PLASTIC PRODUCT

DESIGN
Familiar scenario in Tool-rooms in general
 Not profitable

 Unable to meet delivery commitments

 It is common sight that Designers spent more

time in the shop to resolve problems

 Tool-makers waiting at design department

for more clarifications

 Rework of the tool or mould has become an

acceptable fact as they do not work right first
time
 Customers are frustrated and look for Imports

 Life cycle of products are reducing.

 Competition is increasing.

New product development is essential for survival

 Shorter lead time and High expectations on quality are
the norm. DESIGN AFFECTS BOTH

Contribution of the designer to “MAKE IT WORK RIGHT

FIRST TIME” is of greater importance now.

Solution:
ROBUST DESIGN WITH DFM CONCEPTS
 Product Design
Product designers are continuously modifying design
of parts by :

Combining functions and features

Reducing number of elements in assemblies
Substituting materials
Conversion from Sheet metal to Plastic
Unifying or commonizing processes

Building stability into the process to enhance product

quality is a necessity.

And the Design need to support this cause.

Session Objectives

Understanding
DFM & DFA
Objectives:Product Design Details related
1. Wall thickness
2. Holes and weld-lines
3. Rib
4. Under-cuts
5. Insert moulding
6. Cable guide
7. Bosses
8. Threads
9. Lettering
10. Draft
11. Radii and Fillets
12. Surface finish
13. Parting line
14. Tolerance
 Product design

3 piece wood and spring cloth pin

Can this assembly be replaced by a single piece

molded design?
 Integral
Spring

One piece injection moulded clothes clip. Two sections,

connected by an integral spring, are assembled together at the
pivot point after moulding

Reduce the number of parts

Reduce the number of parts

INTEGRAL
SPRING

INTEGRAL
PIVOT
 Hex holes
captivate nuts
during assembly

1. Design Molded-in features to replace

extra hardware (part Integration)
 Screw type Injection Moulding

Mechanical Nozzle between

Toggle barrel and mold
(not shown)
Heater Hopper
bands

Clamping
Unit Hydraulic
Unit

Mold cooling , fed Barrel Screw

Hyd. from external unit
Cylinder
Screw type Injection Moulding
(working principle and name of parts)
 Injection Molding – Schematic Layout

(1) Mold clamping force (2) Movable mold platen (3) Fixed platen (4) Cavity half
(5) Core half (6) Nozzle (7) Cylinder (8) Electric band heaters (9) Reciprocating
screw (10) Hopper (11) Granulated-plastic material (12) Rotary and reciprocating
motion of the screw
12 12
The process

 The plastic material is received by the molder in

granular form

 It is placed in the hopper of an injection-molding

machine, from which it is fed to a heated cylinder.

Mold defines final shape as material cools and

solidifies
The process

 As the granules heat in the cylinder, they melt, or

plasticize

 A typical melting temperature is about 180°C

(350°F), although this varies with different materials
and molding conditions

 The mold, usually of steel, is clamped in the

machine and is water-cooled
The process

 The mold is opened, and the molded part with its

attached runners is removed

 The process, with the occasional exception of part

removal, is automatic
The process

 It requires about 8 to 150 sec / cycle in which

most of that time is being devoted to cooling of the
material in the mold

 Very high pressures, on the order of 2800 Kg/sq.cm or

more, are required during injection
Characteristics of Injection - Molded
parts

 Generally Thin-walled with Uniform wall-thickness

 Heavy sections and variable wall thicknesses are possible,

though they are normally not recommended.
Characteristics of Injection – Molded parts:

 Color and surface finish often can be molded directly

onto the part, so that secondary finishing operations are not
necessary(Painting)
Characteristics of Injection – molded
parts:
Some “Engineering plastics” such as
 Nylon
 Polycarbonate
 Acetal
 Phenylene oxide
 Polysulfone
 Thermoplastic polyesters & others, particularly when
reinforced with glass or other fibers, are functionally
competitive with zinc, aluminum, and even steel.
Characteristics of Injection – molded
parts

 Gradually being developed with better and better

strength characteristics

 Increasingly finding themselves used for:

moving parts and in structural applications
Three Effects of Shrinkage
Effects of Shrinkage

 All thermoplastics exhibit shrinkage on cooling and

solidification

 Causes various irregularities and warpage in the

molded part

 Most common such defect is the sink mark, or surface

depression, opposite heavy sections.
Shrinkage of some common Thermoplastics

No THERMOPLASTIC SHRINKAGE %
1 Acetal 2 to 2.5
2 Acrylic 0.3 to 0.8
3 Acrylo Nitrile Butatine 0.3 to 0.8
Styrene (ABS)
4 PolyAmide (Nylon) 0.3 to 1.5
5 Polycarbonate 0.5 to 0.7
6 Polyethylene 1.5 to 5.0
7 Polypropylene 1.0 to 2.5
8 Polystyrene 0.2 to 0.6
9 PolyVinyl Chloride PVC 0.1 to 0.5
(Rigid)
10 PVC (Flexible) 1.0 to 3.0
One Effect of Shrinkage

Typical Sink mark opposite to a HEAVY section

Second Effect of Shrinkage

Shrinkage of Plastic material on cooling causes the closing

in of U – shaped sections
Third effect of shrinkage

CURVATURE

Curving of flat surfaces caused by Shrinkage of Plastic

Flat Surfaces

 Flat surfaces are more prone to show irregularities

than gently curved surfaces

 Since the latter also produce more rigid parts, they are
preferable
 Relationship between Mech.
Properties of Plastics & Moldability
Mechanical Moldability
Properties
Low (PE, PP, PS) High

High (PC, Alloyed Low

Grades..)
 Ribs
Sink marks caused by ribs can be disguised or
hidden by grooves or surface texture opposite the rib.
Methods of disguising sink mark
TEXTURED

OR OR
Suitability of Materials:

 PVC, though low in cost and having very good

physical properties, is more difficult to injection -mold than
many other materials

 PVC’s prime drawback is a narrow temperature range

between its melting and degradation points
Design recommendation: 1
Wall Thickness

 Generally, thinner walls are more feasible with small parts

rather than with large ones

 The limiting factor in wall thinness is the tendency for the

plastic material in thin walls to cool and solidify before the
mold is filled

 The shorter the material flow, the thinner the wall can be
 RECOMMENDED THICKNESS (mm)
MATERIAL SHORT SMALL AVERAGE LARGE
SECTIONS SECTION SECTION SECTION
ACETAL 0.6 0.9 1.9 3.2-4.7
ACRYLIC 0.6 0.9 2.3 3.2-6.3
ABS 0.9 1.3 1.9 3.2-4.7
CA 0.6 1.3 1.9 3.2-4.7
NYLON 0.3 0.6 1.5 2.4-3.2
PC 0.4 0.8 1.8 2.4-3.2
 RECOMMENDED THICKNESS (mm)
MATERIAL SHORT SMALL AVERAGE LARGE
SECTION SECTION SECTION SECTION
LDPE 0.9 1.3 1.6 2.4-3.2
HDPE 0.9 1.3 1.9 3.2-4.7
PP 0.6 0.9 1.9 3.2-4.7
PS 0.8 1.3 1.6 3.2-6.3
PVC
0.6 1.3 1.9 3.2-4.7
(FLEXIBLE)
PVC
0.9 1.6 2.4 3.2-4.7
(RIGID)
Suggested Wall Thickness

 Walls also should be as uniform in thickness as possible to

avoid warpage from uneven shrinkage.

 When changes in wall thickness are unavoidable, the

transition should be gradual, not abrupt.
Maintain uniform wall thickness as far as possible, and if
changes in wall thickness are unavoidable, make them
gradual rather than abrupt
Core out thick sections as shown to maintain a
more uniform wall thickness
 You are trying out this mold
 You meet with this problem
Your recommendation?
Race-tracking:

Non-uniform wall thickness

can lead to air traps
 Max variation of thickness of
main walls of part
 Amorphous & filled resins, can tolerate ~ 25% ‘t’ variations
without significant filling, warpage, or appearance
problems.
 Unfilled crystalline resins can tolerate ~12.5% ‘t’
Thickness Transitions

Various possibilities
Design Recommendation: 2

Holes and Weld-lines

 Holes are feasible in injection-molded parts but are a

complicating factor in mold construction and part quality

 “Knit” or “weld” lines adjacent to the hole often develop,

and flashing also may occur at the edge of the hole
Holes

 Minimum spacing between two holes or

between a hole and side-wall should be one
diameter.
D D D

NOT THIS THIS

Holes:

Through hole is preferred to blind hole as:

 Core pin that produces hole can be supported at both
ends.
 Better dimensional location of hole.
 Avoids bent or broken pin.

Prefer through hole

to blind hole
Design Guidelines:
Holes

 Holes in the bottom of the part are preferable to those in

the side because the latter require retractable core pins.
 D
Design Guidelines: Holes

 Blind holes should not be

MAX
more than two diameters deep.
2D
 If the diameter is 1.5 mm or
less, one diameter is the
maximum practical depth.
Proposal 1 Proposal 2 Proposal 3

46
Design Guidelines for Holes

To increase depth of deep blind hole, use steps enabling

stiffer core pin

X
NOT THIS THIS
 Similarly, for through holes, cutout sections in
the part can shorten the length of a small-diameter pin.
Cut outs

NOT THIS THIS

The improved design on the Right provides better

Rigidity of the Mould core pin
Alternate design …1
Alternate design …2
 Long-Core Alternatives

Incorrect Correct Correct Correct

Options to reduce the length of excessively long core

pins
Use overlapping and offset mold-cavity projections instead of
core pins to produce holes parallel to the mold-parting line
(perpendicular to the mold-movement direction).

Part
Molded
Sidewall Windows:
Bypass steel can form windows in sidewalls without
moving slides
Louvers on Sloping Wall

Louvers on sloping walls can be

molded in the direction of draw
Design of Air vents / Slots / Louvers

Your DFM Comment?

Vent Slots:

Extending vent slots over the corner edge eliminates the need
for a side action in the mold.

Design to avoid side core pull

 X

Core slides can be avoided by using this Hole design

Design Recommendation: 3 Ribs

 Reinforcing ribs should be thinner than wall they

are reinforcing to prevent sink marks in opposite side.
 Recommended rib thickness: 0.4 to 0.6 wt

wt
Design Guidelines

 Ribs should not be higher than 2.5 to 3.0 times the wall
thickness.

2.5 – 3.0 wt max

wt
Design Guidelines

 Two ribs may be used, if necessary, to provide the extra

reinforcement that would otherwise be provided by a high
rib.

 The ribs should be two or more wall thicknesses apart

 Too tall
Too thick Better
 D

2t
min
D Better than C

Apply standards for Rib Design

Design Guidelines

Ribs should be perpendicular to the parting line in order to

permit removal the part from the mold.
Design Guidelines

 Ribs should have a generous draft of 0.5deg to 1.5

deg per side
 There should be a radius of 25% to 40% of ‘t’ at the
base
 Draft 0.5°
to1.5°

Height of rib
2.5 ‘T’ to 3’T’ Radius = 0.25 to
0.4’T’

‘T’

Thk.of Rib 0.4‘T’to 0.6’T’

Design guide lines for ribs
Squared gussets can trap air in the corners
 Contour lines show flow front position
at incremental time intervals in Mold flow Analysis
It facilitates Redesign parts to suit production

Original design

Redesign the part shown

 Surface Texture Disguise
Sinks

Original Modified Draft Angles

Design Design & Corner
Radii
The part design must be modified for primary and secondary
manufacturing concerns (shrinkage, draft angles, flow leaders,
etc.) The effect of these changes on the end-use performance
of the part should be evaluated
 Rib configurations to increase stiffness. Structural
performance, Venting, Ejection etc. are to be considered
while designing the part.

Which is better; Addition or Deletion of

Reinforcement Ribs?
 Boss design that result in the
potential for sink marks and voids

Improved boss design

Connecting bosses to walls

Incorrect

Correct
Design requirement stipulates boss location adjacent to wall !
What to do?
Boss in Attachment Wall

Open bosses maintain uniform thickness in attachment

wall
 Gusset plates
 Increase the torsional
and bending stiffness
 Improve the flow of
material and improve
venting during the
mould filling.

One answer to three questions

 Solid beam

Hollow
profile
Ribbed
profile

Structural
foam

The seat members for the park bench are beam like profiles.
See alternate design proposals.
Alternate design for solid profiles include Hollow, Ribbed or
Structural foam profiles
Design recommendation:4 Undercuts

 Undercuts are possible with injection-molded

thermoplastic parts, but they may require sliding cores or split
molds

 External undercuts can be placed at the parting line or

extended to the line to obviate the need for core pulls.
Undercut

 Shallow undercuts often may be strippable from the

mold without the need for core pulls.

 If the undercut is strippable, the other half of the mold

must be removed first so that the ejector pins can act to
strip the part.
Annular snap fits are commonly used with more flexible
polymers. A common application for an annular snap
assembly is a push on bottle cap.
(Typical example : Photo film container)
Stripping Undercut Guidelines:

Undercut s can often be striped from the mold if its size is

within guidelines for the type of materials used.
 Insertion, deflection and recovery. While there are many
different snap fit geometries, the snap fitting process always
involves a momentary deflection during assembly /
disassembly, followed by elastic recovery
Maximum Strippable Undercuts with
different Polymers

Material Max. strippable

Under cut ‘S’ mm
Acrylic 1.5
ABS 1.8
Nylon 1.5
Poly Carbonate 1.0
Polyethylene 2.0
Polypropylene 1.5
Polystyrene 1.0
Polysulphone 1.0
Vinyl,Flexible 2.5
Design Recommendation: 5 Inserts

 Inserts are useful and practical to provide reinforcement

where stresses exceed the strength of the plastic material

 Sharp corners should be avoided on the portion of the

insert that is immersed in the thermoplastic.
 Hex holes
captivate nuts
during
assembly

Design Molded-in features to replace extra hardware (part

Integration)
Design of Inserts:

 Knurls on machined inserts should be relatively coarse to

permit the material to flow into the recesses

 There should be a smooth surface where the insert exits

from the plastic
Your DFM Comment please
Thin section between bottom of insert and mould
surface flow and strength problems
 rough smooth

X
The surface exiting from plastic should be smooth
X

Seal off plastic from unwanted areas

X
X
 X

Not sufficiently embedded in plastic

Ample supporting material must be provided around an
insert. If the diameter of the insert is 6mm or less ,the boss
diameter should be at least twice that of the insert.
Design Recommendation: 6
Cable Guides
Molded-in features can replace cable-guide hardware

X
Cable Guides

Molded-in features can replace cable-guide hardware

X
Cable Guides

Molded-in features can replace cable-guide

hardware

X
Cable Guides
Molded-in features can replace cable-guide hardware

X
Cable Guides
Molded-in features can replace cable-guide hardware

X
Design Recommendation: 7 Bosses

 Protruding pads used to provide mounting

surfaces or reinforcements around holes

 If large bosses are needed, they should be hollow for

uniformity of wall thickness.
Rib Boss

Ribs aid material Flow for a Boss

Mating Bosses

Excessively long bosses can be replaced by 2 shorter bosses

Design Guidelines: Bosses

 Bosses in the upper portion of the mold can trap gases

and should be avoided

 If possible, locate bosses in corners, to aid material flow

in filling the mold.

 If a detached boss is necessary, a connecting rib will aid

material flow
106
Design Recommendation: 8
Threads

 Use a core that is rotated after the molding

cycle has been completed. This unscrews the part from the
mold.
Ways of molding threads:

 Put the axis of the external screw at the parting line of the
mould, avoiding the need for a rotating core but necessitates
a very good fit between mold halves to avoid flash across the
threads(Omit threads in the area of the parting line)
Ways of molding threads:

 If threads with strong holding power are needed, use metal

inserts.

 Internal threads can be tapped in almost all

thermoplastics, and if the thread diameter is 5 mm or less,
tapping is economical than molding.

 Self-tapping screws are preferable to tapped / molded

threads and conventional screws.
Ways of molding threads:

 Make the threads a few, shallow, and of rounded form

so that the part can be stripped from the mold without
unscrewing

 A coarse thread with a somewhat rounded form is

preferred for all screw threads because of ease of filling
and avoidance of featheredges even if it is removed by
unscrewing.
 Nomenclature of thread shape???

Sharp

Rounded

ROLL THREAD
Design guidelines to avoid
cross threading:
External screw threads can be moulded without the
need for a core pull if the threaded element is placed on
the mould parting plane. However, removal of flash from
threads may be required unless threads are excluded
from parting line area.
Molded Threads:
Examples of thread designs that were modified for ease of
molding

Avoid threads on Parting Plane

Design Recommendation: 9 Lettering

 The lettering on the part should be raised (ie) formed by

depressed, engraved letters in the mold

 It is easier to engrave lettering in a mold cavity than it is

to machine away the background and leave raised letters.
Lettering:

 It is desired to have depressed letters on the part and to

fill them with paint that contrasts with the color of the plastic
material

 Cavities for filled lettering should be sharp-edged and

0.13 to 0.8 mm wide

 The depth should be one-half of the width and rounded

at bottom.
Dimensional rules for depressed
lettering in the mold
Recommendations on lettering
Defects due to improper design

Deep and sharp letterings can

lead to ‘Teardrop’ effects
during moulding

Improved with rounded and

shallow lettering
Design Recommendation: 10 Draft

 It is highly desirable to incorporate some draft, in the side

walls of injection molded parts to facilitate removal of the
part from the mold.

 Drafts as low as 1/4deg are often adequate.

Draft:

 Usually, deep parts require less draft angle than shallow

parts

 For shallow parts draft should average 1/2deg or more

 For deep parts 1/8⁰ can often be satisfactory

 Textured surfaces require greater draft.

121
Minimum Drafts for some common Materials

Polystyrene --------- ½ 0
Polyacetal --------- ¼ 0
Polyethylene ------- ¼ 0
Acrylic --------- ¼ 0
Nylon --------- ¼ 0
Design Recommendation: 11
Radii and Fillets

 Sharp corners should be avoided except at the parting

line. They interfere with the smooth flow of material and
create possibilities for turbulence which results in surface
defects.

 Sharp comers also cause stress concentrations in the part

that are undesirable from a functional standpoint.
Corners: Radii and Fillets

 Fillets and radii should be as generous as possible. A

desirable minimum under any circumstance is 0.5 mm, while
1.0 mm is a preferable minimum if part requirements permit
Design Recommendation: 12
Surface Finish

 Surface polish or textures can be molded into the part.

 No secondary surface-finishing operations are necessary.

 (Except when plating, hot stamping, or painting is desired)

Surface Finish

 High-gloss finishes are feasible if mold is highly polished

and material grade & molding conditions are correct.

 However, dull, matte, or textured finishes are preferred to

glossy finishes, which tend to accentuate sink marks and
other surface imperfections.
Surface Finish

 Painting of most thermoplastics is feasible but is not

recommended if the color can be molded into the part.

 The latter approach obviously is more economical and

gives superior results.

 If contrasting colors are required, masks can be fabricated

and a portion of the part left unpainted.
Plating of Plastic Parts:

 Feasible for some plastics but is a specialized operation

Design Recommendation: 13
Mold Parting Line

 Every injection-molded part shows the effect of the mold

parting line, the junction of the two halves of the mold.

 The part (and the mold) should be designed so that the

parting occurs in an area where it does not adversely affect the
appearance or function of the part.
Mold Parting Line:

 One easy way to do this is to put the parting line

at the edge of the part where there is already a
sharp corner

Parting line
OK
Parting line Not OK

If possible put the mould parting line at the edge of

the part
 Not this This
Surface decorations like flutes, reeds and textures should
stop short of the parting line so that flash is easy to remove
On parting-line:

Parting lines should be straight; i.e., the two mold halves

should meet in one plane only

This obviously provides more economical mold

construction, but it may not be possible if the part design is
irregular.

If it is not possible to place the parting line at the edge of

the part, cleaning parting line flash is facilitated by having a
bead or other raised surface at the parting line
On parting-line:

 If it is not possible to place the parting line at the edge of

the part, a bead or other raised surface is recommended at
the parting line to facilitate cleaning of parting line flash
On parting-line:

A Bead at the Parting Line facilitates removal of flash

On Parting Line:
Deliberately offset cavities are helpful in avoiding
appearance defects, which may occur if the two mold
halves do not line up properly

X
 Split Cavities

Scr. Driver Bit

Parting
Line

Irregularly shaped inserts are placed on the

parting line of the mould
Design Recommendation: 14
Tolerances

Dimensions cannot be held to the precision obtainable on a

closely tolerated mould, due to:

1. Plastic material’s shrinkage, including its variation and

unpredictability.

2. High thermal coefficient of expansion of plastics.

Tolerance Recommendations:
3. Despite automatically controlled apparatus for
pressure, temperature, and time settings, there is some
variation in these factors from cycle to cycle, resulting in
slight dimensional variations in molded parts

4. Mold runners, cooling channels, and gates cannot always

be located in the optimal position, leading to differences in
how uniformly the material is “packed” in the mold and how
uniformly it cools. Some distortion or built-in stresses are
unavoidable
Tolerance Recommendations:

Plastic parts are usually more flexible than metals. A

corollary of the flexibility factor is a lessened need for very
close tolerances.

Plastic parts, when assembled, often can be deformed

slightly if this is necessary to ensure a good fit.
Tolerance Recommendations:

Knowledgeable designers take advantage of the flexibility

factor of plastics, by designing ribs and locating bosses
on plastic parts to ensure alignment with mating-parts.
Tolerance Recommendations:

 As with other processes, close dimensional tolerances

can greatly increase the cost of injection-molded parts.

 Finely tolerated molds are costlier than loosely tolerated

molds.
Tolerance Recommendations:
Processing cost increases when extra tight dimensional
control is needed.

For example,

 Closer process controls are needed for pressure,

temperature, and cycle time.
 Cycle time may be increased.
 Shrink fixtures may be required to control dimensions of
the part after removal from mold.
 Higher rejection- rates are likely.
Tolerance Recommendations:
 Different plastics materials have different tolerance
capabilities.

 Low-shrinkage materials can invariably be molded

with closer tolerances.

 Glass or mineral-
filled materials can
be molded more Cost
accurately than
unfilled materials.

Tolerance
Tolerance Recommendations:
The use of a greater number of mold cavities tends to
reduce the closeness of dimensional control over the
molded parts.

As a rule of thumb, for each cavity after the first,

allowable dimensional. tolerances should be increased by
5%
IT 11 to 14
145 145
146 146
Dimensional relation-ship between
part and mold
Tolerance based on materials

Coarse Medium Fine

 Coarse Medium Fine

Tolerance
Coarse Medium Fine
10 Commandments of Plastic Part design
Avoid sharp corners

Process problems Ideal

 Wall uniformity

2.Check for too thick sections

 Ribs
Avoid thick / too close and too long ribs
 Bosses

Thin
Too
Sharp Tall

Thick

Screw Radius
Lead Gussets
In

Avoid too thick and too tall boss design

 Design Guidelines Bosses

 Bosses are used in assembly or for location during

assembling.

 If large bosses are needed, they should be hollow for

uniformity of wall thickness.
 Draft

 It is highly desirable to incorporate some draft, in the side

walls of injection molded parts to facilitate removal of the part
from the mold.

 Drafts as low as 1/4º are often adequate.

Draft
Draft
 Draft

 Usually, deep parts may require more draft angle than

shallow parts - but we cannot provide due to dimensional
variations.

 For shallow parts draft should average 1/2deg or more

 For deep parts minimum 1/4 deg may often be given

 Textured surfaces require greater draft.

Minimum Drafts for some common Materials

1. Polystyrene --------- ½ 0
2. Poly acetal --------- ¼ 0
3. Polyethylene ------- ¼ 0
4. Acrylic --------- ½ 0
5. Nylon --------- ¼ 0
Problems due to no draft

 Ejector Pin Mark (stress mark)

 Ejector Pin Breakage

 Warpage

 Scratches on core and Cavity

 Ejector System Bend

 Snap Fit

Avoid Sharp
Edges

Under cut Vs.

Radius Material & Length

Prefer Radii, Shallow

&Taper Lead
Radius
Taper Angle

Check for rigid snap fit

Stress concentration
Types of snap fits
 Thread
Forming
Avoid for
PC & PC
blends

Thread
Cutting

Avoid Countersunk features for screws

 Thread Forming Screws

Thread Cutting Screws

Comment on this Design
 Picture framing

9.Check for weld line formation & location

 Warpage

10.Avoid non-uniform cooling

Parts subjected to Fatigue loads designed with thin wall
sections promote Heat transfer & minimize potential for
Shrinkage Stress or Voids
Base of moulded container is circular - subjected to
uniformly distributed load ( Hydraulic Pressure)
Use of an undercut shaft for press fit hub/shaft assemblies will locate the
hub axially. The stresses associated with both the long term and short term
interference (as the hub is pushed onto the shaft) must be considered by
the designer.
The shafts used with press fit assemblies can be smooth, textured or even
knurled. With smooth shafts, torsional strength can decrease with time due
to stress-relaxation effects. The torsional strength for textured or knurled
shafts involves some degree of mechanical interlock.
 A B

Snap assemblies can be designed to be either separable or inseparable

Identify which is separable & which is inseparable?
Snap assemblies can be designed to be either separable or inseparable
The lead-in and return angles influence
Push-on and Pull-off forces.
Ball and socket snap fit assembly.
Slotted annular
assembly(series of cantilever
lugs)

Mating component

Slots allow cantilevered lug

snaps to deflect during assembly
or disassembly
The slotted annular snap assembly is actually a series of cantilever snap
beams. This approach is more suitable for rigid polymers.
Cantilever snap beams are commonly used for the assembly of plastic parts. A
variety of separable and inseparable configurations are possible.)
If you desire an easy pull out snap fit, what to do?
Cantilever snap beams with ramping return angles can be snapped in
and out. The angles of inclination and the beam geometry control the
relative assembly and disassembly forces.
A self locking (900 return angle) cantilever snap requires manual
deflection for separation. When beams require manual deflection,
some type of molded in stop that limits the maximum deflection
minimizes the potential of beam breakage due to over stressing.
Externally activated V-shaped cantilever snaps are commonly used in the
assembly of components such as battery access covers, where repeated
deflection is anticipated. The potential for failure is reduced because the
maximum possible deflection is self limiting.
Electrical components such as circuit boards or power supplies are
commonly mounted to a molded chassis using cantilever snaps. When 900
return angle snap beams are used (i.e. those requiring manual deflection
for disassembly), stops can be added to limit deflection and potential beam
damage.
How can we redesign the assembly details to
reduce the assembling force?
 1 2 3

The geometry of the cantilever beam can be altered to

control the relative insertion and separation forces.
1.Comment on the manufacturability of this part design.
2.Is it possible to simplify the design?
Cantilever snap beams can add to tooling costs and
complexity. In this case, the snap beams are positioned in
such a way (i.e. the hook facing outwards) that no special
mold actions are required.
Undercut prevents Part ejection
Certain snap fit geometries can be ejected by simply stripping the
part from the core. This is most appropriate for parts produced
with flexible, ductile polymers, where tolerance demands are
relatively low.
A lifter is used in the ejection of a cantilever snap beam.
Ribs, steps, bosses or other design features cannot be
placed in the immediate area of the snap beam as they
can interface with lifter movement.
Modified ejector pins can also be used to produce rounded
snap beams.
Comment on manufacturability of this part
Part geometries can be modified to facilitate molding, specifically
with consideration towards part ejection. Design features such as
slots should be used in place of sidewall holes whenever possible as
no special mold actions are required. No special actions are
required for the cantilever snap beam with a slot below the hook.
Comment on the design of this cantilever snap beam
The cantilever snap beams shown can be molded in a simple
two plate mold without any special mold actions. This method
is appropriate when the resulting slot at the base of the snap
beam is acceptable.
 Avoid excessively thick / thin sections at base of blind boss
 Radii values for fillet must be large to minimize stress concentration, yet
must be small to limit shrinkage related problems such as shrinkage stress,
sinks and voids
Design Recommendations:

Gate and Ejector-Pin Locations

 The designer should consider the location of these

elements

 Ejector pins usually can be located on the

underside of a part if it has an outer side and an
underside
 Part Design Check list
For Injection Moulded Engineering Thermoplastic

Material selection requirements

Loads Magnitude Duration Impact Fatigue Wear
Environment Temperature Chemicals Humidity Cleaning
Lubricants UV light agents
Special Transparency Paintability Platability Warpage/
Flammability Cost Agency- Shrinkage
approval
 Part Details Review
Radii Sharp Corners Ribs Bosses Lettering
Wall Thickness
Material Strength Electrical Flammability
Flow Flow Length Too Thin Avoid Thin to Thick
Picture Framing Orientation
Uniformity Thick Areas Thin Areas Abrupt Changes
Ribs Radii Draft Height Spacing
Base Thickness
Bosses Radii Draft Inside Diameter/Outside
Base Thickness Length/Dia Diameter
Weld Lines Proximity to Load Strength vs Visual Area
Load
Draft Draw Polish Texture ½ Degree(Minimum)
Depth
Tolerances Part Geometry Material Tool Design (Across Parting
Line, Slides)
 Assembly Considerations
Press Fits Tolerances Hoop Stress Long-Term Retention
Snap Fits Allowable Assembly Tapered Multiple
Strain Force Beam Assembly
Screws Thread Cutting Vs Forming Avoid Countersinks
Molded Threads Avoid Feather Edges, Sharp Corners and Pipe Threads
Ultrasonics Energy Director Shear Joint Interference
Adhesive and Shear Vs, Butt Joint Compatibility
Solvent Bonds Trapped Vapors
General Stack Tolerances Assembly Tolerances Care With
Thermal Expansion Component Rivets and
Compatibility Moulded inserts
 Mould Concerns
Warpage Cooling (Corners) Ejector Placement
Gates Type Size Location
Runners Size and Shape Sprue Size Balanced Flow
Cold Slug Well Sharp Corners
General Draft Part Ejection Avoid Thin/Long Core
Basic stages of part design:
1. Defining end-use requirements
2. Create preliminary concept sketch
3. Initial materials selection
4. Concept review
5. Design part in accordance with material properties
6. Final materials selection
7. Modify design for manufacturing
8. Design Review
9. Prototyping
10. Tooling
11. Production
 A P
1.Defining end-use
C D
requirements
7.Prototyping A P
2.Create concept C D
8. Tooling sketch
9. Production 3.Initial materials
A P selection

C D
6.Modify design for 4.Design part in
manufacturing (Check accordance with
for DFMA) material properties
5. Final materials A P
A P
selection C D
C D
Design & Processing
Standards
for
Living Hinge in PP
&
 Living hinges are thin sections of plastic that connect two
segments of a part to keep them together & allow part to be
opened & closed.

 These can flex more than a million cycles without failure.

Molded fibers of plastic are some what random in orientation.

In order to orient fibers to aid in prolonging hinge life, some

or all of the following practices should be followed:
1. Gate location should be such as to allow plastic to flow
across hinge for maximum strength.

2. As the part comes out of mold, it needs to be flexed a

minimum of 2 times while it is still hot, for optimum
strength
 Coining is often done to give
hinge, enhanced properties.
 Coining process compresses
hinge to pre-determined
thickness.
 Strain induced is greater than
yield stress of plastic.
 This will plastically deform hinge
(i.e. place it outside elastic range
into the plastic range).
 Amount of coining (compression)
should be less than ultimate
stress, to keep hinge from
fracturing.
 Finished thickness after coining should be from 0.25 to 0.5
mm

 This keeps stress in the outer fibers from exceeding yield

strength when being flexed.

 This process can also be done by heating hinge or coining

tool to a temperature below glass transition temperature of
plastic

 This allows for easier coining & somewhat enhanced

properties, as the plastic "flow" easier when being heated.
Thank You