4.

Injection moulding
• Injection moulding is the most important process used to
manufacture mass plastic products with complex shapes.
• This process is used for thermoplastic materials and other
polymeric materials which may be successively melted, reshaped
and cooled.
• Injection moulded components are a feature of almost every
functional manufactured article.
• This versatile process allows us to produce high quality, simple or
complex components on a fully automated basis at high speed with
materials that have changed the face of manufacturing technology
over the last 50 years or so.
• Injection moulding is suitable processing method for following
materials:
 Thermoplastics
 Elastomers
 Rubbers
 Thermo sets
 Composites
 Foamed plastics
1
 Advantages of Injection Moulding Process
• Parts can be produced at high production rates.
• Large volume production is possible.
• Relatively low labour cost per unit is obtainable.
• Parts require little or no finishing.
• Many different surfaces, colours, and finishes are available.
• Good decoration is possible.
• For many shapes this process is the most economical way to fabricate.
• Process permits the manufacture of very small parts which are almost
impossible to fabricate in quantities by other methods.
• Minimal scrap loss result as runners, gates, and rejects can be reground and
reused.
• Same items can be moulded In different materials, without changing the
machine or mould in some cases.
• Close dimensional tolerances can be maintained.
• Parts can be moulded with metallic and non-metallic inserts.
• Parts can be moulded in a combination of plastic and such fillers as glass,
asbestos, talc and carbon.
• The inherent properties of the material give many advantages such as high
2
strength-weight rates, corrosion resistance, strength and clarity.
 Limitations of Injection Moulding
• Intense industry competition often results in low profit margins.
• Mould costs are high.
• Moulding machinery and auxiliary equipment costs are high.
• Lack of knowledge about the fundamentals of the process causes
problems.
• Lack of knowledge about the long term properties of the materials may
result in long-term failures.

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 Injection molding process
 The injection-molding machine consists of a plasticizing/injection
unit and a clamping unit in which the mold is fixed.

Figure: Injection-moulding machine

 4. Injection molding process
• In the case of thermoplastic polymers, the temperature of the mold is
usually controlled at about room temperature (for commodity
polymers; higher for technical ones) by circulating water in order to
solidify the polymer as quickly as possible.
• In contrast, for thermoset polymers or elastomers, the material is
injected in a hot mold for cross-linking. Despite the impact of
polymerization or curing reactions on the viscosity and temperature
field, a number of conclusions on the injection of thermoplastics
remain valid for thermoset polymers.
• The injection cycle proceeds as follows:

Fig. Successive steps of the injection-moulding cycle

 4. Injection molding process
The injection cycle proceeds as follows:
a) The polymer is melted in a screw/barrel unit similar to that found in
single-screw extrusion, except that the screw moves back while
rotating in order to accumulate an amount of molten material ahead.
The analysis of this step consists, as in single-screw extrusion, in
conveying the pellets and then melting them. The back pressure
applied on the screw of the order of a few megapascals leads to a
small compression of the polymer. A first major difference with
extrusion is that the process is discontinuous and, between two
successive melting stages, the polymer is heated by conduction. A
second difference is that the screw length traveled by the pellets
decreases between the beginning and the end of the plastication step.
Melting is heterogeneous, and this can lead to a nonuniform
temperature profile in the material to be injected.
 Cont…
(b) In the filling stage, the polymer is injected into the mold cavity by the
screw, which moves in translation at an imposed speed. This speed can vary
during the filling stage, which is divided into a certain number of steps,
depending on the molding machine. So the polymer flow rate is imposed.
(c) Holding phase: once the cavity is filled, a pressure is imposed on the screw
and thus on the material until it is solidified. This compensates largely for the
variation of the specific volume during cooling by injecting additional melt
into the mold.
(d) In the last stage, the material in the mold continues to be cooled, while a
new volume of polymer is plasticized in the screw/barrel unit. The molded part
is then ejected, and cooling is completed in the open air.
• Geometries of injection molds are generally complex, reproducing the
shape of the specific parts to be produced. The position of the channels of
the cooling fluid and of the ejector stems, which will push the plastic parts
out of the mold when it is opened, must also be specified.

7
 Cont…
• Figure below illustrates a typical pressure profile measured at a fixed
position of the cavity as a function of time. The filling phase at an
imposed flow rate is short. It lasts a few tenths to a few seconds and
is followed by the packing stage. The pressure on the screw is
imposed at the beginning of this stage.
• During this phase the pressure is
progressively homogenized in the cavity,
• Then, in the holding phase, the pressure is
kept almost constant. The duration of this
stage is a function of the cooling time and,
thus, of the thickness of the plastic part . It is
usually of the order of ten seconds.
• When the material is totally solidified
between the nozzle of the injection-moulding
machine where the pressure is imposed and
the measurement point in the cavity, the
Fig. Typical pressure variations with time transducer does not feel the imposed packing
within the mold pressure, and the signal drops down .
8
 Injection cycle, steps
During the injection cycle, the following steps can be distinguished:
1. Plastication (path AB), performed at relatively low pressure compared to
the rest of the cycle; here we consider that the polymer is at atmospheric
pressure.
2. Filling (path BC): given its short duration, it is considered isothermal.
3. Packing (path CD): again this is considered isothermal.
4. ƒHolding (path DE): the pressure is almost constant and the temperature
decreases. Point E represents the end of the holding step and corresponds
to a complete solidification of the melt upstream (for example in the runner
or at the injection gate).
5. Isochoric cooling (path EF): the polymer is assumed to fill completely the
perfectly rigid cavity.
6. When the material reaches atmospheric pressure (point F), cooling is
completed at ambient pressure, and the volume of the injected part
decreases with time. The difference of volume between F and A leads to
the final shrinkage.

9
 Cont…
• This analysis is of course simplified because the pressure,
temperature, and density are heterogeneous within the part.

Figure: PVT diagram and injection-moulding cycle

10
 Cont…
A correct injected part must meet several criteria:
1. During the filling stage:
• The polymer fills the entire cavity before it solidifies under heat
transfer to the cold walls of the mould.
• Filling must be as balanced as possible, i.e. it must be completed
simultaneously in all areas of the cavity.
• Weld lines, which exist for example in the case of inserts or multiple
injection gates, affect the appearance and mechanical properties of
the injected part and must be located in the least sensitive areas.

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 Cont…
2. During holding:
• Shrinkage due to cooling must be compensated for as evenly as
possible, so that the part is as close as possible to its specified
dimensions. One should avoid sink marks (local thickness variations,
for example around a rib, resulting in a depression on the opposite
side of the rib).
3. In relation to the whole injection cycle:
• Residual stresses responsible for part deformations after ejection and
mechanical properties need to be acceptable.
• The heat control must be performed correctly so that the cooling is
rapid, uniform, and equal on both sides of the mold.
• Many properties of semicrystalline polymer parts depend on the
microstructure developed during injection, which depends on the
thermomechanical history of the successive phases of the cycle.
• The part surface aspect must meet the specifications. 12
 Peculiarities of the Filling Phase
• This is a transient (unsteady-state) process, and there is a free surface
progression, the flow front, in a cavity of a complex shape.
• The filling time is short and, therefore, high flow rates, up to several
hundreds of cm3/s are required. There is a high energy dissipation,
which may locally lead to a temperature higher than the injection
temperature, despite cooling by the mold.
Furthermore, the pressures involved exceed tens of megapascals.
• As the mold temperature is controlled to about room temperature, the
temperature variations across the part’s thickness are large and, as the
filling time is short and polymers have low thermal conductivity,
significant thermal gradients are localized close to the walls.

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 Injection-molding machines components
• Injection-molding machines have three components:
– the injection unit,
– the clamping unit, and
– the control system.
• The injection unit plasticates and injects the polymer melt while the
clamping unit supports the mold, opens and closes the mold, and contains
the part ejection system whereas the control system controls the sequence
of operations of the machine.
• The injection unit consists of a hopper, feed throat, barrel,
screw, screw drive motor, and nozzle.

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 Injection units
• Injection units are specified by shot size, maximum injection pressure, plasticating
capacity and recovery rate, and maximum injection velocity.
• The shot size is the maximum weight or volume of plastic that can be injected in
one shot. Injection unit sizes are specified by the maximum amount of plastic
material they can dispense with one forward movement of the injection screw. For
U.S. machines, the shot size is rated in ounces of general-purpose polystyrene
(GPPS), whereas in European machines, the shot capacity is based on the volume
(in cubic centimeters) displaced with 100-MPa injection pressure. The shot volume
(size) should be at least 10 to 15 percent of the maximum and no more than 75 to
90 percent of the maximum shot size. Smaller shot volumes provide longer
residence times, thereby producing greater variations in melt viscosity and the
amount of material delivered to the mold.
• The maximum injection pressure is the maximum available pressure for injection.
In hydraulic machines, the injection cylinders are rated for a maximum hydraulic
pressure, typically 14 to 21 MPa.
• The maximum injection velocity is the maximum injection rate available in the
machine; its units are in inches per second (millimeters per second). Standard
machines typically have maximum injection velocities of about 150 to 250 mm/s,
whereas thinwall machines can reach 1500 mm/s (59 in/s).

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 Type of Injection Moulding Machine

• There are various type of Injection Moulding Machine

available based on their functions and utilizations. The cost
of the machines is increased depending on their functions
and size. The simplest Injection Moulding machine is a hand
Injection moulding machine with a very low cost and the
costliest machine may be a screw type automatic
microprocessor Injection moulding machine.
1. Hand Injection Moulding Machine
2. Plunger Type Injection Moulding Machine
3. Screw Type Injection Moulding Machine
4. Plunger-Plunger Injection Moulding Machine
5. Screw-Plunger Injection Moulding Machine
 1. Ha nd I n j e c t i o n Moulding Machine
This type of Injection Moulding Machines are the simplest vertical machine
consists of Barrel, Plunger, Band Heaters along with energy regulator, Rack &
Pinion system for Injecting the material by the plunger, a torpedo and nozzle.
The clamping is done manually on a working table. The machine is fitted on the
working table. Heating is set manually. The capacity of the machine is available
from 0.5 Oz to 2 Oz. Once heating is achieved the production starts manually.
The quality of the product Is completely depend upon the skill ness of the
operator. The heating set point is achieved by heat & trial method. Although
Temperature controller may be fitted on the machine, but the set point is
completely depend on the quantity of product produced by the operator. The
cycle time is completely variable and it depends on the competence of the
operator. The function of the torpedo is to help the material for proper melting
and crate back pressure for help In mixing.
 2. Plunger Type I n j e c t i o n Moulding Machine

Vertical & Horizontal Plunger Type Injection Moulding Machine

• The Plunger type Injection moulding machine is available horizontal or
vertical type and operated pneumatically or hydraulically.
• The clamping and Injection may be Semi or automatic.
• In a semi Automatic type the clamping cylinder & the Injection cylinders
are operated by levers which is connected the pneumatic or hydraulic
cylinders.
• In Automatic type the cylinders are actuated automatically to a set timers.
 3. Screw Type Injection Moulding Machine
• The Screw type Injection Moulding Machine consists of a hopper, a
reciprocating screw and barrel assembly, and an Injection nozzle.
This system confines and transports the plastic as it progresses
through the feeding, compressing, degassing, melting, Injection, and
packing stages.

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 4. Plunger-Plunger Injection Moulding Machine
•As the plastic industry developed a second type plunger machine
appeared, known as two stage plunger. This type of equipment
involved two plunger units set on top of other the one to plasticize the
material and feed it to another cylinder that consist of a chamber to
heat the plastic material by conduction and plunger that operates as
a shooting plunger and push the plasticize material into the mould.
Advantages:
• Faster than conventional machine (single plunger)
•No pressure loss encountered In compacting the granules.
Allows larger parts with more projected area.
Disadvantage:
• Extra construction for pre plasticizing so cost Is more.

20
 5. Screw-Plunger Injection Moulding Machine
•Later still another variation appeared In which first plunger stage (also
known as a pre plasticizer) was replaced by a rotating screw. In this case the
action of the screw serves to work and melt (plasticize) the resin and feed It
Into the second plunger unit where the Injection ram forces it forward into
mould.

Advantages:
• Better mixing and shear action or the plastic melt. Broader
range of stiffer now
• Heat sensitive material can be processed
• Colour change can be handled In shorter time. LOwer stresses are
obtained In the moulded form.

Disadvantages:
• Higher cost in extra construction for pre plasticising unit.
Longer cycle time than reciprocating screw type machine.

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 T h e I n j e c t i o n Process

• Plasticises the material by reciprocating Screw.

• Injects the molten material to a closed mould
- via a channel system of gates and runners.
• Cools the Mould.
• Refills the material for the next cycle.
• Ejects the Product.
• Closes the Mould for further cycle.
 Screw Used in Injection Moulding Machine

The screw has three zones with a ring-plunger assembly. The Feed Zone,
where the plastic first enters the screw and is conveyed along a constant
root diameter; the Transition Zone, where the plastic is conveyed,
compressed and melted along a root diameter that increases with a constant
taper; and the Metering Zone, where the melting of the plastic is completed
and the melt is conveyed forward along a constant root diameter reaching a
temperature and viscosity to form parts.
 Cont…
1. Feed Zone:
Screw is always more highly polished than the barrel.
The barrel temperature is higher than the screw temperature. Consequently, the material adheres
to the barrel as it softens and slip upon the cooler screw. The material Is then compacted In the
feed section and begins to melt.
The majority of the melting occurs In the compression or transition section. In most moulding
metering screws, the feed section is approximately half the screw length.
2. Transition Zone:
• The transition or compression section where the channel depth is continually decreased
completes the compacting and heating of the plastic granules. Here all the remaining air is
released as a result of heat supplied by the cylinder heaters and mechanical energy supplied by
the rotation of the screw.
• Nonmally a transition zone encompasses approxtmately 25% of the screw length. When the
material leaves the area under the hopper, It only partially fills the screw. After about four turns
the material is fully compacted. The material touching the barrel melts by conduction.
• Two types of heating are occurring. One is the convection of heat from the heater barrel. The
second is the conversion of mechanical energy from turning the screw, Into the energy, by
shearing the plastic.
• Since the same weight of material per unit cross section must flow through the whole
length of the extruder, and since the bulk density of the unmelted portion is less than that of
the melted portion, the unmelted portion must be moving at a faster rate.

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 Cont…
3. Metering Zone
The metering section is also known as mixing zone helps for homogeneous mixing
of the materials and acts as a pump, removing the material plasticized in the
transition zone.
4. L/D RATIO
• The L/D ratio is the ratio of the flighted length (Effective Length) of the screw
to its outside diameter.
• Most injection screws use a 20:1 L/D ratio. But it may range from 18:1 to
24:1
• In the case of Thermoset it may range from 12:1 to 16:1.
High L/D Ratio results the following
• More shear heat can be uniformly generated in the plastic without degradation;
• Greater the opportunity for mixing, resulting in a better homogeneity of the
melt.
• Greater the residence time of the plastic in the barrel possibly permitting
faster cycles of larger shots.

Friday, January 13, 2023 25

 5. Compression ratio
• The ratio of the first flight depth of feed zone to the last flight
depth of meter zone ,or,First Channel Volume of feed zone to last
channel volume of metering zone, typically ranges from 1.5:1 to
4.5:1 for most thermoplastic materials. Most injection screws
classified as general purpose have a compression ratio of 2.5:1 to
3.0:1. Thermo set screws have a 1:1 ratio.
The higher the compression ratio, the greater the:

• Shear heat Imparted to the resin

• Heat uniformity of the melt
• Potential for creating stresses in some resins
• More energy consumption
 6. Back Pressure
Back pressure is the amount of pressure exerted by the
material ahead of screw, as the screw is pushed back in
preparation for the next shot.

Effect of Back Pressure

• More Homogeneous Mix
• Proper Melting
• More compact
• Sometime leads degradation
 7. Injection Speed (cm/sec)
The injection speed is the forward speed of the screw
during its injection operation per unit time.
Effect of Injection Speed
• Easy Injection of Material
• Avoid Short-Shot
• Some times leads more orientation & burn marks
 8. Screw Rotation Speed
The screw rotation speed (RPM) is the rate at which the
plasticizing screw rotates.

The faster the screw rotation result the following ..

• Faster the material is compressed by the screw flights
• Increasing the amount of shear heating
• Low residence time, some less melting
 9. Cushion
The cushion is the difference in the final forward position of the
screw and its maximum allowable forward position.
• More Cushion results more residence time, some time
degrades.
• If the screw were allowed to travel its full stroke and stop
mechanically against the nozzle, the cushion would be zero.
• With zero Cushion no hold on works.
• Typically a cushion of 3 to 6 mm is used.
 Four plastic processing conditions

1. heating the plastic

2. Flow to fill the mold
3. Pressure to pack the mold
4. Cooling the plastic
Plastic product properties can change 10% or more by
changing the process condition.
• Heating plastic increase volume and reduces viscosity.
• At higher melt temperature there will be fewer molecules
in the moulded part.
• Thermal degradation resulted from Heating to high
temperature and heating too long.

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 Injection Mouldng Clamping Systems
• The function of clamping unit is to clamp the Injection Mould.
The clamping Pressure is set more than the Injection Pressure so
that the mould does not open during plastic melt Injection.
• Clamping Systems:
1. Manual Clamping
2. Toggle Type Clamping
3. Hydraulic Clamping
4. Tie bar less Clamping
5. Hydro-Mechanical

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 1. Manual Clamping
•Manual clamping in only seen in the case of manual or Hand
Injection Moulding Machine or some time in pneumatic Injection
Moulding Machine. The proper clamping depend on the skill of the
operator. The Clamping force is direct and not measured. The position
of the sprue with respect to nozzle axis is critical. The ejection of the
part from the mould is difficult.

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 2. Toggle type clamping
• A toggle is mechanically device to amplify force.
• In a moulding machine, which consists of two bars joined,
together end to end with a pivot .
• The end of one bar is attached to a stationary platen, and the
other end of a second bar is attached to the movable platen.
• When the mould is open, the toggle is in the shape of a V.
• When pressure is applied to the pivot, the two bars form a straight
line.
 2. Toggle Type Clamping

ADVANTAGE
• Low cost and lower horsepower needed to run.
• Positive clamp of the mould

DISADVANTAGE
• Do not read the clamp force.
• Clamping is more difficult.
• Higher maintenance as lubricant is provided.

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 3. Hydraulic Clamping

• A clamping unit actuated by hydraulic cylinder, which is directly

connected to the moving, closed the mould. In this case ram of
hydraulic system is attached to moving platen. There are two halves
in hydraulic cylinder, which is actually inlet and outlet of oil.
• When oil goes to the cylinder with pressure oil pushes the ram to
forward direction by which moving platen moves and mould
closed and when oil comes from the cylinder the ram come back and
mould is open.
 Hydraulic Clamping
Advantage
• Clamp speed easily controlled and stopped at any point.
• Direct a read out of clamp force.
• Easy adjustment of clamped force and easy mould set up.
• Low maintenance as part is self lubricated.

Disadvantage
• It is higher cost and more expensive than toggle system.
• None positive clamp.
 4. Tie-bar less clamping
• Tie-Bar less clamping system is basically Hydraulic
clamping system without any tie bar.
• The platen is moved on a rail system.
• The main advantage of this system is no limitation of mould platen
size.
• As there is no tie bar so the mould dimension is not so important.
• Also mounting of the mould is easy and it is very useful when
products eject from the mould is manual.
 Tie-bar less clamping
• Much larger mould mounting area.
• Larger stroke compared to the toggle type machines.
• Full machine capacity can be utilised.
• Smaller machines can mould larger components.
• Saves floor space.
• Saves electrical energy because of reduction in the size of
machine.
• Has the capacity to reduce weight of the moulded component
because tie bar stretching is not there.
• Machine becomes very flexible for future modification.
• Easy access to mould cavity's because of the absence of the tie
bars.
• Robotic arm movement becomes easy.
• Fewer moving parts so lesser wear and tear so longer life for
machines.
• Lower lubrication required.
• Removal of mould plates much simple.
• Greater stability.
 S e t t i n g Machine Process Conditions
1. Set the melt temperature
2. Set the mold temperature
3. Set the switch-over position
4. Set the screw rotation speed
5. Set the back pressure
6. Set the injection pressure to the machine maximum
7. Set the holding pressure at zero MPa
8. Set the injection velocity to the machine maximum
9. Set the holding time
10. Set ample remaining cooling time
11 Set the mold open time
12 Mold a short-shot series by increasing injection volume
13 Switch to automatic operation
14 Set the mold opening stroke
15 Set the ejector stroke, start position, and velocity
16 Set the injection volume to 99% mold filled
17 Increase the holding pressure in steps
18 Minimize the holding time
19 Minimize the remaining cooling time
 Basic Process Factors in Injection Moulding
Material Parameters
 Amorphous, Semicrystalline, Blends and Filled Systems
 Pressure-Volume-Temperature(PVT) Behavior
 Viscosity
Geometry Parameters
• Wall Thickness of Part
• Number of Gates
• Gate Location
• Gate Thickness and Area
• Type of Gates: Manually or Automatically Trimmed
• Constraints from Ribs, Bosses and Inserts
Manufacturing Parameters
• Fill Time
• Packing Pressure Level
• Mold Temperature
• Melt Temperature
 Process Controls
Injection Moulding cycle can be broken down into four phases:
• Fill,
• Pack,
• Hold, and
• Cooling/plastication
These phases can be controlled by following variables:
• Injection Speed,
• Plastic Temperature,
• Plastic Pressure,
• Cooling Temperature and Time.
 P o s t Moulding Operation

• Heat inserting
• Chrome Plating
• In Mould Insert Moulding
• Post Mould Inserting
• Drilling
• Polishing
• Assembly
 Secondary operations
• Bonding – Hard coating
• Welding – Metallizing/shielding
– Surface treatment
• Inserting
– Annealing
• Staking – Machining
• Swaging
• Assembling with fasteners
• Applique: a surface
covering applied by heat
and pressure
• Printing: a process of
making a mark or
impression onto a
Painting
44
 Benefits of Post Moulding Operations
• Reduced costs - by carrying out post moulding operations in
house, and utilising lean manufacturing tools, we can greatly reduce
component costs and the complexity of work that our customers
would ordinarily undertake.
• High level of quality - performing post-moulding operations on
products helps ensure that a high level of quality is maintained. By
checking parts from the moment they leave a press, to final
assembly, quality levels can be maintained and ensure that
components are only assembled to the highest standards.
• Reduction of Customer's stock holding - Assembly of
components will reduce the cost of customers stock holding due to
delivery of an assembly rather than a range of components.
• Reduced production times - post moulding operations mean there is
very little time between the production of components and their
assembly. This means that a great deal of time can be saved when
components would normally be transported, or stored, in between
moulding and assembly operations.
 Benefits of Heat Inserting
• Increased functionality- by adding inserts to mouldings the
part can more easily be used for its designed purpose. For
example by adding threaded inserts parts can be easily be screwed
to their fixings or other parts, increasing their functionality.
• Low part degradation - the process of heat inserting means that
the heating/melting of the part is very localised to where the
insert will be pressed in. this means that parts do not suffer
warping, or any other distortion effects, due to being heated again.
• High level of quality - due to the known challenges with heat
inserting extra measures are taken to ensure the processes is
repeated to as high a level as possible, meaning part quality is kept
very high.
 Chrome
Plating

Due to the chrome plating process requiring the

part to be electrically conductive, a series of steps
are required before the chrome can be deposited
onto the surface of the product.
 Benefits of Chrome Plating
• Metal finish - Metal finishes can be very popular and, by
coating plastics, advantage can be taken of
characteristics from both materials.
• Wear resistant as chrome is a metal rather than a plastic
its wear resistance properties are much greater than those
of the plastic it covers. This means for applications
where a part might be handled repeatedly, such as a shower
handset, a chrome finish is likely to wear better than its
plastic counterpart.
• Electrically conductive parts by chrome or nickel plating a
part it is possible to give a plastic component the ability to
conduct electricity. This gives the advantage of being able to
create electrical components that are light weight and less
costly to produce than completely metal parts.
• Attractive mouldings by applying chrome finish to
mouldings
 In Mould I n s e r t Moulding

In mould insert moulding is the process by which a

metal, or preformed plastic, insert is incorporated in
to the component during the moulding stage.
 Benefits of In Mould Insert Moulding
• Reduced post-moulding operations- With in mould insert moulding the
need for post moulding operations is greatly reduced. This helps with ease
of assembly and reduces the labour necessary for products.
• Increased part consistency - Insert Moulding has major benefits in
the consistency of parts produced. As the inserts are placed in the
same locations in tools for every cycle each of the mouldings produced
will be exactly the same. This helps reduce costs, as rejected parts will be
kept to a minimum.
• Ease of assembly - Due to inserts being incorporated into parts during the
moulding stage this eases the assembly of the part. Instead of having to
place fittings to attach parts fittings can be incorporated during the
moulding stage so that parts can be simply clipped together.
• Reduced production time - when vertical moulding machines, that are
equipped with a rotary table, are used for production there is the
opportunity to have two halves of the lower part of the tool. This means
that production is almost constant with mouldings being formed at the
same time as fresh inserts are being loaded into the second half of the tool.
This lowers overall production times and can also reduce the amount of
labour needed.
 Post M o u l d I n s e r t i n g

Post mould inserting is the process by which a metal,

or preformed plastic, insert is incorporated
into a moulding by means of a secondary process
once the component has already been moulded.
 Benefits of Post Mould Inserting
• Ease of assembly - by adding inserts to a moulding the ease by which
it can be assembled is greatly increased. Inserts such as clips or screw
bolts can be incorporated into mouldings which greatly assist assembly
operations and subsequent product performance.
• Increased part functionality - besides adding inserts to aid
assembly inserts that improve a parts functionality can also be used. For
example, terminal fittings for wires, or seals to make parts watertight.
• Increased component value - any second operation carried out on a part
will add value to it. By adding inserts to help assembly or increase
functionality, product value will be raised. This helps to compensate for
the extra time involved in second operations and ensure products
remain cost effective.
• Good part consistency - to carry out post mould inserting jigs are used
to hold mouldings while they are inserted. This means that the repeatability
of the operation is very good and all parts inserted will be of the same
quality.
 Drilling

The drilling of parts is used to remove any unnecessary

polymer that may have been necessary in the moulding
process. By removing this extra material in house it
means a ready-to-assemble moulding can be provided to the
customer, or the part can be assembled with other mouldings.
 Polishing
For products that have a high quality gloss finish a post moulding
polishing operation is often a useful extra process. Even though
the finish produced by the moulding tool may be of a very high
quality, a polishing operation to remove any dust from the
product before final packaging gives a part the high gloss
finish that will have been specified.. Polishing operations are
carried out on a soft polishing wheel with high quality wax to
ensure that a part is polished to a perfect finish without leaving
any marks.
 Assembly
For products that require assembly we are able to carry out
this operation in our assembly facility. We can demonstrate
examples of assemblies where we mould all the separate
components in house and assemble the parts either as a
whole in the assembly facility or as a step by step process
on the press as each part is produced. By carrying out assembly
in house we can reduce costs for our customers while still
producing products to a high standard.
Faults & Remedies
 Sink Marks
• Depression in a moulded part caused by shrinking or collapsing
of the resin during cooling.

Sink Marks- Problems

• Resin feed inadequate
• Improper mould design.
• Parts cool too rapidly
• Rib section in part too wide.
• Temperature of mould surface
opposite rib too hot.
• Entrapped gas.
• Nozzle too restrictive,
• land length too long.
• Pressure too low.
• Mould temperature too low or high
• Stock temperature too high
• Gate too small
• Improper gate location
• Nozzle and metering zone
temperatures too high.
• Excessive cooling time in mould
• Unbalanced flow pattern.
• Bad check valve.
 Jetting
• Turbulence in the resin melt flow caused by undersized gate, abrupt
change in cavity volume, or too high injection pressure.

Jetting-Problems
• Excessive injection speed.
• Melt temperature too high.
• Melt temperature too low.
• mould temperature too low.
• Nozzle opening too small.
• Gate and length too long.
• Sprue, runner, and/or gate size too
small.
• Nozzle heating band malfunction.
• Inefficient gate location.
 SplayMarks(SilverStreaking,SplashMarks)
• Marks or droplet type imperfections formed on the surface
of a finished part.

SplayMarks(SilverStreaking, Splash Marks)- Problems

• Obstruction in nozzle.
• Screw rpm too high.
• Back pressure too low. • Burr in runner or gate.
• Melt temperature too • Cracked mould.
high. • Trapped volatiles.
• Nozzle too hot. • Excessive moisture.
• Nozzle too small. • Resin contaminated.
• Gates too small. • mould cavity
• Sprue too small. contamination.
• Insufficient venting. • Excessive shot size.
 Blush
• Discoloration generally appearing at gates, around inserts, or other
obstructions along the flow path. Usually indicates weak points.
Blush-problems
• m o u l d temperature too c o ld
• Injection f i l l speed too fast
• Melt stock temperature too h i g h or to o
low.
• Improper gate location
• Sprue and nozzle diameter too small.
• Nozzle temperature too low.
• Insufficient c o l d s l u g well.
• Sharp Corners in gate area
• Resin excessively moist.
• Inadequate injection pressure.
 B u r n Marks
• Black marks or scorch marks on surface moulded part;
usually on the side of the part opposite the gate or in a deep
cavity.
BurnMarks- Problems
• Excessive Injection speed
• Excessive injection
pressure.
• Inefficient mould • Faulty temperature
temperature. controllers.
• Excessive amount of • Frictional burring--gates too
volatiles due to improper small
Venting. • Dead material hung up on
• Improper gate location screw or nozzle.
• Front zone temperature too • Melt stock temperature too
high. high or too low.
• Screw speed too high. • Nozzle diameter too small
• Excessive back pressure. • Over-heated heater band
• Compression ratio of screw • Incorrect screw rpm.
too high.
 Poor Weld Lines ( Kni t Lines)
• Inability of t w o melt fronts to k n i t together in a
homogeneous fashion during the moulding process,
resulting in weak areas in the part of varying severity.

I I
 Poor weld lines-problems
• Material too cold.
• Injection speed too slow
• Entrapment of air at
weld line.
• Improper mould design.
• Contamination of
poorly dispersed
pigments.
• Core shifting.
• mould temperature to low.
• Injection speed too slow.
• Melt stock temperature
to low.
• Injection pressure too
low .
• Insufficient mould venting
• Cylinder temperature too
low.
• Injection back pressure too
low.
• Nozzle diameter too small.
• Excessive screw flights in
metering zone.
• Improper gate locations
and/or size.
• Distance from gate
excessive.
• Ineffective flow pattern.
• mould release agent (brittle
weld lines).
• Inadequate flow.
 Voids (bubbles)
• An unfilled space of such size that it scatters radiant energy
such as light.

Vo i d s - P r o b l e ms
• Injection pressure too low
• Packing time too short
• Insufficient feed of material
• mould temperature too low.
• Injection speed too high
• Excessive cushion
• At the side of a rib; rib t o o thick.
• Runners or gate too small or badly positioned.
 Delamination (Skinning)
• Surface of the finished part separates or appears to be
composed of layer of solidified resin. Strata or fish scale
type appearance where the layers may be separated.

Delamination - Problems
• Contamination of resin by additives or
other foreign materials.
• Resin temperature too low.
• Non-uniformity of resin temperature.
• Wrong mould temperature.
• Excessive material moisture.
• Inadequate injection speed.
• Sharp corners at gate.
• Incompatible polymers.
 FlowLines andFolds
Mark visible on the finished item that indicate
the direction of flow in the cavity.
Low lines and folds –problems
• Stock temperature too low.
• Runners too small
• Improper gate size and/or location.
• m o u l d temperature too low.
• Inadequate c o l d s l u g well.
 Excessive Warpagel Shrinkage
Excessive dimensional change in a part after processing, or the
excessive decrease in dimension in a part through cooling.

WarpageI Shrinkage-Problems
• Parts cool unevenly.
• Parts underpacked.
• mould closed time too short.
• Improper gate location.
• Inefficient injection forward time.
• Ram speed too high or too low.
• Gate too restrictive
• Unequal temperature
• Injection and holding pressure
between mould halves.
too high or low.
• Non-uniform part ejection.
• Melt temperature
inadequate.
• Parts mishandled after
ejection.
• Excessive nozzle and metering zone
temperatures.
• Unbalanced gates on
multiple gated part. • mould temperature too high (for
thick wall sections).
• Too many stresses in part.
 Black Specks
• Particles in the surface of an opaque part and visible throughout a
transparent part

Black Specks- Problems

• Contamination of material.
• Holdup of molten resin moulding machine or mould runner
system.
• Press Contamination.
• Local over-heating in the injection cylinder.
• Defective closure of the nozzle.
• Oxidation by occluded air or inadequate air venting
• mould contains grease.
• Trapped air
• Inefficient injection speed.
 Brittleness
• Tendency of a moulded part to break, crack, shatter, etc. under
conditions which it would not normally do so.
Brittleness-problems
• Mould temperature too high
• Inadequate cooling in gate area
• Gate section of item too thin (gate brittleness)
• Resin too cold.
• Non-uniformity of resin temperature.
• Undried material.
• Contamination.
• Poor part design.
• Material degraded.
• Non-compatible mould release.
• Packing the mould.
• Melt temperature too cold.
• Excessive amounts of regrind.
 Brittleness- Problems
• Inadequate mould temperature
• Excessive screw rpm
• Excessive back pressure
• Insufficient venting.
• Improper gate location.
• Excessive injection speed.
• Excessive residence timed
• Melt temperature too high.
• Nozzle too hot.
• Injection pressure too low (weld lines).
• Runners and gates in adequate (weld lines).
• Dwell time in the injection cylinder too long (material degraded).
• Material degraded during drying or pre-heating
 Flash
• Excess plastic around the area of the mould parting line on a
moulded part.

Flash-problems
• mould parting surfaces do not seal properly.
• Injection pressure too high.
• Clamp pressure set too low or projected area or
item too large for clamp pressure of the machine.
• Injection temperature too high.
• Feed needs adjustment.
• Hold time too long.
• Inadequate mould supports.
• Oversize vents.
 Blister

• Defect on the surface of a moulded part caused by

gases trapped w it h i n t h e part during curing.

Blister-problems
• Screw rpm too high
• Back pressure too low
• m o u l d temperature too low.
• Gate improperly located
• Insufficient venting.
• Regrind too coarse
 Crazing
• Fine cracks in part surface. May extend in a network over the
surface or through the part.

Crazing-problems
• Insufficient drying of the material.
• Contamination.
• Injection temperature too high (crazing
accompanied by dis-coloring or yellowing).
• mould surface contaminated
• Inadequate injection speed.
• Inefficient injection forward time.
• Excessive injection pressure.
• mould temperature too low.
• Gate too large.
 Cracking
• Fracture of the plastic material in an area around a boss, projection,
or moulded insert.

Cracking- Problems
• Parts cool too quickly
• moulded-in stress
• Wall thickness too heavy for compound.
 Low G l o s s - Problems
• Inadequate polish of mo u ld surface.
• Material or m o u l d too cold.
• Air entrapment.
• Melt index of material too low.
• Improper mould design.
• Wrong injection pressure.
• Excessive injection speed. Low G l o s s
• Inadequate flow. • Surface roughness
resulting f r o m high speed
• Contamination f i l l w h i c h causes surface
• Resin excessively mo i s t wrinkling as the polymer
• Sprue, runners, and/or gate size too melt f lo w s along the wall
small. of t h e mould.
• Pigment agglomerates.
• Oil or grease on k n o ck out p in s.
 Short Shot
• Injection of insufficient material to fill t!fililliiilmi
the mould.
m fjfflifiiTfrfirn

Short shot-problems ·mrm

• Insufficient feed, cushion.
• Inadequate injection pressure.
• Inadequate injection speed.
• Insufficient booster or injection
high- pressure time.
• Inefficient screw delay.
• Inadequate injection back pressure. • Melt index of resin to o low.
• Melt temperature too low.
• Cylinder temperature inadequate.
• M o u l d temperature too low.
• Gates, sprues, and/or runners too
small.
• Excessive screw flights in
metering zone.
• Insufficient venting.
• Improper gate location.
• Excessive clearance between non-
return valve and barrel.
• Screw bridging.
• Injection press of insufficient
capacity.