INTRODUCTION

Injection moulding is the most commonly used manufacturing process for the fabrication of plastic parts. A wide variety of products are manufactured using injection moulding, which vary greatly in their size, complexity, and application.

MATERIALS AND PROCESS

Injection moulding can be performed with a host of materials, including metals, glasses, elastomers, confections, and most commonly thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers. Material for the part is fed into a heated barrel, mixed, and forced into a mould cavity where it cools and hardens to the configuration of the cavity. After a product is designed, usually by an industrial designer or an engineer, moulds are made by a moldmaker from metal, usually either steel or aluminum, and precision-machined to form the features of the desired part. Injection moulding is widely used for manufacturing a variety of parts, from the smallest component to entire body panels of cars. Advantages: Can form complex shapes and fine details Excellent surface finish Good dimensional accuracy High production rate Low labour cost Scrap can be recycled Disadvantages: Limited to thin walled parts High tooling and equipment cost Long lead time possible Applications: Housings, containers, caps, fittings buckets toothbrushes or small plastic toys Process Cycle The process cycle for injection molding is very short, typically between 2 seconds and 2 minutes, and consists of the following four stages:

1. Clamping - Prior to the injection of the material into the mould, the two halves of the mould must first be securely closed by the clamping

unit. Each half of the mould is attached to the injection moulding machine and one half is allowed to slide. 2. Injection - The raw plastic material is fed into the injection moulding machine, and advanced towards the mould by the injection unit. During this process, the material is melted by heat and pressure. The molten plastic is then injected into the mould very quickly and the build-up of pressure packs and holds the material. 3. Cooling - The molten plastic that is inside the mould begins to cool as soon as it makes contact with the interior mould surfaces. As the plastic cools, it will solidify into the shape of the desired part. 4. Ejection - After sufficient time has passed, the cooled part may be ejected from the mould by the ejection system, which is attached to the rear half of the mould. When the mould is opened, a mechanism is used to push the part out of the mould. Force must be applied to eject the part because during cooling the part shrinks and binds to the mould.

Injection molded part Injection unit The injection unit is responsible for both heating and injecting the material into the mold. The first part of this unit is the hopper, a large container into which the raw plastic is poured. The hopper has an open bottom, which allows the material to feed into the barrel. The barrel

contains the mechanism for heating and injecting the material into the mould

Injection moulding machine - Injection unit Design Rules Maximum wall thickness

Uniform wall thickness will ensure uniform cooling and reduce defects INCORRECT CORRECT

Non-uniform wall thickness (t1 t2)

Uniform wall thickness (t1 = t2)

Wall thickness of bosses should be no more than 60% of the main wall thickness Radius at the base should be at least 25% of the main wall thickness Should be supported by ribs that connect to adjacent walls or by gussets at the base.

INCORRECT

CORRECT

Isolated boss

Isolated boss with ribs (left) or gussets (right)

If a boss must be placed near a corner, it should be isolated using ribs. INCORRECT CORRECT

Boss in corner Undercuts

Ribbed boss in corner

Simple external undercut

Mould cannot separate

New parting line allows undercut

Part with hinge

Hinge requires side-core

Redesigned hinge

New hinge can be moulded

Minimize the number of internal undercuts o Internal undercuts often require internal core lifters which add to the tooling cost o Designing an opening in the side of a part can allow a side-core to form an internal undercut