ProtoTyping
- Injection Molding
Short history of plastics
1862 first synthetic plastic
1866 Celluloid
1891 Rayon
1907 Bakelite
1913 Cellophane
1926 PVC
1933 Polyethylene
1938 Teflon
1939 Nylon stockings
1957 velcro
1967 “The Graduate”
Outline
Basic operation
Cycle time and heat transfer
Flow and solidification
Part design
Tooling
New developments
Environment
Readings
Tadmore and Gogos
Molding and Casting pp584 -610
Boothroyd Dewhurst
Design for Injection Molding pp 319 - 359
Kalpakjian see Ch 18
Injection molding case study;Washing machine
augers; see on web page
30 ton, 1.5 oz (45 cm3) Engel
Injection Molding Machine
for wheel fabrication
Process & machine schematics
*
Schematic of thermoplastic Injection molding machine
* Source: [Link]
Process Operation
Temperature: barrel zones, tool, die zone
Pressures: injection max, hold
Times: injection, hold, tool opening
Shot size: screw travel
Processing window
Temp. Thermal
degradation
Flash
Short-
shot
Melt
Pressure
Typical pressure/temperature cycle
*
*
Time(sec) Time(sec)
Cooling time generally dominates cycle time
tcool =
(half thickness )
2
α
* Source: [Link]
α = 10 −3 cm3 sec for polymers
Calculate clamp force, & shot size
F=P X A = 420 tons
3.8 lbs = 2245 cm3
=75 oz
Actual ; 2 cavity 800 ton
Clamp force and machine cost
Heat transfer Note; αTool > αpolymer
1-dimensional heat conduction equation :
∂ ∂q
qx qx + ∆qx ( ρ ⋅ c p ⋅ T )∆x∆y = − x ∆x∆y
∂t ∂x
∂T
Fourier’s law q x = −k
∂x
∂T ∂ 2T ∂T ∂ 2T
ρ ⋅ cp = k 2 or =α 2
∂t ∂x ∂t ∂x
Boundary Conditions: 1st kind T ( x = x' ) = constant
∂T
2nd kind −k ( x = x' ) = constant
∂x
∂T
3rd kind −k ( x = x' ) = h (T − T∞ )
∂x
The boundary condition of 1st kind applies to injection molding since the
tool is often maintained at a constant temperature
Heat transfer
Tii Let Lch = H/2 (half thickness) = L ; tch = L2/α ;
t ∆Tch = Ti – TW (initial temp. – wall temp.)
TW
T − TW x α ⋅t
Non-dimensionalize: θ = ; ξ = + 1; FO = 2
-L
x
+L
Ti − TW L L
Dimensionless equation: ∂θ ∂ 2θ
= 2
∂FO ∂ξ
Initial condition FO = 0 θ =1
Boundary condition ξ =0 θ =0
ξ =2 θ =0
Separation of variables ; θ (ξ , FO ) = ∑ f ( FO ) g (ξ )
matching B.C.; matching I.C.
Temperature in a slab
Centerline, θ = 0.1, Fo = αt/L2 = 1
Bi-1 =k/hL
Reynolds Number
V2
Reynolds Number: ρ inertia
ρVL
Re = L =
V
µ 2 viscous µ
L
For typical injection molding
ρ = 1 g cm3 = 103 N m 4 s 2 ; LZ = 10 −3 m thickness
−1 Re = 10 −4
Part length 10
V≈ = ; µ = 103 N ⋅ s m 2
Fill time 1s
For Die casting
3 ⋅103 × 10 −1 × 10 −3
Re ≈ −3
= 300
10
* Source: [Link]
Viscous Shearing of Fluids
F
v F/A
h µ v
1 τ =µ
h
F v
∝ v/h
A h Newtonian Viscosity
Generalization: τ = µγ& γ& : shear rate
τ Typical shear rate for
= η (γ& )
γ& Injection molding Polymer processes (sec)-1
Extrusion 102~103
Calendering 10~102
“Shear Thinning” Injection molding 103~104
Comp. Molding 1~10
~ 1 sec-1 for PE γ&
Viscous Heating
2
Rate of Heating P F ⋅v F v v
= Rate of Viscous Work = = ⋅ = µ
Vol Vol A h h
Rate of Temperature rise 2
µ
2
dT v dT v
ρ ⋅ cp = µ or =
dt h dt ρ ⋅ c p h
Rate of Conduction out dT k d 2T k ∆T
= ~
dt ρ ⋅ c p dx 2 ρ ⋅ c p h 2
Viscous heating µv 2
= Brinkman number
Conduction k∆T
For injection molding, order of magnitude ~ 0.1 to 10
Non-Isothermal Flow
Flow rate: 1/t ~V/Lx
v
Heat transfer rate: 1/t ~a/(Lz/2)2
Flow rate V ⋅ L2z 1 VLz Lz
~ = ⋅ Small value
Heat xfer rate 4α ⋅ Lx 4 α Lx => Short shot
For injection molding
Flow rate 1 10cm / s × 0.1cm 0.1cm
~ −3 2
⋅ = 2.5
Heat xfer rate 4 10 cm / s 10cm
For Die casting of aluminum
Flow rate 1 10cm / s × 0.1cm 0.1cm −2
~ ⋅ ≅ 10
Heat xfer rate 4 0.3cm 2 / s 10cm
* Very small, therefore it requires thick runners
Injection mold die cast mold
Fountain Flow
*
**
* Source: [Link] ; ** Z. Tadmore and C. Gogos, “Principles of Polymer Processing”
Shrinkage distributions
sample Transverse direction
V=3.5cm/s
V=8cm/s
* Source: G. Menges and W. Wubken, “Influence of processing conditions on Molecular Orientation in Injection Molds”
Gate Location and Warping
Shrinkage
2.0 Direction of flow – 0.020 in/in
60° 1.96
Sprue 60.32°
Perpendicular to flow – 0.012
2.0 1.976
Before shrinkage After shrinkage
Air entrapment
Gate
Center gate: radial flow – severe distortion Edge gate: warp free, air entrapment
Diagonal gate: radial flow – twisting End gates: linear flow – minimum warping
Effects of mold temperature and
pressure on shrinkage
0.030 0.030 LDPE
LDPE PP Acetal
0.025 Acetal 0.025 PP with
flow
Shrinkage
0.020 Nylon 6/6 0.020
Shrinkage
0.015
PP across
0.015
flow Nylon
6/6
0.010 0.010
0.005 0.005
PMMA
PMMA
0.000 0.000
100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 6000 10000 14000 18000
8000 12000 16000
Mold Temperature (F)
Pressure on injection plunger (psi)
Where would you gate this part?
Weld line, Sink mark
Gate
Weld line
Mold Filling Solidified part
Sink mark
Basic rules in designing ribs
to minimize sink marks
* Source: [Link]
Injection Molding
*
* Source: [Link]
Where is injection
molding?
∆Ltotal = ∆Lmold + ∆Lshrinkage
Effects of mold temperature and
pressure on shrinkage
0.030 LDPE
Acetal
0.025 PP with
flow
0.020
Shrinkage
PP across
0.015
flow Nylon
6/6
0.010
0.005
PMMA
0.000
6000 10000 14000 18000
8000 12000 16000
Pressure on injection plunger (psi)
Tooling Basics
Nozzle
Sprue
Cavity Plate Core Plate
Moulding
Core
Cavity
Cavity Basic mould consisting of cavity and core plate
Runner
Gate
Melt Delivery
Tooling for a plastic cup
Nozzle
Knob
Runner
Cavity
Part
Stripper plate
Core
Tooling for a plastic cup
Nozzle
Nozzle Knob
Runner
Runner
Cavity
Cavity Cavity
Part
Part Part
Stripper
plate
Tooling *
*
*
* **
* Source: [Link] ** [Link] (E-trainer by HZS Co.,Ltd.)
Part design rules
Simple shapes to reduce tooling cost
No undercuts, etc.
Draft angle to remove part
In some cases, small angles (1/4°) will do
Problem for gears
Even wall thickness
Minimum wall thickness ~ 0.025 in
Avoid sharp corners
Hide weld lines
Holes may be molded 2/3 of the way through the
wall only, with final drilling to eliminate weld lines
New developments- Gas
assisted injection molding
New developments ; injection
molding with cores
Injection Molded Housing shown in class
Cores used in Injection Molding
Cores and Part Molded in Clear Plastic
Environmental issues
Petroleum and refining
Primary processing
Out gassing & energy during processing
End of life
Environmental loads by
manufacturing sector
Carbon Dioxide and Toxic Materials per Value of Shipments
5
4.5
4
Weight/Dollars
3.5
3 CO2 (metric ton/$10,000)
2.5
2
1.5 Toxic Mat'ls (lb/$1000)
1
0.5
0
Primary Metal
Plastics and
Fabricated
Transportation
Petroleum
Machinery
and Coal
Chemicals
Electronic
Metal
Rubber
Manufacturing industries EPA 2001, DOE 2001
The estimated environmental performance of various
mfg processes (not including auxiliary requirements)
*Energy per wt. normalized ** total raw mat’l normalized
by the melt energy by the part wt.
The printer goes in the hopper…
And comes out….
The problem with plastics is…
Or remanufacture….
Summary
Basic operation
Cycle time and heat transfer
Flow and solidification
Part design
Tooling
New developments
Environment
