LECTURE-14

PROCESSING OF PLASTICS
- Injection Molding

NIKHIL R. DHAR, Ph. D

Department of Industrial & Production Engineering
BUET

Injection Mold Layout: The plastic melt flows from the injection nozzles and
enters the mold at the sprue. From the sprue the plastic flows into the runners and
ultimately through the gates into the part. Gate and runner design is an important
part of the mold design. To help ensure that the mold fills completely, one should
balance the mold so that all cavities fill at the same time. When the cavities are the
same, a symmetric layout is used. If the cavities are all markedly different, often
the gates and runners must be sized/shaped differently in order to allow all cavities
to fill in the same amount of time.

Spru
e
Gate

Mold
Cavity

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Runner

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Plunger Type Injection Molding Press: In this molding press, the plastic is fed
into the mold when a cylinder plunger extends and forces the plastic into the mold.
After the plunger retracts more material can be fed from the hopper to the shooting pot.
(Thus the stroke of the plunger determines the additional material fed in each time.)
Of course the shooting pot is long enough to hold several shots, so the plastics stays in
the pot for a while, giving the band heaters time to heat and melt the plastic. Notice the
torpedo, which is basically an obstruction to the plastic flow in the shooting pot. As
the plastic moves around the torpedo, it is better mixed.

Hopper
Torpedo

Nozzle
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Shooting Pot

Plunger

Band Heaters
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Screw Type Injection Presses: The original plunger type has had one important
modification. A reciprocating screw now forces material into the mold. This screw action
ensures that the same amount of material is always metered in, and it is equally dense along
the length of the screw. Additionally the material will be much better mixed by the screw
action which helps to maintain better consistency from shot to shot. Since the screw action
generally helps to pack the material in better, a given plunger travel will push more material
into the cavity. Finally the action of the screw, as it rotates and mixes, adds energy to the
melt. However, band heaters are still needed to fully heat the melt. All of this results in a
much better and more consistent part. This is why the screw press is essentially the only press
found in industry. Small plunger presses are still made for prototype/lab purposes.
Hopper
Nozzle

Band Heaters
Screw meters plastic,
plunger provides pressure

Shooting Pot
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Reciprocating Screw
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Injection Molding Screws

The injection molding screw plunges forward to provide holding and packing pressure.
The screw rotates as it retracts to meter and plasticize the melt. The screw is broken up
into 3 regions. The Feed Section draws material from the hopper and starts
movement into the shooting pot. In this section, channels between the flights are deep
and the depth is constant. The next section, called the Transition Section,
compresses and melts the plastic pellets. Most plasticization occurs in this section. The
root diameter tapers, causing the channel depth to decrease. In the last section, the
Metering Section, the correct fill is precisely measured out. This section has a
constant channel depth.

Feed Section

Transition
Section

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Metering
Section
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Screw Configuration
There are a number of design variations that can be made to the injection molding screw
configuration. The extruder screws are composed of various screw segments connected
together to create a complete configuration design.
Dulmage Mixing Section: Some the segments used in
plastic extrusions are the dulmage mixing segment and
mixing pins segment. The Dulmage Mixing design is used at
Dulmage Mixing Section
the end of the screw to enhance mixing. Usually, several
sections are put together.
Mixing Pins: Another configuration option are the mixing
pins. These are usually inserted between the final flights to
enhance the mixing.
Mixing Pins

Vented Barrels: Vented barrels with two stage screws are another options in some design.
The first stage meters and compresses the material. Then, the material is vented, compressed
and metered forward in the second stage.
Vent
Material from Hopper

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Vented Barrels

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Barrier Flight Screws

In Barrier flight screws, the channel is split into two sections: one for solids and
one for the melted plastic. The barrier flight is not quite as large as the primary
flight. The barrier flight has small passage for the melt to flow from the solid
channels into the melt channels. The solid channel becomes smaller and the melt
larger along the length of the screw. The functioning of the barrier flight is shown
here.
Solids Channel

Melt Channel

Primary
Flight

Barrier
Flight

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Press Parameters
Generally, there are three common parameters used to describe the injection
molding press capacity: clamping force, shot size, and injection pressure.

Clamping force is usually the most common method to refer to the injection molding
press capacity. Thus, presses are talked about as being 20 ton, 50 ton, etc. The clamping
force is the force available to hold the platens together. The platens contains the mold
cavities. Clamping can be achieved using in-line hydraulic cylinders, mechanical
toggle clamps, or a combination of the two (called hydro-mechanical).

Shot size is the amount of material that can be transferred into the mold in one shot.
Shot sizes are usually specified in cubic centimeters or ounces.

Injection pressure is the pressure at the sprue that forces or injects the plastic melt
into the mold. Specification by this parameter refers to the maximum injection pressure.

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Clamping Mechanisms
There are a few different ways to provide the clamping force for the mold. The inline hydraulic cylinder provides good force control, but requires large hydraulics
that tend to be slow. The toggle clamps move quickly but provide poor force
control. The hydro-mechanical clamping system is a combination of the two
clamps. It uses a toggle mechanism for most of the travel and then uses the
hydraulic cylinder for the locking force.

Hydraulic
Cylinder

In line hydraulic cylinder

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Toggle
Clamp

Hydraulic
Cylinder
Toggle Clamp
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Injection Molding Defects

Injection molding can create defects on the finished product. Some of the more
common Injection molding defects are

Short Shot
Flashing
Weld Lines
Jetting
Ejector Pin Marks
Sink Marks
Warpage/Residual Stresses

When designing for a part and the associated mold, one should keep these defects
in mind as well as the fundamental objectives of filling, holding, packing and
removing the part.

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Short Shot: Short shot occurs when there is insufficient material to fill the mold
cavity and/or the material solidifies too soon. It has several causes, including
insufficient injection pressure, or insufficient time allowed during the injection
process. Sometimes the material will freeze in a given section before it can reach
the edges of the mold.
Unfilled
Section
of Mold

Unfilled
Sections
of Mold

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Flashing: Flashing occurs when there is too much material and it pushes its way
out of the die; basically, the material overflows the cavity. This can be caused by
too much injection pressure, too much injection time, or insufficient clamping
force. It also can be caused by a poorly machined die that does not properly seal
off the cavity.
Flash

Plastic Pushes
into Area Between
Mating Surfaces

Flash

Cavity
Wall

Part Moderate-Heavy Flash

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Weld Lines: Weld lines occur when flow fronts meet in the mold. In addition to
being aesthetically unappealing, weld lines decrease the strength of the part. This
normally occurs around holes or obstructions and causes very weak areas in the
molded part. Additionally, weld lines are much more pronounced if flow fronts are
moving in completely opposite directions, as opposed to when the flow fronts share
some components of velocity. Weld lines are more pronounced if melt is cooler
when fronts meet.
Gate
Gate

Gate

Weld Line

Weld
Line

Unavoidable w/ Solid Cores

Can result from poor gate placement

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Jetting: Jetting is generally caused when one gates a part in such a way that the
material flow enters an open section with much space between the gate and the
opposite wall. When the flow area is squeezed through the gate, the velocity
increases, and the plastic melt shoots into the empty cavity mold. If there is
nothing to break its path, it will shoot all the way through to the opposite wall,
where it will quickly solidify. Successive incoming material streams then fold over
the previously frozen stream, and the stream lines become locked into place. Often
air pockets can be trapped in between the successive folds and further folds do not
fully join creating a weaker part.
To reduce the risk of jetting, one should always gate the part so that incoming
material flow is directed into a nearby wall. After the stream has impinged on the
wall, the plastic melt will spread in the appropriate fashion. Melt moves rapidly,
cools unevenly and traps flow lines.

Jetting
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Alternate gating
eliminates jetting
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Ejector Pin Marks: Once the part is sufficiently cooled, the cavity opens and
ejector pins push the part out. The pins usually leave marks in the area where the
ejector pins pushed the part. There are four different possible causes of the pin
marks: 1) the pin is above the flush line, 2) the pin is below the flush line, 3) there
is clearance around the pin and
4) material is too soft at ejection and one
pushes through the part.
1) Pin above flush

2) Pin below flush

3) Clearance around pin

4)

One tries to eject the part before it solidifies and pins push through the part.
Place the ejector pins on hidden areas of the part.

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Sink Marks: Sink marks are also common injection molding flaws. Sink marks
occur at excessively thick wall sections, or where there are abrupt changes in
thickness- thick sections solidify too late and shrink away from the wall. Proper
design reduces/eliminates sink marks (ribs, core out sections)
Thick sections cause sink marks

Bad Design

Improved
Design

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Warpage/Residual Stresses: Warpage is the out of plane distortion of an

injection molded part, generated by constraining the part while cooling. Warpage
is typically caused by anisotropic shrinkage. Several causes for anisotropic
shrinkage are: Variations in thickness, Differing shrink rates due to melt
orientation, Uneven cooling, Differences in the mold cavity pressure.
If the part is massive enough to resist warpage, residual stresses will result. Since
gates are usually highly oriented and have extremely fast cooling rates, residual
stresses are always present near the gates.

Suggested design changes to

minimize distortion
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Less Common Methods

Expansion

expandable polystyrene bead fill mold and bond (steam)

Foaming
liquid chemicals
combine & cure (isocynate polyal)

Spinning
produces plastic fibers
similar to extrusion

Solid Phase Form

forming plastic below glass temperature
similar to stamping or forging

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Common Polymers
ABS (Acrylanitrile Butadiene Styrene): amorphous, good Impact Strength, excellent
appearance, easy to process computer housings, small appliances, automotive interior, & medical
components
Acrylic: amorphous polymers, excellent clarity, excellent weatherability optical & outdoor
applications
Cellulosics: among the first thermoplastics developed: smell funny, very flammable
Nylon 6: semi-crystalline polymer, good cost to performance ratio, lower numbered nylons, 6 ,6-6,
4-6, absorb moisture and change their properties as a result
Polycarbonate: amorphous material, excellent Impact Strength, clarity, & optical properties
currently long lead times for this material.
Polyethylene High Density: widely used, inexpensive, thermoplastic, easy to process, good to
excellent chemical resistance, soft & not for use above 150 F
Polypropylene: semi-crystalline material, low temperature material, excellent chemical resistance
difficult to mold to extremely close tolerances
Polystyrene High Impact (HIPS): few cents more than crystal styrene, to pay for the rubber
modifier, opaque & very widely used, lower modulus, better elongation, & less brittle than crystal
styrene
PVC Polyvinyl Chloride Rigid: properties similar to ABS (except appearance) at a slightly
reduced cost primarily for water pipe and pipe fittings, occasionally for electrical enclosures *in
plastic phase PVC is corrosive to molds & machines (non corrosive as a solid)
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Shaping Processes for Thermoplastics

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Shaping Processes for Thermosets

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Processing of Polymer-Matrix-Reinforced Plastics

Sheet Molding Compound (SMC): Continuous strands of reinforcing fiber are
chopped into short fibers and deposited over a layer of resin paste, usually a
polyester mixture, carried on a polymer film such as polyethylene. A second layer
of resin paste is deposited on top and the sheet is pressed between the rollers. The
product is gathered into rolls or placed into containers in layers and stored until it
undergoes a maturation period, reaching the desired molding viscosity. The
matured SMC, which has a leatherlike feel and is tack free, has a shelf life of about
30 days and must be processed within this period.

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Prepregs: The continuous fibers are aligned and subjected to surface treatment to
enhance their adhesion to the polymer matrix. They are then coated by being
dipped in a resin bath and made into a sheet or tape.

Manufacturing process for polymer-matrix

composite

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Boron-epoxy prepreg tape.

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Pultrusion: Long shapes with various constant profiles, such as rods, structural
profiles and tubing are made by the pultrusion process. Typical products made by
this process include golf clubs; drive shafts and structural members such as
ladders, walkways and handrails. The most common material used in pultrusion is
polyester with glass reinforcements.

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Molding Reinforced Plastics

(a) Vacuum-bag forming. (b) Pressure-bag forming.

Manual methods of processing reinforced plastics: (a) hand lay-up and (b) spray-up. These methods are
also called open-mold processing.
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