SPE Library

The SPE Library contains thousands of papers, presentations, journal briefs and recorded webinars from the best minds in the Plastics Industry. Spanning almost two decades, this collection of published research and development work in polymer science and plastics technology is a wealth of knowledge and information for anyone involved in plastics.

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Conference Proceedings

Water-Assist Injection Molding – An Innovative Process Technology for Productivity Improvement - Developments in Processing, Equipment and Materials

Rainer Protte, Hartmut Bangert, Chris Cooper, Peter Hoeck, May 2004

Although water-assist injection molding is still in its infancy, this enabling technology promises productivity improvements for applications that may otherwise be cost prohibitive with gas-assist injection molding. Cycle times are reduced through cooling time reductions and the utilization of water as a cost-effective cooling medium when compared to nitrogen. For example, automotive suppliers have the potential for a broad range of cost savings with the production of conduits like cooling pipes or oil pipes. Other parts with large cross sections may also be produced in a cost-effective manner with water-assist injection molding. In fact, production parts in Europe are now beginning.Compared to the gas-assist injection molding details of the process, equipment, and the special material developments will be examined in this paper.

Effect of Injection Speed on Gas Penetration Length, Residual Wall Thickness and the Melt Front Position during Gas-Assisted Injection Molding

Jin-woong Shin, A.I. Isayev, May 2004

Extensive experiments were conducted to study the effect of injection speed on gas penetration length, residual wall thickness, the melt front position and short-shot weight of gas-assisted injection molded part. Experiments were performed on polystyrene melts filling a spiral tube cavity at three different melt temperatures. Simultaneous measurements of the screw position and the evolution of gas pressure and melt pressure in the cavity were performed. At a constant shot size, the length of melt propagation and the weight of moldings were found to increase with an increase of injection speed. An implication of these finding for gas penetration in gas-assisted injection molding was discussed.

Transient Gas/Melt Interface and Gas Penetration during Gas-Assisted Injection Molding: Simulation and Experiment

C.T. Li, J.W. Shin, A.I. Isayev, H.S. Lee, May 2004

Theoretical and experimental studies have been carried out on the transient gas-liquid interface development and gas penetration behavior during the cavity filling and gas packing stage in the gas-assisted injection molding of a spiral tube cavity. The evolution of the gas/melt interface and as well as the distribution of the residual wall thickness of skin melt along with the advancement of gas/melt front have been investigated. The physical model for both the primary and secondary gas penetrations was developed based on the Hele-Shaw approximation combined with interface kinematics and dynamics. Numerical simulations were implemented on a fixed mesh covering the entire cavity. The residual thickness of a polymer layer and the length of gas penetration in moldings were calculated using a commercial software (C-Mold) and both the simulation and model developed in this study. Extensive molding experiments were performed on polystyrene at different processing conditions. The obtained results on the gas bubble dynamics and penetration behavior were compared with those predicted by the present simulation and C-Mold.

Setup and Optimisation of the Gas Assisted Injection Moulding Process Using an Expert System

L. Mulvaney-Johnson, P.D. Coates, R.G. Speight, P.A. Brincat, A.S. Bakharev, May 2004

An expert system has been developed here to assist the machine setter eliminate common defects from a gas assisted injection moulded product. The system breaks down the range of possible mould tool configurations into four main modes of operation. A process starting point is determined by an initialisation routine. The process is changed according to specified product defects to provide acceptable products. A further routine optimises the process by ensuring the process envelope, defined by natural random variation, does not move outside the moulding window. A multicavity mould tool has been used to validate the routines.

Three-Dimensional Simulation of Gas-Assisted Injection Molding Process

K.C. Shih, T.M. Liou, S.W. Chau, S.C. Chen, Y.W. Lin, N.T. Cheng, May 2004

In this study, the application of a finite volume discretization and volume-of-fluid method has been demonstrated to simulate three-dimensional gas-assisted injection molding processes. An effective fluid concept is employed to compute segregated multi-fluid flows. The modified Cross model and Arrhenius temperature equation are implemented in the numerical scheme in order to calculate the rheological properties of polymer flows. The numerical results successfully depict some important three-dimensional phenomena, such as the jetting effect, race-tracking effect, corner effect, and the flow asymmetry after the gas is injected, which could not be described by any two-and-half dimensional model commonly used in the current commercial CAE applications.

Artificially Balancing Geometrically Balanced Runner Systems

Kevin Boell, John Beaumont, Brian Young, May 2004

Artificially balancing melt delivery systems is a common practice in injection molding to compensate for filling imbalances. This artificial balance is attempted through tweaking runner and gate sizes or varying drop temperatures within melt delivery systems. These approaches at best only provide an extremely delicate pressure balance rather than address the root cause of the problem. This paper presents the results of a study that examined the robustness of artificial balancing and compares it to new advancements that address the problem that causes these imbalances.

Comparative Performance of a H13 and Beryllium-Copper Core Caps in a Thin-Wall Injection Molding Application

Vincent Barre, Layne Lumus, Likuo Sun, May 2004

As a result of heat transfer properties superior to that of standard tool steel, copper-beryllium alloy inserts are expected to provide cycle time improvements in some injection molds. However, issues such as manufacturing cost can limit the benefits of using such inserts. A thin-wall single cavity container mold with inter-changeable H13 and Copper Beryllium core caps was used to quantify the possible differences between these materials. Under optimized single cavity process conditions (cycle time below 3 seconds), the cycle time could be significantly reduced by using the copper beryllium core cap. However, the impact properties of the resulting cups were reduced for some of the materials under investigation. No such disparity either in the process or in the mechanical properties could be observed when a stack mold process (cycle time around 5 seconds) was simulated. There is evidence that the container’ impact behavior is mostly determined by the local internal stresses near the injection gate.

A General Method of Designing Injection Molds by Straightforward Solution Procedures

Natti S. Rao, Günter Schumacher, Nick R. Schott, May 2004

The design of injection molds can be accomplished by the state-of-the-art software available on the market. However, in daily practice where quick estimates of the parameters involved are needed, the application of sophisticated software can be time consuming and costly. This paper deals with straightforward solution procedures for optimizing the mold design by taking thermal, mechanical and rheological design criteria into account. Easily applicable analytical methods are given for calculating the heat transfer between the melt and the coolant. It is shown in these calculations how the geometrical layout of the cooling channels is related to the mechanical strength of the mold material. Furthermore, explicit relationships based on resin rheology are presented for balancing the melt flow in runner systems. These proven equations are illustrated by numerous worked-out examples.

Thermal Performance of Hybrid Injection Moulds with Epoxy Inserts

P.S. Lima, João Ramos, A.S. Pouzada, May 2004

Hybrid injection molds with non-metallic components in the molding zone are being considered for short runs or pre-series. Cast resin tooling is one of the techniques for making the molding inserts. The nonmetallic materials being used have poor thermal properties that tend to increase substantially the molding cycle. In this study, the dependence of the thermal performance of hybrid molds with respect to the cooling layout was studied using epoxy inserts. Experimental data was gathered in terms of temperature at the polymer/mold interface and compared with simulation using the software C-MOLD. The thermal performance is discussed for different cooling layouts.

Sequential Injection Molding Using Fast-Response Valve Gate System

Shia-Chung Chen, Radium L.T. Huang, Pao-Lin Su, May 2004

Due to the complication in operation mechanisms, commercial valve gate usually delays for about 0.3 to 0.5 seconds once the valve-opening command is given. This signal to operation delay limits its application to 3C thin-wall injection molded parts. In this study, a fast-response gas-driven unit developed for thin-wall gas-assisted injection molding was adopted to perform valve gate control. Verifications of valve-gate opening were monitored using CCD camera, cavity pressure transducers and accelerometer, respectively. All design parameters including gas-valve response characteristics, tolerance between inner piston and cylinder, gas pressure, melt temperature, etc., that would affect valve-gate opening were investigated. The delay time for vale-gate shaft movement in a non-melt environment can be reduced to about 50 milliseconds whereas it increases to about 80 milliseconds in a melt-filled environment. The improved system results in injection molded parts without weld line and good cosmetic quality.

An Advanced Cavity/Core System Mold for Ultra-Low Pressure Injection Molding-“ULPAC Mold”

Hiroyuki Iwami, Masayoshi Fukuoka, Yuzo Ohno, Hiroyuki Kanayama, Hiroyuki Hamada, May 2004

An innovative injection mold system with a specific function has been developed for improving surface defects of molded articles. The system mold comprises an insulated thin metal cavity surface and a release-functioning core surface. Immediately after mold-filling under a low pressure such as one third of that in conventional molding, the cavity surface rapidly increases in temperature to develop wettability and adhering, while the resin on the core side is released and migrates toward cavity side to compensate the surface shrinkage. This will bring the merit to produce paint-free articles having accurate surface patterns in molding with downsized machines.

Heat Exchange in Molds for Injection Molding of Low-Viscous Epoxy Resins

Nenad Cvjeticanin, Igor Catic, May 2004

The main aim of the research was to study the influence of adjustable process parameters on the breaking load of electrical insulating parts. Those insulating parts have been made by injection molding of low-viscous epoxy resins. Based on planned experiments and statistical analysis it has been concluded that the most influence on breaking load had two parameters: cavity wall temperature and reaction time. Thus, the additional aim of investigation was defined, which is to study the temperature field in molds and to establish the heat balance of molds for this procedure. Based on our own experience in this field, starting with heat exchange in molds for injection molding of thermoplastics, powder thermosets like phenolic and rubber compounds, one difference has been established. Due to long cycle time, some additional factors influence the heat exchange and temperature field in these molds.

The Optimized Design for Gates Location of Injection Molds Based on Filling Simulation and Industry Application

Shen Changyu, Li Qian, Liu Chuntai, Wang Lixia, Dong Binbin, May 2004

In injection molding process, gates design is of great importance to part quality and productivity. For a certain application, gate design includes selection of the gate number, location, type, and dimension, and it is dictated by the part and mold design. Numerical simulation of the molding process is an effective means that can be used to compare different effects of various gate designs. In this paper gate location design is studied, an industrially practical example illustrate how to use numerical simulation to optimize gate location.

Thin Wall Molding: Achieving Longer Flow Lengths and Decreased Internal Stress with Injection-Compression Molding

Dan Barrows, Peter Hoeck, Chris Cooper, May 2004

Different grades of PC and PC/ABS blends were molded at a wall thickness from 1.5mm to 0.5mm. A comparison was made between high-pressure, high-speed injection molding and injection-compression molding to evaluate flow length, fill pressure, and molded-in stress. In addition several factors specific to injection compression molding, such as mold gap and screw position at the start of compression were examined for their effect on flow length. It was seen that through the use of injection-compression molding longer flow lengths can be achieved and parts as thin as 0.5mm are possible.

Control of the Thermo-Mechanical Environment in Injection Molding

C.A. Silva, J.C. Viana, G.R. Dias, A.M. Cunha, May 2004

A special tool was designed to allow the injection molding of flat disc geometry under a wide window of thermo-mechanical conditions. This can be achieved by controlled mechanical actions of one of the cavity molding walls, which is able to rotate and move axially (in steady or oscillating modes) during the filling and holding stages. The movements are assured by two servo-actuated electric motors allowing for an accurate control of a previously defined moving sequence.This injection tool was used to mold polypropylene under different thermo-mechanical set-ups, including a filling stage under cavity wall movements (in rotation, compression or expansion modes).Polarized light transmission microscopy and small angle light scattering (SALS) were used to observe and assess the moldings microstructure, including the quantification of the core spherulite size.The results evidence a very large range of microstructural patterns, whose features can be associated to the specifically imposed thermo-mechanical conditions.Furthermore, the evolutions of the microstructure along the disc radius was also assessed.

Study on Mechanical Properties and Material Distribution of Sandwich Plaques Molded by Co-Injection

D. Ait Messaoud, B. Sanschagrin, A. Derdouri, May 2004

In the sandwich injection molding process (co-injection), two different polymer melts are sequentially injected into a mold forming a skin/core structure. Sandwich molding is a well established method for producing parts with tailored mechanical performance.In this study the mechanical properties of co-injected plaques have been investigated. Virgin and short glass fiber reinforced (10 and 40%) polypropylene were used in six different combinations of sandwiched layers.Flexural tests were carried out on co-injected samples both parallel and perpendicular to flow direction. Optical microscopy was used to determine the core/skin thickness ratio and to calculate the composite flexural modulus, which was compared to the experimentally measured modulus.

Application and Potentials of Injection Transfer Moulding for Processing Thermoplastics

Walter Michaeli, Martin Koch, May 2004

Injection Transfer Moulding (ITM) is a combination of the well known injection moulding and transfer moulding processes. Although the ITM process provides many advantages compared to conventional injection moulding, ITM is up-to-now only used for the processing of crosslinkable plastics. Research work at the Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) made the ITM-Process accessible for the processing of thermoplastic materials by use of a newly developed mould.This paper discusses the mould technology, the course of the ITM process as well as the resulting part qualities. Besides, a comparison of the ITM process to conventional moulds with hot runner systems is shown.

Processing Studies in Reactive In-Mold Coating for Thermoplastic Parts

Konstantin S. Zuyev, Jose M. Castro, Elliott J. Straus, May 2004

In-Mold Coating (IMC) has been successfully used for many years with Sheet Molding Compound compression molded body panels for the automotive and heavy truck industries. The next logical step is to extend IMC technology to injection molded thermoplastic parts. The objective of this paper is to research the factors that affect IMC flow, cure, and final part appearance. We discuss the rheology of coating candidates for thermoplastic parts and show how it affects the coating process. We use 2D non-steady heat transfer computer code coupled with chemo-rheological analysis to predict cure time. Finally, we present a case study to demonstrate the effect of part thickness and initial molding conditions on cycle time.

Prediction of Production Yields in Injection Molding I

David Kazmer, Kaushik Manek, Cybele Lotti, Rosario E.S. Bretas, May 2004

Plastics molders need to continuously improve production efficiency to remain competitive. With increasingly tight specifications driven by Six Sigma quality initiatives, however, such efficiency gains are more difficult to maintain. This paper investigates the use of process capability indices for linear and non-linear regression models based on observed shrinkage data for polypropylene molding parts. Statistical validation of the yield estimates is accomplished through Monte-Carlo analysis. The discrepancy among results indicates that current practices in industry are poor, and care should be taken when using yield prediction methods for process optimization or development.

Thin-Wall Injection Molding Using Rapidly Heated Molds

Donggang Yao, Byung Kim, May 2004

While gains are achieved via cost reduction and increased portability, thinner and smaller parts encounter more difficulty in molding because of the frozen layer problem. Due to coupled filling and cooling involved in standard injection molding, the relative contribution of the frozen layer in the total part thickness drastically increases as the part thickness decreases, thus resulting in increased difficulty of flow. Resin providers recommend using high speed and high pressure to alleviate the increased molding difficulty. However, the high-speed and high-pressure strategy appears inadequate when molding ultra thin wall parts and microstructures and cannot be efficiently used for delicate structures due to localized high stresses. A thin-wall molding process, wherein the mold surface is rapidly heated during the filling stage, was investigated in this paper. By rapidly raising the mold temperature to above the polymer melting temperature, thin-wall cavities can be easily filled without frozen layer induced flow resistance. Characteristics of this molding process were studied and compared with those of standard injection molding with the aid of molding simulation. A thin-wall molding process for an electrical connector is used to demonstrate the advantages of the new molding strategy over the high-speed and high-pressure molding strategy.