30.

0 INJECTION MOULDING MACHINE FOR THERMOSET MATERIALS:

30.1 Introduction:
Thermoset materials were only compression moulded or transfer moulded in the early days.
But lately the machine manufacturer modified the injection moulding machine for thermoset
materials to injection mould. The machine numbers were limited while comparing with
injection moulding machines.

30.2 Economical Advantages

Use reciprocating screw machine replace conventional method.
Considerable cycle time saving
Increase productivity
Compound more homogeneously fused by the screw action
Compound transferred to the mould at high temperature
More uniform curing
Void free compression
Can be moulded larger variations in part thickness
Complex articles having very thin walls sections can be moulded
Greater dimensional accuracy and stability
Very thin flash appears which can be trimmed easily
Compound need not weigh or palleting
Because of screw rotation,
The material starts melting
Its viscosity is reduced
Because of the heat received from barrel the heat plasticizes the material faster
the viscosity drops quickly polymerization starts and viscosity increases.

30.3 Direct Screw Injection Machine (DST):

The most popular type of machine used for injection moulding Thermoset is the line screw
machine. It is similar to injection moulding machine used for thermoplastic materials. The
machine produced by various manufacture differ the such details as method of barrel
heating, screw and toggle. The moulding cycle time for the conventional moulding of
thermosets, are fairly long. This is also known as the direct in line screw machine and is
basically similar to that used for thermoplastic moulding. The thermosetting material, fed to
the machine, is pre-heated to a plastic state as the screw rotates with in the heated barrel. It
is then injected through the nozzle at the front of the barrel directly into the heated mould and
curing takes place in the heated mould. The main difference between thermoplastic and
thermosetting injection moulding machine is that the screw has a low or no compression
length to diameter ratio in the later. The behavior of the Thermoset is to be considered in the
machine and mould design and in the operation of the machine. The later factor is opposite
to thermoplastic practice in that barrel temperatures are lower and the temperature of the
mould is higher.
Although the material cost was less because of the comparatively longer cycle time, it had
difficulties in comparing with thermoplastics

30.4 Advantages and Disadvantages of Direct Screw Transfer:

The principles saving which occur from DST techniques are those which arise from the
shorter cycle times. These savings can arise only of the shortening of the cycle time is
sufficient to outweigh the higher machine hour rate of the DST process. The higher rate is
due to the longer capital, higher maintenance costs and the greater complexity of operation.
In all this time saving are available but on thinner sections, the saving is much less.

a) Mould design:
Mould design for thermosetting materials generally follow the similar principles used for
thermoplastic materials. But mould must be heated to 130 o to 300o Celsius. Instead of being
cooled, thermosetting materials are more abrasives than unfilled thermoplastics. Therefore
hardened replaceable gates should be used and runners should be chromium plated.
Cavities and flash lands should be chrome plated to reduce the tendency of mouldings to
stick in the cavities and thus obstruct automatic ejection.

b) Mould heating:
Small mould up to 50mm thickness are heated by conduction heat from hot plates. Larger
moulds are heated directly by electricity. Care should be taken to ensure even heating of all
mould cavities. Stripper plates should be avoided in the design because they make even
heating of the tool difficult and mould locking may occur.

c) Sprue and runner:

Sprue and runners should be as short as possible. Sprue pullers of the Z or cone type are
normally used. But Z type should be locked to prevent rotation. To minimize the wear the
sprue bush must be hardened to 55 HRC.
Runners should preferably be fully round and about 6 mm in diameter. The diameter increase
by 30% for runners over 100mm length.

d) Gates and venting:

Gating generally follow thermoplastic practice. Cross sectional areas can be calculated
roughly from the recommended formula for injection moulding of thermoplastics.
Gate is (sq.mm) = 23/100 of the mass of moulding in grams. The gates should be large
enough to allow filling of the mould at about 40 to 85 gram / second. Special gates are used
for separate types of moulding. Adequate venting is essential to obtain full mouldings free
from blisters and porosity. Vents (0.0012 to 0.05mm) with relieved ejector pins and inserts
should be used to achieve maximum venting and to case mould filling.
Liberal draft angle on moulds and an adequate number of evenly spaced ejector pins are
essential to reduce distortion of mouldings on ejection. Ejector pins should have surface
hardness of about 60 HRC and should be of as large as possible.

30.5 Injection moulding Conditions

To obtain short cure time the material temperature to be as high as practicable when it
emerges from nozzle. It is usually in the range of 100-200 oC, approximately 30oC higher than
barrel temperature. The most important factor affecting the temperature are
Cylinder temperature
The back pressure on the rotating screw
Screw speed.
Nozzle & cylinder heating zone are the most sensitive means of controlling the material
temperature.

30.6 Pre Plasticizing/Moulding Pressure

There are three pressure parameters which is given below
Back or counter pressure
Injection pressure
Dwell or hold on pressure.
a) Back Pressure:
The back pressure is the hydraulic pressure applied to the screw during plasticizing to
prevent the screw from moving through the plastic or semi plastic moulding material. This
ensure that the forward zone of barrel is fully packed with pre plasticized material and correct
quantity of material deliver for next shot. While screw rotates, any volatiles forces back to the
feed section and can be escaped. If high back pressure exerts, high load on screw drive may
cause excessive wear of the screw and barrel liner.

b) Injection Pressure:
The injection pressure affects on mould dimensions, mould material, plasticity and injection
machine. It is to be controlled to give mould filling rate of about 40 to 85gm per second. If the
pressure is excess, it will cause burn marks, mould wear and nozzle wear. It also may result
in air trapping and porous moulding due to injected material curing before the mould cavity is
completely filled.

c) Dwell or Hold on Pressure:

It is the reduced pressure approx. one sixth of injection pressure and it is applied after the
selected shot volume has been injected until sprue is cured. It will prevents porosity and
blisters. The exact duration of application vary with
Type of machine
Size of moulding
Nozzle and sprue diameter
Type of moulding material

d) Cure Time:
The Variable depends on the moulding material, size of moulding, moulding temperature and
moulding pressure.