Molding defects

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

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