suitable for a specific Wasser: Wasserinjektionstechnik (WIT) Eine neue product, such as handles, arm rests, media ducts for Alternative zur GIT ? Kunststoffe 89 (1999) 4, p. 84-86 example, must be decided in each individual case. Possible WIT-applications may be found in the fields of automotive (7) Michaeli, W.; Brunswick, A.; Pohl, T., Gas oder industry, sports/leisure/consumer goods, brown and white Wasser ? Spritzgieen von Hohlkrpern durch goods medical products etc. For certain areas of Fluidinjektion, Kunststoffe 89 (1999) 9, p. 62-65 application, it makes sense that manufacturers simply substitute GAIM by the WIT. Yet, as with every other (8) Michaeli, W.; Brunswick, A.; Kujat, C., Khlzeit process, the WIT does not constitute the ultimate reduzieren mit der Wasser-Injektionstechnik Vorteile processing technique. Given the appropriate products and gegenber der Gasinjektion, Kunststoffe 90 (2000) 8, p. materials, WIT, however, represents an attractive 67-72 alternative and/or supplement to GAIM. Although the WIT is still in its early days, it has the potential to be used in (9) Michaeli, W.; Jntgen, T.; Brunswick, A., WIT En applications in which GAIM has come up against its Route to Series Production First Industrial Application economic and technical limitations. WIT offers the best of the Water Injection Technique, plast europe 91 (2001) 3, conditions for reducing cycle times and still has plenty of p. 37-39 potential for improvement.
Acknowledgement
The study and development of the water
injection technique was financed by the German Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) through the Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsver- einigungen Otto von Guericke e. V. (AiF) via the Future