MOLDING

Molding is a general technique that can be used with plastics and thermosetting materials when
employing mobile prepolymer. Molding is used to produce sheetlike, foamed, hollow, or solid materials
from very small to very large objects. Here we will look at various molding processes.

Types

A. INJECTION MOLDING
B. BLOW MOLDING
C. ROTATIONAL MOLDING
D. COMPRESSION AND TRANSFER MOLDING
E. THERMOFORMING

A. INJECTION MOLDING

One of the most widely employed processing techniques for thermoplastics

Involves forcing, injecting, a molten polymer into a mold where it cools becoming solid

Process:

A traditional injection apparatus consists of a hopper, which feeds the molding powder to a
heated cylinder where the polymer is melted and forced forward by a reciprocating plunger or
screw. The cooled part is ejected when the mold opens and then the cycle is repeated. The
molten material passes from the nozzle through a tapered sprue, a channel or runner, and a
small gate into the cooled mold cavity
The hopper (a) feeds the molding powder to a heated cylinder (b) where the polymer is melted
and forced forward by a reciprocating plunger (c) (or screw). The molten material advances
towards a spreader or torpedo into a cool, closed, (here) two-piece mold (d). The cooled part is
ejected when the mold opens and then the cycle is repeated. The molten plastic is passed from
the nozzle through a tapered sprue, runner, and a small gate into the cooled mold cavity. The
plastic in the narrow gate section is easily broken off and excess material remaining within the
sprue, runner, and gate are ground and remolded.

B. Blow Molding

Here a heat- softened hollow plastic tube, or parison, is forced against the walls of the mold by air
pressure. The sequence of material introduction into the mold and subsequent rejection of the material
from the mold is generally rapid and automated. Approximately 1 million tons of thermoplastics are
produced by this technique annually. While there are a wide variety of blow-molding techniques, there
are three main blow- molding procedures:

 Injection blow molding that employs injection molded ‘‘test-tube’’ shaped preforms or parisons
  Extrusion blow molding that uses an extruded tube preform or parison.
 Stretch blow molding that employs an injection molded, extrusion blow-molded preform, or
extruded tube preform

The major difference between injection and extrusion blow molding is the way the soft hollow tube
(called a preform or parison) is made. In injection blow molding, two different molds are used. One
mold forms the preform and the other mold is used in the actual blow-molding operation to give the
final shaped article. In the molding process, the softened material preform, from the preform mold,
is introduced into the blowing mold and blow-molded to fit the cavity of the second ‘‘finished’’ blow
mold. This process is sometimes also called transfer blow molding because the injected preform is
transferred from the preform mold to the final blow mold. This allows better control of the product
wall thickness and the thickness of the various curved locations.

Injection blow molding is typically used to produce smaller articles, generally with a total volume of
500 mL or less. Because two molds are used, there is little waste material that must be recycled and
there is no bottom weld joint. It allows the production of small articles that at times are very difficult
to manufacture in any other way. Extrusion blow molding is the most common process used to
produce hollow articles larger than 250 mL up to about 10,000 L. In extrusion blow molding the
softened material is extruded continuously or intermittently. The preform is introduced, the mold
halves closed, and air or other gas introduced forcing the preform material against the mold
surfaces. After cooling, the mold is opened and the formed article rejected. Articles with handles
and off-set necks can be manufactured using extrusion blow molding. Unlike injection blow molding,
waste that must be cut away and recycled is produced as the two halves of the mold are pressed
together.

C. ROTATIONAL MOLDING

In rotational molding, also known as rotomolding, the mold (or cavity) is filled with material, either as a
solid powder or liquid. The mold is closed, placed in a heated oven, and then rotated biaxially. The mold
is then cooled, opened, and the article recovered. Powders of about 35 mesh (500 mm) are typical
though different sizes are also employed. The distribution of particles and additives is determined by the
mixing=rotation ratio. Almost any mold design can be incorporated into rotational molding. Tanks used
for agricultural, chemical, and recreational vehicle industries are made using rotational molding as are
containers used for packaging and material handling, battery cases, portable toilets, vacuum cleaner
housings, light globes, and garbage containers. Rotational molding produces little waste as well as a
material with uniform wall thickness and strong corner sections.

D. COMPRESSION AND TRANSFER MOLDING

Although there are a number of molding processes, compression and transfer molding are the main
techniques for molding articles from thermosetting materials. In compression or transfer molding, the
material, thermoplastic or thermoset material, is heated sufficiently to soften or plasticize the material
to allow it to enter the mold cavity. The softened material is held against the mold by pressure. For
thermoplastics it is then cooled below the Tg thus locking in the shape. For thermosets it is held until the
cross-linking occurs thereby locking in the article shape. The most widely employed molding process is
compression molding where the material is placed in the bottom half of an open heated mold. The
second half of the mold is closed and brings heat and pressure against the material softening, further
and eventually allowing it to cross-link, if it is a thermoset. When completed, the pressure is released
and the article removed from the mold. Generally excess material, or flash, is produced

E. THERMOFORMING

Thermoforming involves heating a sheet or thick film just above its Tg or Tm, stretching it against a rigid
mold, cooling, and trimming the formed part. Inexpensive aluminum, wood, epoxy, and steel molds are
often employed. This allows the construction of inexpensive molds that allow the production of low-
volume articles. All thermoplastic materials that can be formed into sheets can be thermoformed
provided the heating does not exceed the ability of the sheet to support itself. Thermoforming is
employed to convert extruded sheets into smaller items such as pack- aging containers, plates, trays,
bath tubs, pick-up truck liners, freezer liners, cabinetry, and cups. The skin packaging that involves a
flexible plastic skin drawn tightly over an article on a card backing is made by thermoforming.
Thermoforming permits the production of small to large articles including those with thin walls such as
drinking cups. Thus, thermoforming is employed to produce articles with a relatively high
surface=thickness ratio. Figure 18.14 illustrates the operation of a simple plug-assisted vacuum
thermoforming assembly.

Vacuum can be used in a process called basic vacu um form ing. The sheet is fixe d to a fram e, heated, a
nd vacuum applied , which impl odes the sheet to con form to the mold con tour. The vacu um site is
general ly at the base of the male mo ld. It coo ls as it comes into con tact with the cold mold. For thick
sheets , extra cooling is suppli ed by mean s of forced air or mis t-sprayed wat er. Art icles form ed using
vacuum form ing typic ally hav e thinner walls, the further the sheet must travel to the mold location.
The excess plastic material is trimmed and reused. At times vacuum forming is run in-line with a
sheeting extruder. It is similar to the plug-a ssisted system.

In drape forming, the thermoplastic sheet is clamped and heated and the assembly then sealed over a
male mold. The mold may be forced into the sheet or the sheet may be pulled into the mold by
introduction of a vacuum between the sealed sheet and mold. By draping the sheet over the mold, the
part of the sheet touching the mold remains close to the original thickness. Foamed PS and polyolefins
are generally used in this procedure. In pressure forming, positive pressure is employed to assist the
sheet-contents into the mold. The major advantage is a decreased cooling time for pressure forming

A variety of the plug-assisted processes are the prestretching-bubble techniques. In pressure-bubble

plug-assisted forming, a heated sheet is sealed across a female cavity and pressure is blown through the
cavity forcing the sheet from the mold. An ‘‘assist-plug’’ is then forced against the blown bubble with
the heated sheet beginning to form about the plug as it forces the sheet against the female mold. As the
top part of the mold approaches the female mold bottom, vacuum is applied through the mold causing
the material to collapse onto the mold. Alternately, positive pressure can be applied on the ‘‘plug’’ side
forcing the sheet against the mold walls. In the reverse of the pressure-bubble technique, called vacuum
snap- back forming, the heated sheet is sealed against a vacuum female cavity and controlled vacuum
draws the concave shaped sheet away from the entering male mold. The male mold is then pressed
against the sheet and vacuum applied through the male mold and=or pressure applied from the female
cavity side forcing the material against the male mold. Luggage and automotive parts are made using
this technique.