Molding defects

Injection molding is a complex technology with possible production problems. They can be caused either by defects
in the molds or more often by part processing (molding)

Molding Alternative
Descriptions Causes
Defects name
Raised or layered zone Tool or material is too hot, often caused by a lack of
Blister Blistering
on surface of the part cooling around the tool or a faulty heater
Black or brown burnt
areas on the part located
Air burn/gas
Burn marks at furthest points from Tool lacks venting, injection speed is too high
burn/dieseling
gate or where air is
trapped
Masterbatch isn't mixing properly, or the material has run
Color streaks Colour streaks Localized change of out and it's starting to come through as natural only.
(US) (UK) color/colour Previous colored material "dragging" in nozzle or check
valve.
Contamination of the material e.g. PP mixed with ABS,
Thin mica like layers very dangerous if the part is being used for a safety
Delamination
formed in part wall critical application as the material has very little strength
when delaminated as the materials cannot bond
Mold is over packed or parting line on the tool is
Excess material in thin
damaged, too much injection speed/material injected,
Flash Burrs layer exceeding normal
clamping force too low. Can also be caused by dirt and
part geometry
contaminants around tooling surfaces.
Foreign particle (burnt Particles on the tool surface, contaminated material or
Embedded Embedded
material or other) foreign debris in the barrel, or too much shear heat
contaminates particulates
embedded in the part burning the material prior to injection
Injection speeds too slow (the plastic has cooled down
Directionally "off tone"
Flow marks Flow lines too much during injection, injection speeds must be set as
wavy lines or patterns
fast as you can get away with at all times)
Deformed part by
Poor tool design, gate position or runner. Injection speed
Jetting turbulent flow of
set too high.
material
Caused by the melt-front flowing around an object
standing proud in a plastic part as well as at the end of
Small lines on the
fill where the melt-front comes together again. Can be
backside of core pins or
Knit lines Weld lines minimized or eliminated with a mold-flow study when
windows in parts that
the mold is in design phase. Once the mold is made and
look like just lines.
the gate is placed, one can minimize this flaw only by
changing the melt and the mold temperature.
Polymer breakdown
Polymer Excess water in the granules, excessive temperatures in
from hydrolysis,
degradation barrel
oxidation etc.
Holding time/pressure too low, cooling time too short,
Localized depression (In with sprueless hot runners this can also be caused by the
Sink marks [sinks]
thicker zones) gate temperature being set too high. Excessive material
or thick wall thickness.
Non-fill / Short Lack of material, injection speed or pressure too low,
Short shot Partial part
mold mold too cold
Splay marks Splash mark / Circular pattern around Moisture in the material, usually when hygroscopic
Silver streaks gate caused by hot gas resins are dried improperly. Trapping of gas in "rib"
 areas due to excessive injection velocity in these areas.
Material too hot.
String like remain from
Stringiness Stringing previous shot transfer in Nozzle temperature too high. Gate hasn't frozen off
new shot
Lack of holding pressure (holding pressure is used to
pack out the part during the holding time). Filling to fast,
Empty space within part not allowing the edges of the part to set up. Also mold
Voids
(Air pocket) may be out of registration (when the two halves don't
center properly and part walls are not the same
thickness).
Knit line / Meld Mold/material temperatures set too low (the material is
Discolored line where
Weld line line / Transfer cold when they meet, so they don't bond). Point between
two flow fronts meet
line injection and transfer (to packing and holding) too early.
Cooling is too short, material is too hot, lack of cooling
around the tool, incorrect water temperatures (the parts
Warping Twisting Distorted part
bow inwards towards the hot side of the tool) Uneven
shrinking between areas of the part