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INJECTION MOULDS
Balzs Mik
PhD, Assoc. Prof.
Budapest Polytechnic, Bnki Dont Mechanical Engineering Faculty
Department of Manufacturing Engineering, miko.balazs@bgk.bmf.hu
1081 Budapest Npsznhz u. 8.
Summary
The application of CAD/CAM/CAE systems are indispensable during the plastic
injection production workflow, because the mould design and manufacturing
process is going fast for the sake of increasing customers demand. Use of an
appropriate workflow can help to manage and control the whole process.
Keywords: plastic injection mould, design and manufacturing process, CAD/CAM
applications
1. INTRODUCTION
The role of the engineering plastics is increasing in our days in the automotive
industry. Aluminium and steel parts are replaced by plastic parts, which generate
less overall mass, reduce production costs and environment pollution. Due to these
trends the mould maker companies face a considerable challenge in terms of
productivity of design and manufacturing and control of project management.
The expansion of productivity of design and manufacturing is not conceivable
without the application of 3D parametric CAD/CAM systems. These systems have
important effect to the design and manufacturing of plastic injection moulds,
because they permit to design very complex parts with many freeform surfaces,
which was unthinkable in the past. Based on the part model the models of core and
cavity are designed by simple processes, and based on it the NC programs are
planned too. In this wise the whole design and manufacturing process build on
common digital part model, and it allows uniform data handling and the simple and
efficient change management.
The current article will present the workflow of plastic injection mould design
and manufacturing, the subtasks of each steps and the industrial practice of
computer support.
The first step of the design process is the engineering analysis, which is similar
to the previous task, but more detail and the sometimes the plastic part could be
modified. The next steps are follows: define the drafts, set up the shrinkage, design
the parting line and surface, which are necessary for modelling the forming
elements like core, cavity, slides, lifters and other inserts. The next task is the
design and modelling of mould base, which consists of three sub-assemblies in the
simplest case: injection side sub-assembly, ejection side sub-assembly and the
ejection system (Fig. 2.).
After the mould base modelling we should design the runner system, the
ejection system (position of ejection bar), the cooling system and in the end the
electric system and connectors. The type of runner system is given by the
requirements list and we have to take account of it during the design of mould
elements and base.
After the modelling we have to prepare the engineering documentation of the
mould, which consists of the assembly drawing, the shop drawing of non-standard
parts, the bill of material and the users manuals.
Figure 2. Components of a standard two-plate mould base with two cavities [1]
The first step of the preparation of the production is the compilation of the
material order list based on models, documentation and the conceptual process
planning. If we use conventional machine tools (not CNC driven), the production
dont need any other documents and process planning for machining, because the
mould manufacturing is an individual production and there is not necessary more
detail process planning. In case of CNC machining based on mould parts CAD
models NC programs are designed. If EDM machining is required, EDM electrodes
and theirs NC programs are prepared too. The last step is the creation of
documentation, which contains all information to manage and execute the
production.
During the mould production basically we use general cutting technologies
(milling, grilling, turning, grinding) which are completed by wire and die-sinking
EDM technology. Heat treatment technologies are also important operations; in
general we use hardening, hardening and tempering, carburizing and nitriding. The
mould production requires a large amount of hand work, which means in general
fitting of accurate parts, polishing and assembling of finished parts. The critical
points measurement is the last step.
The assembled mould has to be validated by trial shots, which has a complex
role. We should study the right working of the mould, the ejection and the cooling
system. The next objects of the test are the fill up process, the open/close process,
the injection moulding parameters and the cycle time adjustment. After the test the
proto parts are study in geometric and aesthetic viewpoint. The deviations and
failures are corrected in mould manufacturing shop and the corrected mould is
tested again. The final proto parts are accepted by customer.
The last step of the mould production is the texturing of visible surface if it is
necessary. In general it is created by photoetching. The etched surface is
uncorrectable, because welding and cutting cause marks in the surface and the re-
etching is impossible. After cleaning and packaging we can deliver the mould to the
customer.
The next task is the mould base modelling. The mould base have a standard
size, and in behalf of productivity and cost reduction of manufacturing expedient to
work with standard mould plates and standard elements (guide bush and pin, ejector
bar, guide bar etc.). There are several companies, who produce a wide range of
standard elements. We can increase the productivity of the design process by using
the electronic catalogue of these companies and download the complete CAD
model of the mould base directly to our mould assembly model. Every significant
company, who work in this area (e.g. Hasco, DME, Meusburger, Cumsa etc.) have
CAD model based electronic catalogue, which contains the price of the selected
component, so we can plan the cost of standard components in the design phase.
The Fig. 6. shows an example of selecting and assembling of a standard plate
and guide bushes. The presented electronic catalogue is the Meusburger digital
catalogue (www.meusburger-norm.com).
Figure 6. Use of digital catalogue
4. SUMMARY
The mould design and manufacturing process is going fast for the sake of
increasing customers demand, more complicate moulds are produced to shorter due
date. On the grounds of it the application of CAD/CAM/CAE systems are
indispensable during the production workflow.
The author would like render thanks to the CEEPUS II SK-0067-01-05/06
project.
5. REFERENCES
[1] Part and mold design A design guide; Bayer Material Science, 2000.
www.bayer.com