Injection MoldingMolding

Process Description
ver. 1

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Overview
Equipment
Process

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Equipment
Cl
Clamp

M ld
Mold

B
Barrel
l
Hopper

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Equipment

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

KrausMaffei at Ford - 4000 tonnes

ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Machine schematic

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Mold

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Mold

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Modular molds

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

Mold schematic

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

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Mold
runner

sprue

cavity

gate

sprue
p

nozzle

front

ejection
pin

side

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

11

Process

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

12

Process
Pellets placed in hopper
Pellets fall into barrel through throat
Pellets
P ll t packed
k d tto fform solid
lid b
bed
d
air forced out through hopper

Pellets melted by mechanical shear

between barrel and screw

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

13

Process
Melted plastic forms shot in front of
screw
screw moves back
b k as plastic
l ti moves
forward (reciprocating screw)

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

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Process
Screw moves forward to inject
j
p
plastic
into mold cavity

Part
P t cools
l and
d solidifies
lidifi
next shot is made

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

15

Process
Mold opens
Ejection pins move forward to eject part

Mold closes
Process starts again

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

16

Solid bed
Pellets crushed together
Air ejected

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

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Melting zone
Solid bed melted by mechanical shear
barrel

secondary
mixing flow

screw flight
solid bed

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

18

Homogenization zone
Melted polymer is homogenized
thermally
y and color-wise.

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

19

Injection pressure
Typically 15,000 psi
Ranges from 3
3,000
000 to 40
40,000
000 psi
Hydraulic pressure is about 10x less

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

20

Process time
Open and eject
part
p

Close mold
Injection
j

33
35

Pack and hold

Part cooling

15

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

21

Pressure historyy
Cycle time

Cooling

Pack

Gate freezze off

2
25

Injection

Fasst closing

50

Part ejjection

Mold closed time

0
0

15

33 35

Time (s)
ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering
Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

22

Temperature history
200

gate
Pack

Gate freezze off

100

Injection

Fasst closing

part
p

Part ejjection

Cooling

0
0

15

33 35

Time (s)
ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering
Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

23

Gates and freeze

freeze-off
off

Filling &
Packing

Cooling

ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

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ME 4210: Manufacturing Processes and Engineering

Prof. J.S. Colton GIT 2009

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