15.

0
RUNNERLESS MOULDS
PREPARED & PRESENTED BY,
RAKESH B JUNNUR,
A.T.O. ,
NTTF, DTC
RUNNERLESS MOULDS

Any mould in which a conventional runner system is not

incorporated is called a runnerless mould.
A mould that incorporated a direct feed from the nozzle is a
basic runnerless mould.
This basic arrangement have been developed in order either to
reduce the sprue length or to eliminate the sprue altogether by
using different types of nozzle designs.
THERE ARE FOUR TYPES OF
NOZZLES
Long reach nozzle

Barb nozzle

Antechamber design

Multi-nozzle manifold
LONG REACH NOZZLE or EXTENDED
NOZZLE
It is an advantage to keep the length of the sprue gate as short
as possible to minimize the pressure drop across the gate and
also to minimize the blemish left on the moulding when the
sprue gate is removed.
These extended nozzles protrudes into a pocket machined in the
mould plate thus reducing the length of sprue gate.
Heating it by using a resistance type of band heater or a
thermocouple controls the temperature of the nozzzle.
Mould plate

Thermo couple

Nozzle

Heater
 BARB NOZZLE or ITALIAN NOZZLE

To reduce the blemish being left at the injection point due to a

conventional sprue gate, the barb nozzles are used.
A reverse tapered sprue and a pin gate arrangement is possible
by using a barb or Italian nozzle.
The projection of the end of the nozzle corporate barbs and is
accommodated in the reverse tapered sprue.
The sprue is normally removed manually, which increases the
mould cycle.

Barb: a sharp projection near the end of an arrow, fish hook, or similar object, which is
angled away from the main point so as to make extraction difficult.
Blemish: a small mark or flaw which spoils the appearance of something.
SEATING
AREA

Barb Nozzle

SMALL
PROJECTION
ANTECHAMBER DESIGN

This is also known as hot well design. A small mass of material is

retained in the anti chamber.
The plastic material adjacent to the mould partially insulates the
central core of plastic materiel from the cold mould allowing it
to pass through the Antichamber into the impression.
As it is not necessary to remove the sprue from the mould, fast
moulding cycles can be achieved.
 Cavity plate Cooling sleeve

Nozzle heater

Nozzle

Insulation disc

Stripper ring Core Local insert

MULTI – NOZZLE MANIFOLD :

Multi nozzle manifold is used for direct feeding of material for

multi impression moulds.
It consist of a manifold block suitably drilled to provide a flow
path for the material, into which the required number of nozzles
are fitted.
The manifold block is fitted to the cylinder of the machine via a
nozzle adapter and a lock ring.
To permit even filling of the impression separate temperature
control of each nozzle is necessary.
MULTI – NOZZLE MANIFOLD
(continued….)
Each impression will have its own sprue bush.
The barb nozzle or antechamber design can be used if pin gating
is required.
The number of impression is limited to the number of nozzles,
which can be accommodated within the aperture in the platen.
In view of this and other limitations this design is not commonly
used.
 Mould

Platen

Heaters

Cylinder
Lock ring
Twin Nozzle
nozzle Manifold Adapter
Black
HOT RUNNER UNIT

Secondary NozzleShouldered Plug

Threaded Plug
z u Grid

Spure Bush
Offset secondary nozzles to allow for expansion

Cavity Plate

Thermocouple
v Hot Runner Unit
Catridge Heater x
TWO IMPRESSION HOT – RUNNER
UNIT MOULD
Guide bush
Support block Cavity backing plate
Core backing plate Thermo couple

Guide pillar Plug

Insulation
Material or Air gap
Screw
Ejector plate
Support pad

Back plate Register plate

Ejector rod Secondary Nozzle

Sprue bush
Hot runner
Core insert unit block
Shoulder screw
Catridge heaters
Core Bolster
Front plate

Tie rod
Cavity insert
Stripper plate Support block
Cavity insert sleeve
Stripper bush

Cavity bolster
HOT RUNNER MOULDS

Hot runner designs are systems by which runner is kept at an

elevated temperature within the mould.
This eliminates the necessity of removing the runner system
from the mould as a part of moulding cycle.
The mould contains a heated runner manifold block within its
structure.
The block suitably insulated from the rest of the mould is
maintained at a closely controlled elevated temperature to keep
the runner permanently as a melt.
HOT RUNNER MOULDS
(Continued……)

The plastic material can be directed to the mould extremities without

loss of heat and without the pressure losses associated with
temperature variations.
The runner manifold block, termed as hot runner unit, is mounted
adjacent to the cavity plate and accommodated in a grid.
The plastic material enters via a centrally positioned sprue bush,
passes through the internal drillings and leaves the unit via a
secondary nozzle in line with the impression.
When the mould is opened the moulding is pulled from the cavity,
and the sprue gate breaks at its smaller diameter.
The remainder of the feed system remains heated within the limit,
ready for the next shot.
ADVANTAGES OF HOT RUNNER MOULDS

The location of the impressions is not confined to the

central region of the mould.
Therefore a large number of widely displaced
impressions can be fed at the same time.
The mould is not restricted to a particular machine.
It allows for pin gating of mouldings on multi
impression moulds.
It allows for multi – point pin gating on single
impression and multi – impression moulds.
ADVANTAGES OF HOT RUNNER MOULDS
(Continued…..)

It allows for side or film gating of large mouldings.

There is no feed systm for the operator to remove from
the mould
As there is no runner to cool, the time is marginally
reduced.
The hot runner unit is insulated from the rest of the mould parts.
Two methods are generally used.
One method is to fit small blocks of sindanyo insulating
material to all sides of the unit by screws.
Second method is to provide an air gap of at least 15-mm
all round the unit except where contact with the rest of the
mould is necessary.
LIMITATIONS OF HOT RUNNER
MOULDS

The mould setting time is generally greater than for a

corresponding two-part mould.
An extended period, waiting for the hot-runner unit to
heat, is required before production can commence.
The initial 'debugging' of a new hot-runner unit mould
is usually more extensive than with a standard mould.
The cost is higher than that of a standard mould and in
some cases than that of an underfeed (three-part)
mould.
LIMITATIONS OF HOT RUNNER MOULDS
(Continued…..)

The area of the moulding adjacent to the gate may be

blemished with surface heat marks.
Polymer melt leaking from the hot-runner unit can
create problems.
Polymer material at the gate may solidify and interrupt
production.
Certain materials (e.g. nylon) have a tendency to drool
(dribble) from the gate into the impression when the
mould is open. This causes blemishes on the
subsequent moulding.
LIMITATIONS OF HOT RUNNER MOULDS
(Continued…..)

Some materials (e.g. polypropylene) have the tendency

to 'string‘ when the moulding is extracted from the
cavity. This has adverse effects similar to the above.
There is a tendency for certain types of heating
element to fail during production.
Replacement of the heating element is sometimes
difficult and can be time-consuming.
LIMITATIONS OF HOT RUNNER MOULDS
(Continued…..)

With certain materials (e.g. pvc) there are degradation

problems.
Changing the colour and the type or grade of a material
can also be a problem.
Heat expansion of the hot-runner unit can create
difficulties, if not allowed for.
VALVE GATED HOT RUNNER UNITS

In this design of hot runner unit, valves are

incorporated within the unit to seal off the gates for
particular period of moulding cycle.
A needle valve is actuated, when required, by a
hydraulic cylinder via a lever arm.
In the forward position the front end of the needle
valve seals against a complementary tapered orifice
within the secondary nozzle, there by preventing
material flow through the gate.
In operation the valves are kept closed until the injection screw
plunger has moved forward compressing the melt.
A High pressure within the injection cylinder and hot runner unit is
developed.
The hydraulic actuator then suddenly opens the needle valves and
plastic melt enters the impression at high velocity.
After the impressions are filled the needle valves are closed
allowing the screw plunger to be withdrawn.
This technique is known as pre compressed moulding or explosion
moulding.
THE ADVANTAGES ARE,

No material can drool from the gate as it is positively

sealed.
Faster cycles can be achieved, as the screw plunger can
be withdrawn immediately the gates are sealed.
The screw plunger can start to move forward even
before the mould is closed.
The moulding produced by this technique exhibits less
stress, less entrapped air, less apparent flow marks
thus improving the surface finish and physical
properties.
The amount of scrap is reduced since fewer short shots
or wrapped mouldings are produced.
Because of the fast filling rates, a lower melt
temperature is possible.
Thus, there is less risk of degrading temperature
sensitive materials.
INSULATED RUNNER SYSTEM

This system is based on the principle that plastics can

be used within the moulds as an insulation medium
because of their low thermal conductivity.
This design is a modification of the under feed type, the
difference being that larger runners are incorporated
and a latch arrangement is included to keep the feed
plate and floating cavity plates locked together.
The plastic material forms an insulating skin of frozen
material adjacent to the runner wall (metal) while the
central core remains in the molten state.
Larger than normal runners are necessary to allow for
this insulating skin and the diameter of the runner
should not be less than 12 – mm.
Quick release latches are necessary to permit the
runner to be removed from between the feed and
floating cavity plates, in case the runner become solid
due to inconsistent conditions.
THANK YOU…..