The Ultimate Guide to Gas Assist Injection Molding

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What is Gas Assist Injection Molding?

Gas assist injection molding (GAIM) is an enhanced injection molding process often applied for complex parts, large parts and parts requiring an attractive, cosmetic finish.

The types of parts benefiting most from this process include:

  • large panels
  • enclosures
  • handles
  • doors and bezels
  • tube or rod-shaped parts

How Does Gas Assist Work?

The gas assist process is introduced at the finish of the mold filling stage while the resin is still liquid.  Pressurized gas (usually nitrogen) is used in place of pack pressure from the molding machine.  The pressure from the gas completes the filling of the mold cavity, forcing an even distribution of molten resin against the mold. The gas is held inside during the entire cooling phase and then is vented, leaving a hollow void.  For internal gas-assist molding, the void is inside the plastic.  For external gas assist molding, the void is on the outside surface, typically the backside of a part.

Benefits with Gas Assist

The gas-assist process gets results when part design elements make the part difficult to manufacture using straight injection molding.  GAIM allows for more design flexibility while still being able to provide these benefits:

  • Thin-walled parts with greater strength and rigidity
  • Creation of hollowed out areas, reducing part weight
  • Reduction of molded-in stress for improved dimensional stability
  • Better surface finish with no sink marks
  • Less part shrinkage and reduced warpage

Design Advantages with Gas Assist

1. Complex Designs

For the design engineer, using GAIM expands design options and helps to minimize design changes to make the part manufacturable using injection molding. One of the greatest benefits is the ability to produce complex parts.  Oftentimes with straight injection molding, parts having different wall thicknesses are molded separately and assembled later.

GAIM allows multiple parts to be combined into one, reducing the need for secondary assembly processes – even if the parts have different wall thicknesses.  This is because gas-assist allows heavy wall sections to intersect thinner ones. Support ribs and bosses can achieve tighter tolerances and be designed larger without fear of sink marks. Gas channels are directed toward these areas and the consistent pressure during the cooling phase eliminates sink marks, associated with these support features, on the front side of the part.

2. Metal Replacement

Gas-assist allows the production of thin-walled components that have solid but hollow areas.  The resulting strength and lightweight part can often replace metal fabricated or die cast parts, and reduce product cost.

3. Large parts

The introduction of gas pressure aids in mold filling, providing uniform pressure throughout the part that lasts through the cooling stage. The result is a part with less shrinkage and reduced warpage. Part weight can also be reduced by creating hollowed out areas.

4. Cosmetic finishes

Where an attractive finished surface is required, gas-assist prevents sink areas that eliminate or at least minimize secondary operations to improve part appearance including sanding and priming.

5. Hollow parts

The gas can create hollowed out areas within parts like handles, which decreases part weight and still provides strength.

 

Gas Assist Molds

 

Cost Benefits with Gas Assist

1. Extended Tool Life

With gas-assist, lower clamping force is required because lower pressures are used.  This results in less mold wear extending the life of the tool.

2. Less Energy Cost

With lower clamping force required, larger molds can be used in smaller presses.  Smaller presses consume less power and help to decrease the cost of manufacturing the part.

3. Less Machine Time

A more rapid cooling period helps to reduce cycle time which in turn lowers manufacturing expense per part.

4. Lower Material Cost

Less material is used to produce the part because hollow areas inside of the part are created with the gas and with less resin used, the part cost is lowered.

5. Quality Results

With gas-assist injection molding, the process is typically easier to control than conventional injection molding. A dependable, repeatable process provides consistent production results and less waste.

Common pitfalls

There are many common pitfalls when it comes to Gas Assisted Injection Moulding. Firstly, it is more complex and more expensive to set up than ordinary injection molding. if the tooling price of injection mold shocks you, gas-assisted injection molds will blow you away. Also, by introducing gas into the molding mix, this variable must be precisely tracked, managed and controlled. Without experienced machine operators and technicians, the molding process could go disastrously wrong. The control of the gas also contributes to variable wall thicknesses, especially in tight corners and this is something you generally want to avoid.

Gas Assist Tool Design

If you want to achieve high-quality results, make sure you get the tool design right.

Regardless of what injection molding process will be used, it is important to engage your molder during the early stages of part design in the design for manufacturing (DFM) phase. Tooling cost, timeline, and resulting part quality will be directly impacted by the quality and efficacy of the tool.  When determining the optimal way to mold apart, engineers will consider all product requirements including application, resin selection, and cost considerations. Mold flow analysis is used to find design constraints so that adjustments can be made. When the tooling engineer determines gas-assist is the best solution, the tool will be designed with gas channels built into the mold that will allow the addition of nitrogen gas during the molding process. Determining your molding method early will conserve tooling costs and help to maintain project timelines.  Getting your molder involved early will be critical to a cost-effective, high-quality product.

 

To learn more about this process or to receive assistance with your project, contact WIT MOLD.

Advantages And Differences Of Two Shot Injection Molding

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There are a variety of manufacturing methods used to manufacture products that use plastic polymers, including two-shot injection molding, compression thermoset molding, and extrusion. Although all of these are viable manufacturing processes, this process has several advantages that make it the first choice of many plastic manufacturers. The process is relatively simple; inject one material into the mold to make the initial part of the product, and then inject a second material that is compatible with the raw material. Many manufacturers use this method to make plastics or polymers for three good reasons.

 

Two-shot injection molding is cost-effective

The two-step process only requires one machine cycle, the way the initial mold is rotated and the product placed around the second mold, so that a second, compatible thermoplastic can be inserted into the second mold. Because this technology uses only one cycle, rather than a separate machine cycle, any production operation cost is lower, and fewer employees are required to manufacture the finished product while delivering more projects per run. It also ensures a firm bond between the materials without the need for further assembly down the line.

Two-shot injection molding

Two-shot injection molding

 

Strengthen product quality

Two-shot injection molding improves the quality of most thermoplastics in the following aspects:
Improved aesthetics. When products are made of different colored plastics or polymers, they look better and are more attractive to consumers. If more than one color or texture is used, the product will look more expensive.
Improve ergonomics. Because this process allows the use of a soft-touch surface, as a result, items can have ergonomically designed handles or other parts. This is especially important for tools, medical equipment, and other hand-held items.
When silicone plastic and other rubber materials are used for gaskets and other parts that require a strong seal, it provides a better seal.
It allows you to combine the outstanding comfort and practicality of hard and soft polymers with even the smallest products.
Compared with overmolding or a more traditional insertion process, it can greatly reduce the number of dislocations.
It enables manufacturers to create more complex mold designs using multiple materials that cannot be effectively bonded by other processes.
The bond created is very strong, creating products that are more durable, more reliable, and have a longer lifespan.

 

Versatility

Product manufacturers favor two-shot injection molding, with a wide range of applications, including automotive interior parts, medical equipment, tools, and toys. It allows manufacturers to combine various materials and colors to create final products that are both strong and attractive. Some materials can be effectively combined with this process, including silicone and thermoplastics, nylon and thermoplastic elastomers, or hard nylon and soft-touch materials.
Two-shot injection molding can solve your company’s product production dilemma. An experienced plastic manufacturer can guide you through the process from concept to finished product and ensure a cost-effective solution.
We are Two-shot injection molding suppliers. Please feel free to contact us if you need or want to know about our products.

Pros And Cons Of Thermoset Injection Molding

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Weighing the pros and cons of the molding process for your composites can help you determine whether it is the right choice for your project needs. Manufacturing plastic or composite parts requires heating and pouring the raw materials into a mold that has been specially made for the part. The four most common molding processes are:

ㆍCompression

ㆍInjection

ㆍTransfer

ㆍExtrusion

Different molding processes are used to create different works. In this article, we will weigh the pros and cons of the injection molding process for thermoset composites.

Advantages of thermoset injection molding

Injection-molded parts may be the most suitable one for several reasons:

ㆍMany different types of materials can be used for injection molding, including thermoplastics and thermosetting resins, polymers, and elastomers. This provides engineers with a lot of control over which hybrid material will produce the best results, especially when it is necessary to meet specific performance requirements.

ㆍVery suitable for high-volume operation.

ㆍPrecision and low waste. Due to the specific mold and material combination, compared with other processes, there is less waste of injection molded parts.

ㆍShort cooling time-the injection molded parts cool quickly, reducing the time required for the injection molded parts to be released from the mold.

 

thermoset injection molding

Thermoset Injection Molding

Disadvantages of thermoset injection molding

For the above reasons, injection molding is an excellent process, but it also has certain limitations and defects. These disadvantages include:

ㆍMold costs – these costs can be very important because precision-made molds are required.

ㆍFlash – Flash is inevitable when injection molding thermoset plastics. Once the part is created and ejected from the mold, the next step is to automatically or manually remove the flash (excess material). Due to the high viscosity of liquid plastics, a flash of thermoplastics is not a problem.

ㆍPart size – The size of the part being created is very important in the molding process. Typically, smaller part sizes (0.1 lb to 6 lb) are injection molded, while larger parts are transfer or compression molded. The number of orders will also determine which molding process is best for the project. Compression molding may be used for smaller parts with a low (or high) volume, while transfer molding may be used for medium to high volume projects. Injection molding will be ideal for large-volume running smaller pieces.

Finally, when choosing a molding process for your part, it is always recommended to talk to a thermoset composite or thermoplastic engineer. After assessing your needs, they will be the most capable and able to make suggestions for your work and provide the highest quality products at the most reasonable cost.

We are a thermoset injection molding supplier. Please feel free to contact us if you are interested in our thermoset injection molding or other products.

Just How Tolerances Influence Injection Molded Plastics?

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What Is Tolerance?

The tolerance stated in the plastic injection mold is an engineering requirement. In basic terms, they are allowable variants to the initial dimensions of the parts or the base dimension. As it is impossible to generate a product that purely abides by the base measurements, some leeway obtains factored into the design of items.

This margin ensures that all measurements for molded products fit the setting up demands. For example, you may wish to produce products with a size of 2.8 mm. Nevertheless, attempting to produce them might end up with some of them gauging 2.6 mm.

What tolerances do is to establish minimum as well as optimum values for the production process in a way that ensures the product fits. In this case, the reduced limit can be evaluated 0mm while the ceiling is readied to 0.3 mm. By doing this, you are assured products whose diameters range between 2.8 mm and also 3.1 mm.

The important of tolerances

Generating plastic parts for your products calls for that their measurements fit perfectly. It’s very easy to offer dimensions for the type of components you want; obtaining them to have similar measurements to your requirements is a virtually impossible venture to achieve.

The type of making procedure you go for also has a terrific bearing on the high quality of completion product. Injection molding is among the most effective processes you can experience with standards like hubbub 16901 to name a few, but it’s still unable to produce parts with the right fit.

The only escape of such a scenario where it’s impossible to get an exact suit is to leave area for some distinctions in dimension. They don’t need to be major; they simply require not interfere with the item style. This is where tolerances are available in.

What Influences Tolerance?

The kind of polymer utilized throughout the creation of your items substantially identifies whether the tolerances are within acceptable limitations. As distinct polymers obtain injected into the plastic mold, they cool as well as shrink at different prices.

Despite the fact that these shrinkage rates can be quickly represented, completion product will certainly have different tolerance ranges and also discrepancies from the acceptable varieties. The array is a dimension of the difference between the biggest as well as tiniest measurements of measurements in the created batch.

Various other aspects that figure out tolerance consist of the style of the product, the intricacy of the style along with the atmosphere the injection molded parts will certainly be running in.

Minimum/Good Tolerances for Plastic molds

The great, or rather, minimal tolerances are established by the plastic polymer you choose to use for your products. These tolerances also can be found in various forms. For one, there are dimensional, straightness/flatness, and also hole diameter tolerances. They are also divided right into business tolerances and precision tolerances, which are greater in price.

Considered that an injection-molded physical tightening is a result of the cooling, the facet of temperature level decrease is influenced by various other aspects as well. They include the thaw thermal reading, the cooling price, the thickness of the part, the dimensions of eviction, as well as much more.

Furthermore, a section of the molded product that is thicker than an additional will certainly experience even more shrinking. All these variables are since even though it is possible to forecast the behavior of the plastic polymer you wish to be molded; the material will never ever act as anticipated 100% of the time.

The polymer concerned might likewise experience warpage. This is particularly real with parts that are non-uniform as they shrink at various rates in comparison to components that have uniform wall surface thickness. These non-uniform components can happen whenever the part’s design has a concern.

The final words

WIT MOLD has become one of the best molds in the industry because we combine the essence of the latest technology with proven traditional methods.

With an expert team composed of experienced and knowledgeable experts, we are able to complete custom orders for Custom Plastic Molds and parts that may exceed the capabilities of our competitors. We are also unremittingly committed to improving customer satisfaction, which includes providing comprehensive end-to-end quality assurance for every product we produce.

Two-Shot Molding vs. Overmolding

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Two-Shot Molding vs. Overmolding

Injection molding is a popular manufacturing process, which can quickly produce complex-shaped precise parts without wasting a lot of materials.

Many different processes belong to the category of injection molding, including over-molding and two-shot molding. The two processes are similar, but there are some key differences-here are what engineers and designers need to know:

What is two-shot molding?

 

Two Shot Injection Molds, also known as dual-molds, double-shot molds, or multi-shot molds, are a subcategory of injection molding that allows engineers to create multi-material or multi-colored parts without adding additional assembly steps.

Through the different layers of materials or colors created by the injection molding machine, the two-shot injection molding process is best understood. The first material is injected into the mold to create the substrate, and other materials or materials will be molded around the substrate. After the substrate solidifies and cools, it is transferred by hand, robotic arm, or rotating plane to another cavity of the mold.

From there, the mold opens and rotates 180° with one side of the substrate to meet the other mold chamber and injection molding nozzle. Once the substrate is in place, the second material is injected and combined with the substrate to form a firm hold. Once the second layer has cooled, the last part will be sprayed out.

Engineers should know that Two Shot Mold can be accelerated or slowed down, depending on how the substrate is transferred to another cavity of the mold. Hand and robot arm transfer takes longer than the rotating plane, but the rotating platen molding is more expensive, usually, there are only high-efficiency options, mass production runs.

In addition, it is very important that the material of the mold is easy to bond, and the mold must be aligned to prevent deformation of the parts.

Advantages and disadvantages of two-shot molding

 

Two-shot injection molding is efficient and economical manufacturing technology. This process also produces highly durable terminal parts and assemblies.

From a design point of view, two-shot molding provides designers with a lot of flexibility, because this process can create complex geometric shapes and adapt to multiple colors to produce more beautiful parts.

In addition, because one machine manufactures the entire part, no post-processing is required, and engineers can greatly reduce manufacturing time, thereby reducing costs. However, it is worth noting that the initial two-shot injection molding machine may be costly, and the two-shot injection molding machine is more expensive than the standard injection molding machine. Fortunately, these costs are usually offset by labor savings and assembly costs for large-scale production runs.

What is over-molding?

 

Overmolding, like Two Shot Moulding, is a multi-shot injection molding process that produces a single final product from two or more different thermoplastics. This process is ideal for engineers who want to build components that are powerful, functional, beautiful, and that will not separate over time.

At the beginning of the over-molding process, engineers inject the substrate with a harder over-molding material. Then, the substrate is placed in an over-mold tool or an over-mold cavity within the same mold. The molten-over mold material is then sprayed into, onto, or around the substrate. After the molten material is cooled, the substrate and the over-mold are chemically or mechanically combined. The entire over-molding process only takes 30 seconds.

The product team must remember that all thermoplastics used in the over-molding process must be chemically or thermally compatible with each other. Compatibility with metal substrates is usually not a problem, because they can be used with any plastic over mold, but the product team may encounter compatibility issues when using plastic over molds. If the substrate and mold are not compatible, the final product may be deformed or poorly bound.

However, if two less compatible plastics must be used, the team can design mechanical bonding properties for the part after the fact, although this may result in higher costs.

Advantages and disadvantages of over-molding

 

Overmolding and two-shot injection molding have many of the same advantages. They are ideal for quickly creating durable, reliable, and vibration-resistant parts with complex geometries, but over-molding is best suited for low-volume production runs.

Compared with two-shot molding, over-mold design is also easier, because engineers can use any standard injection molding machine to carry out this process.

In terms of disadvantages, the tolerances of over-molded parts are often lower than those of two-shot injection molding. It is also important to remember that plastic compatibility requirements may constrain designers.

Two-shot Molding Guide

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What is Two-shot Molding

Two-shot injection molding is a multi-material injection molding process. The molded plastic part can be a combination of two different materials or a combination of different colors of the same material.

Two-shot molding can also be called 2k injection molding, double shot molding, multiple injection molding (sequential injection molding).

When two-shot molding be used?

ㆍProduct function requirements

For example, power switches, phone buttons, keyboard indicators, car switches, etc. Portion with an LED capable of transmitting light.

ㆍImprove the handle feeling

Some handheld products require the use of rubber in hand-held parts, which makes the hand feel more comfortable. For example, walkie-talkie housing, power tool handle, wrench, screwdriver handle, toothbrush handle, thermos, etc.

ㆍEnhance beauty

For example, some plastic parts have a logo. If you use two-shot injection molding, you don’t have to worry about it being erased.

ㆍA localized area of the product that needs to be plated

In the plastic range, only ABS and PSUsurfaces can be plated. If it is necessary to plate a part or a single side of the product, the plating area should be injected into the ABS. Areas that do not require plating are injected with other materials such as PC.

7 Suggestions for Product Design

 

Two-shot molding frees the designer’s creativity. However, the following factors should also be noted in the product design process.

No.1

Choose the right material. The figure below shows the compatibility of different plastics.

1 ) The core material can use low viscosity materials to reduce the injection pressure.

2) Consider from the perspective of environmental protection. The recycled material can be used as a core material.

3) Optimize the product according to the characteristics of different materials. For thick parts, the finished skin layer uses soft materials. The core material uses hard or foamed plastic to reduce weight.

No.2

If the material is not chemically compatible, the two materials can be integrated by mechanical interlocking.

No.3

Maintain proper draft angle, uniform wall thickness and smooth transition lines.

No.4

The surface of the part should be flush or slightly lower than any adjacent substrate surface.

No.5

The surface of the substrate is textured to improve the adhesion of the two materials.

No.6

The mass ratio of the two materials should not be too large. Factors such as material forming time and injection pressure should be considered.

No.7

By increasing the contact area of the two parts, the weld strength of the two materials can be enhanced.

>> Check our two shot injection molds here

9 Suggestions for Two-shot Molding

 

No.1

The hard plastic is molded for the first time, and the soft plastic is molded for the second time. Transparent for the first time, non-transparent for the second time. The plastic with high molding temperature is molded for the first time, and the plastic with low molding temperature is used for the second molding.

No.2

Before the official production, test the mold to produce a complete product.

No.3

Identify all possible defects in the process and eliminate them before the mold is manufactured.

No.4

Consider the shrinkage of the two materials.In general, shrinkage is determined by the material that is first formed.

No.5

A second injection can only be made after the first injection has been completely completed.

No.6

Consider the molded position, to prevent damage in the process.

No.7

Allow the edge of the first injection molded part to be too large. This ensures a higher pressure during the second injection.

No.8

Ensure that the parameters of the injection unit provide the required pressure, flow rate and cooling capacity.

No.9

Ensure that the structural strength of the first molded part can withstand the injection pressure of the second molding.

6 Suggestions for Maintenance of Two-shot Mold

No.1

Check for loose or damaged fastening parts of the double shot mold. The solution is to find parts of the same specification for replacement.

No.2

After the mold has been used for a long time, the cutting edge must be cleaned and ground. After grinding, the surface of the cutting edge must be demagnetized, otherwise it will easily block the material.

No.3

Elastic parts such as springs of the two-shot mold are most susceptible to damage during use. Breakage and deformation usually occur.

No.4

The method adopted is to replace, and the specifications and model of the spring must be paid attention to during the replacement process.

No.5

Two-shotmold punch during use prone to breakage or bending. Damage to the punch and the sleeve is generally replaced with parts of the same specification. The parameters of the punch mainly include the working part size, the mounting part size, and the length size.

No.6

Check the pressure plate, top plate and other parts of the double shot mold. During maintenance, check the accessories of each part and whether there is any damage, and repair the damaged parts. Pneumatic ejector check for air leaks, and specific measures taken.

Conclusion

Two-shot molding increases the added value and productivity of the product. At the same time, plastics are becoming more and more colorful.

Correspondingly, the cost of two-shot molding is higher. Master the design points and avoid risks in advance. Avoid cost waste.

If you have any questions about two-shot injection molds, please contact us directly. Get a free quote.

What Are The Requirements For Injection Molding Machines For Precision Injection Molding?

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高精度模具

Precision injection molding machine refers to the molding machinery and equipment suitable for the molding production of precision plastic products. For a precision injection molding machine, how should we measure or judge?

Many precision injection molding machines are also required

① High injection pressure and fast injection speed.

② The clamping system has enough rigidity and precision. The so-called precision of closing refers to the uniformity, adjustability, stability and repeatability of the closing force, as well as the high precision of the opening and closing position of the mold.

③ The pressure, flow rate, temperature and measurement can be accurately controlled to the corresponding accuracy, and the multi-stage injection can be used to ensure the reproducibility of the molding process and the repeated accuracy of the product.

Precision injection molding machines can achieve the benefits of high pressure molding

A, improve the precision and quality of precision products.

Injection pressure has the most obvious effect on molding shrinkage. When the injection pressure reaches 392MPa, the shrinkage rate of molding is almost zero. At this time, the accuracy of the product is only affected by the mold control or the environment. Experimental results show that the mechanical strength of the parts can be increased by 3 ~ 33% when the injection pressure is 98 ~ 392MPa.

 

高精度模具

B, can reduce the wall thickness of precision products, improve the molding length.

Taking PC as an example, the ordinary injection pressure of 177Mpa can form products with wall thickness of 0.8mm, while the precision injection pressure of 392MPa can form products with thickness of 0.45mm or more. Ultrahigh pressure injection machines can obtain products with higher flow ratio.

C. Increasing injection pressure can give full play to the efficacy of injection speed.

Injection molding machine performance to achieve precision injection

Injection molding products have been used in various fields, widely used to replace high-precision metal parts, so as to put forward strict requirements on dimensional accuracy, mass accuracy, apparent mass and mechanical properties of injection parts. At the same time, the technological factors affecting the quality of injection molding products also put forward higher requirements.

The ideal control state of injection molding machine is to directly control product size, mass, apparent mass, mechanical properties and other variables as feedback signals for feedback control. However, the method of direct measurement and conversion of these non-electric quantities into electrical signals has not been solved for the time being, and can only be solved by controlling the controllable variables of the injection molding machine that affect the quality of the above-mentioned products. .

We are a precision injection molding company, if you need please feel free to contact us.

Cheers for The New Year 2023!

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Last Saturday is the Beginng of Spring, our factory had a big dinner together.

We made a short summary of 2022 and had awards for our excellent colleagues. Even though the year 2022 was hard, our factory still had good performance. Here we appreciate all our customers trust and support to our factory.

After 10+ years cooperation together, our team is more and more stronger now, I believe we will have a bright future together.

Cheers for our good harvest and progresses! Cheers for the new year 2023!

 

Plastic Injection Molding: The Cooling Rate Process

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Plastic Injection Molding

 

In plastic injection molding, the cooling rate is the last section of the molding cycle.

The cooling rate is a decreasing rate from the time the plastic resin enters the mold until the last cavity of the mold is filled.

When the cooling process is complete, it is safe to remove the part from the mold.

Factors that affect the cooling rate and the final molded part

Mold Cavity Pressure

The cooling rate is monitored, measured, and displayed on a pressure curve. It is displayed this way because as the plastic resin cools, it shrinks, which reduces the mold cavity pressure.

Mold Temperature

In plastic injection molding, the temperature of the mold itself can be a factor in the cooling rate process. Aside from affecting mold cooling lines, mold temperature can affect part blemishes, like:

  • Mold Warpage
  • Sink Marks
  • Jetting

Improper mold temperature can also impact properties, such as:

  • Molded-in Stress
  • Fatigue Resistance
  • Wear Resistance
  • Creep Resistance
  • Molecular Weight
  • Dimensional Stability

The cooling rate can also be affected by the use of metals that conduct heat away.

The cooling process is complete when the temperature is no longer reducing and any additional time spent to cool the part is useless.

When the cooling process is complete, it is safe to remove the part from the mold.

TIP: During the plastic mold design phase, you must consider the best possible cooling channels for the mold. Using a plastic molder with a deep knowledge of cooling rate process optimization will allow for better control over the mold temperature, and thus, the cooling rate. It will also provide the best cycle time and the best outcome for a good, stress-reduced molded part.

How to Calculate Cooling Time?

Cooling time in injection molding is a critical part of the production process. It is the amount of time the molten plastic takes to solidify. An adequate cooling system is required to transfer heat away from the mold and maintain a stable cooling rate, ensuring the highest quality final products.

One of the quickest methods for estimating the cooling time is using a formula that accounts for the thickness of the part in an equation based on the effective thermal diffusivity. The thermal diffusivity estimates the transfer of heat in and out of material.

 

Since its establishment, WIT MOLD has successfully exported more than 2000 sets of molds with different types of structures and designs, which are applied to a variety of industries.

What is Unscrewing Mold?

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One of the most unique types of injection molds is unscrewing molds. Unscrewing molding is a unique injection molding process with mold technology that includes movement and rotation to produce threaded components. Some plastic parts such as caps and closures with detailed threads cannot be removed using standard knock-off methods. After they are molded, parts need to be carefully unscrewed from mold to avoid damaging the threads.

The unscrewing molds are part of everyday use, which may cause you to think that you won’t need to spend much time considering the required design. To demonstrate the wide use of this particular mold type, the following is a shortlist of the types of products that use unscrewing molds in the design:

 

• Bottle and milk caps

• Condition and shampoo lids

• Prescription medication bottles

• Medical supplies

• Sprinkler and showerheads

• Screws, nuts, and bolts

Here’s How It Works:

• First, the plastic is injected into the tool. After the plastic has cooled, the threaded core starts to unscrew. The unscrewing mechanism works off of a rack and pinion and is powered by a hydraulic cylinder.

• The rack turns three sets of gears which then retracts the threaded core into the ejector box.

• Once the threaded core is fully unscrewed, the mold opens and the ejector system pushes a stripper plate forward to eject the part.

• After the part is fully ejected, the hydraulic cylinder reverses, screwing the threaded core back into the molding position, and the process repeats.

 What is Unscrewing Mold?

What factors need to be considered?

When you need one of these types of plastic molds, there are several things you have to determine to make sure you get the right fit for your product and budget.

Volume

The volume of the product will probably determine many different aspects of the final product, including the thread count, the size of the part, and the type of material that will be used during production. While other factors are important, the design of the various unscrewing molds is more complex and costly than many of the other types of molds.

Ease of Removal

The ease by which an unscrewing mold should be removed from the final product is an important factor to consider in the design. Water bottles have only a few threads, sometimes only two or three because they need to be easy to remove. To ensure that the tops do not fall off easily, the threads are spaced out a bit more. An unscrewing mold on a medical device will likely need a lot of threads that are evenly spaced and very difficult to pull off of the device. The material required for these two vastly different uses is affected by how easily the part should be removed from the product.

The Threads

The number of threads is going to vary based on the final product. Water bottles do not require a high thread count because they are relatively light and should be easily removed. If the unscrewing mold is for a plastic part under the hood of a car, it needs to have a higher thread count to be more durable. The number of threads required plays a large role in the final cost of production, so it needs to be tested to ensure it meets the needs of the final product.

Applications and Maintenance

High volume, reliable unscrewing plastic injection molds are some of the more complex plastic injection molds that can be manufactured. Unscrewing plastic injection molds are typically utilized for high volume applications where threaded plastic parts are needed for items such as:

ㆍBottle caps

ㆍShampoo bottles

ㆍPharmaceutical Supplies

ㆍAutomotive parts

ㆍNuts and bolts

ㆍCosmetics packaging

ㆍMedical Supplies

ㆍConsumer goods

ㆍSprinkler heads, lawn & garden parts

ㆍContainer lids

What is Unscrewing Mold?

 

Most threaded plastic parts on standard plastic injection molds are not easy to remove using standard knock-off techniques. Therefore more complex unscrewing plastic injection molds must be utilized to prevent the threads on threaded plastic parts from being damaged while the parts are coming off of the plastic injection mold.

Because these threaded plastic parts are typically needed in high volume applications for items such as bottle caps or cosmetics packaging, the unscrewing plastic injection mold most operate at a high speed to reduce cycle times thus reducing part costs. The unscrewing plastic injection molds must also be high quality and reliable to operate for a large number of cycles while only needing routine preventative maintenance.

 

WIT MOLD is a highly skilled mold design and manufacturing company in China, certified ISO2009:2015 international quality standard. Contact us today for your threaded plastic parts!

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