Introduction to

Injection Molds
LEARN THE BASICS OF INJECTION MOLDS

By:

Basilius Inc.
Contents
Components of Injection Molds ........................................................................................................................... 3
Cavities .............................................................................................................................................................. 3
Runner System .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Cooling System.................................................................................................................................................. 4
Open/Closing Functionality .............................................................................................................................. 4
Ejection System ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Understanding the Molding Cycle ........................................................................................................................ 5
Mold Close ........................................................................................................................................................ 5
Injection ............................................................................................................................................................ 5
Pack / Hold ........................................................................................................................................................ 5
Cooling / Plasticizing ......................................................................................................................................... 6
Mold open......................................................................................................................................................... 6
Part Ejection ...................................................................................................................................................... 6
Project Scope ........................................................................................................................................................ 7
Mold Life and Maintenance .................................................................................................................................. 9
Start With a Good Process ................................................................................................................................ 9
Cleanliness ........................................................................................................................................................ 9
Grease ............................................................................................................................................................... 9
Sensors / Switches .......................................................................................................................................... 10
Cleaning water lines ........................................................................................................................................ 10
Backup Components ....................................................................................................................................... 10
About Basilius ..................................................................................................................................................... 11
It’s Personal .................................................................................................................................................... 11
Quality Reassurance ....................................................................................................................................... 11
A Simple Source, A Simple Solution ................................................................................................................ 11
From Specialized Assistance to Turn-Key Solutions........................................................................................ 11
Components of Injection Molds
Injection molds have several design variations and options. It’s important to understand that most injection
molds have similar components and function in the same way. Below are the core components of an
injection mold.

1) Cavities – Mold cavities are where the plastic part is formed inside the mold. Molds can have
one or more cavities that may or may not be the same part.
2) Runner System - Injection molds all have a means for molten plastic to get from the injection
molding machine to the individual cavities. This system is called a runner and can either be
cold, hot or a hybrid of the two.
3) Cooling System – To remove heat from the plastic and allow a part to solidify, molds have a
series of cooling channels for either water or oil.
4) Open/Closing Functionality –After a part is cooled, the mold is opened by the injection
molding machine to allow the finished part to be removed. There are a few variations as to
how that happens.
5) Ejection System –The finished parts get pushed off the mold by an ejection system that is
controlled by the molding machine. The ejection system is commonly a series of small pins
that push on one side of the part.

Cavities
Molds can be either a single cavity, multi-cavity, or a family mold.

• Single cavity molds produce one part per molding cycle and are typical for low volume applications
and prototyping.
• Multi-cavity molds produce several of the same parts on each molding cycle. Typically, the cavitation
is doubled at each increase in cavitation (1,2,4,8, etc.). This keeps the runner system balanced and
promotes an even flow of plastic to each cavity.
• Family molds are multi-cavity molds where some or all of the parts are different. A family mold could
be a cost savings opportunity where a consumer can buy one mold that produces various parts. It’s
also common for family molds to have a runner shut off feature designed into the mold. The runner
shut off allows the plastic flow to one, all, or some variation of different cavities. The runner shut off
enables the operator to select which parts to run.

Runner System
• Cold Runners - If the runner system is molded and cooled with the cavities, the mold is considered a
cold runner. Cold runners are removed on each cycle and are often ground up and recycled back into
the molding process.
• Hot Runners - The runner system is heated such that the plastic stays above its melt temperature
through the runner system. Hot runner systems are common in high volume applications or where
parts require plastic flow to a specific point on the part (commonly a middle area).
• Hybrid – In some cases, only certain areas of a runner system are heated, and the rest are cooled
with the parts and ejected on each cycle.
Cold runners are a simple and effective way to get plastic from the molding machine to the mold cavities.
There are channels cut into the mold plates that allow the plastic to travel to the proper location. Because of
the simplicity, the cold runner system is the most cost-effective. The downside is the extra plastic created
needs to be handled and processed.

Hot runner systems use a series of enclosed heated channels (manifold) to transfer molten material directly
or indirectly into the cavities. Unlike cold runner systems where plastic is wasted (or needs to be processed
for recycling) on each cycle, there is little to no waste. The hot runner system also yields better process
control. The downside is the upfront investment can be high.

Cooling System
An injection mold has a series of channels that allow the flow of water or oil to control the temperature of
the mold. The temperature setting varies based on the type of plastic being processed. Even though the
temperature varies, it still serves the same purpose of cooling the plastic. The cooling process is likely the
longest part of the molding process and will vary significantly from project to project. The thickness of the
part, type of plastic, and cooling efficiency of the mold are all factors in cooling time.

Open/Closing Functionality
Most molds are designed to be either a two or three plate system. The two plate mold is more common and
less complicated than the three-plate system. The design of the plastic part drives the type of system used. In
other words, you wouldn’t just choose a two-plate mold over a three-plate for personal preference.

The difference between the two comes down to the design of the runner system and how the mold
opens/closes. For a two plate system, the mold opens into two halves, and the parts/runner system stays on
one side of the mold.

The three-plate system separates the parts and runner by using a floating plate in between the two halves of
the mold. When a three-plate mold opens, the finished parts stay on one side and the runner on the other,
with the third plate in between them. Three plate molds are common for round parts or where getting plastic
flow to the center of the part is necessary. They may also be a cost savings opportunity when compared to a
hot runner system. They do not yield the same advantage of having greater process control, but you can have
more options for the injection location on a part.

Ejection System
The ejection system, on the most simple mold, is a series of small pins (ejector pins) that push the part off of
the mold surface. The ejector pins are attached to a common plate, so they all move together. That plate is
connected to the molding machine so that the machine can control the movement of the ejection system. In
more advanced applications, ejection systems could use hydraulics, delayed ejector pins, lifters, accelerated
ejectors, etc. The bottom line is that the ejection system gets the part of the mold.
Understanding the Molding Cycle
It’s pertinent to understand the injection cycle to understand the injection mold itself. Fundamentally the
injection molding process has not changed since its inception. In the molding process, plastic is heated to a
molten state and injected into a mold. If you watch an injection molding machine operate, you may only see
a mold opening and closing and new parts coming out. However, there is significantly more going on inside
the machine and mold to make sure the parts are the same every time. Here is a quick rundown of the
process, starting with an open mold.

• Mold Close
• Injection
• Pack / Hold
• Cooling / Plasticizing
• Mold Open
• Part Ejection

Mold Close
In the most simple application, the molding machine closes the mold and applies clamp pressure. During that
process, the molding machine is monitoring how much pressure it's applying as a safety check. There also
may be a closing "profile," where the operator sets varying speeds as the mold closes. This profile setting
comes into play more as molds become more complicated.

In more advanced applications, molds will have actions, hydraulics, over-molded inserts, and unscrewing
operations that work in tandem with the mold close operation. These may operate off time, position, or
mechanically with the mold.

Injection
During injection, the screw moves forward, pushing molten plastic out of the barrel and into the mold
cavities. We are trying to balance speed with process consistency and part quality. Injecting too fast or too
slow can cause a myriad of part defects. This concept seems simple enough, but it goes much deeper than
that.

A key aspect of injection is when to move to the next stage of pack and hold. This is known as a transfer point
or V-P switch over, meaning the point where you switch from putting a volume of plastic into the mold at a
specific speed to holding a specific amount of pressure for a period of time. A general rule is to fill the mold
cavities nearly full (roughly 95% or more) during the injection phase.

Pack / Hold
Now that the part is mostly full, we need to pack the part out the rest of the way and hold material pressure
until the gates freeze. Having these pressures too low may cause sink marks in the finished part, and having
them too high can cause flashing or even damage the mold. It's also important that the gate design and size
are correctly matched to the part.
Gates need to freeze (cool down) enough to isolate the part from the feed system. Having gates that are too
large may take excessive time to cool. Gates that are too small may freeze off too quickly, cutting off the
material flow and causing short shots or sinks.

Cooling / Plasticizing
After the pack and hold stage, the part is filled out but is still likely too hot to be removed from the mold. The
cooling stage is simply time allotted for the mold to absorb heat from the plastic part. Large parts, thick wall
sections, or using materials with low thermal conductivity are more likely to warp or change after molding if
proper cooling time is not provided. During the cooling time, the molding machine begins recharging
(plasticizing) material in the barrel to prepare for the next cycle. The screw starts spinning, which conveys
raw material down the barrel, melts it, and prepares a specific amount of plastic for the next cycle.

Mold open
Once the cooling phase has completed and the molding machine has prepared for the next cycle, the mold is
opened. In it's most simple form, the mold opens, nothing exciting. However, more advanced molds may
require core pulls, air blast control, or opening profiles. These other aspects of mold open are either
controlled by mold position or time during the mold opening phase. Like mold closing, the speed can be
changed at different positions, and the molding machine monitors the amount of force being applied to open
the mold.

Part Ejection
Once the mold is open, the parts need to be removed. This may be a single pulse of the molds ejection
system, or it may require varying ejection strokes and robotics. If robotics are being used, the robot will likely
signal the molding machine to start the ejection process. In some applications, the ejection stage may
happen while the mold is opening to decrease cycle time.

Once the parts are removed, one cycle of the injection molding process is complete. The speed of the cycle is
determined by part design and mold operation. This entire process may take place in seconds or over a
minute. Other variables in the process will include preparation of the molding material, barrel temperatures,
mold cooling temperature, hot runner system control, integrated robotics, and interchangeable components
of the molding machine.
Project Scope
Developing a project scope will help you and your mold builder specify how to build the mold and have a
mutual understanding of the critical aspects of the project. The project scope could be a very detailed
document (common in larger organizations) but may only need to be a simple discussion with your mold
builder. The most significant factors in the project scope are the annual order quantities, mold life
expectancy, and budget.

Knowing or predicting future order quantities is essential to understand because injection molds are
designed to produce a certain number of parts per cycle (cavitation). Higher cavitation molds will produce
more parts per cycle (yielding a lower unit price), but they cost more to build. There’s a tradeoff between
spending more upfront on a higher cavitation injection mold vs. the long term per unit savings. As a
purchaser, you need to understand when the return on investment will be reached and decide if it’s worth
the investment. The expected order quantity also factors into the life expectancy of the mold.

Several years ago, SPI (Society of Plastics Industry) introduced mold building classifications to help eliminate
confusion in mold quoting. The most important factor in between molding classes is the life expectancy of
the mold. Below, you’ll see that class 101 molds should yield a million or more cycles. If a class 101 mold is a
sixteen cavity, you would expect at least sixteen million parts before any major maintenance is required.
Below are the mold class specifications directly from the SPI’s “Customs and Practices of the Mold Making
Industry” publication with some details removed.

• Class 101
o Cycles: 1 Million or more
o Built for extremely high production, this is the highest-priced mold and is built from the
highest quality materials.

• Class 102
o Cycles: Not exceeding one million
o They are built for medium to high production, suitable for abrasive materials and parts
requiring high tolerances. Class 102 is of high quality and relatively high priced mold.

• Class 103
o Cycles: Under 500,000
o They are built for medium production. This is a popular mold for low to medium production
needs.

• Class 104
o Cycles: Under 100,000
o They are built for low production and used only for limited production, preferably with
nonabrasive materials. Low to moderate price range.

• Class 105
o Cycles: Not exceeding 500
o They are built for prototype mold only. This mold will be constructed in the least expensive
manner possible to produce a limited quantity of prototypes.
 o May be constructed from cast material or epoxy or any other material offering sufficient
strength to produce minimum prototype pieces.

The third major factor in developing a project scope is budget. For long term molding projects of various
annual quantities, we often recommend building the mold to a higher specification. It’s usually better to have
a mold that will outlast the life of the project than to risk the mold wearing out before the end of a project.
However, that may require a larger upfront investment that may not be in the budget. It’s essential to work
with your mold builder and find the best fit on a case by case basis.
Mold Life and Maintenance
The life of a mold can be cut short by poor maintenance practices. Taking the time to maintain tooling
properly can save thousands of dollars in repairs and downtime. Below are some quick tips to promote tool
life and avoid surprises.

Start With a Good Process

No two processing engineers are going to run the same process on a part. It's seemingly possible to run a
faster cycle on nearly any molded part. In some cases, it may be necessary to max out speeds on your
equipment, but slamming molds open and closed (especially a mold with actions) is not good practice.
Molding machines can detect overloads in the mold closing action, but that doesn't mean they can stop fast
enough not to do any damage.

If parts don't eject off the mold 100% of the time, fix it. The bottom line is closing a part back into the mold,
even if it does cause an overload, is never okay. If it doesn't cause any short term damage, you likely just
over-packed the other cavities and sent some potential failures down the line. The use of robotics can help
with this as well. When using robotics, it's important to have grip/vacuum detection set up to inhibit mold
closing in the case of a missed part.

If your molding equipment can detect overloads for mold movement and ejection, make sure they are set
correctly. Setting the overloads may pick up on the added resistance before total failure. I've personally seen
molding machines alarm off before major failure to an ejection system. Unfortunately, I've also seen the
other side where limits were not set, and the ejection system comes to a screeching halt (literally).

If the nozzle/sprue is drooling and leaving stringers, fix the problem. Continuously closing little strings of
plastic in the mold will inevitably cause damage. Those strings of plastic may lay over parting lines and
eventually cause flashing. If this is a real problem, try different nozzles (orifice size and material), lower
nozzle temperatures, or use the sprue break option on the molding machine. Just don't let it go.

Cleanliness
Keeping mold surfaces, knockout holes, and venting channels clean is critical. Some plastics tend to create
more residue in venting systems (don't forget every one of your knockouts is a vent). Allowing this to build up
excessively is like sandpaper for the moving components. Clogged vents can also cause short shots and
burning. Some molds may even need vents cleaned every day or every shift. For the most part, it's a simple
procedure that can save a lot of headaches.

Grease
Greasing all bearing surfaces is an absolute must. It's best practice to clean off existing grease and to apply
new. Do not just put new grease over the old. Over time debris can build up on grease and turn into what
someone once referred to me as "hillbilly lapping compound." Clean and re-grease as often as necessary. If
you have ever started hearing a slight clunk as a mold opens, that is the sound of a tapered lock releasing. A
little grease should instantly stop the noise.
Sensors / Switches
Installing switches on cam actions, hydraulics, and the ejection system is recommended. When building a
new mold, this will usually not add much more cost but will lower or eliminate the risk of crashing
components together. Most molding machines can accept basic interlock circuitry from the factory and do
not require very much intervention. Most likely, it's a simple jumper wire that needs to be removed and
interrupted. This does require an extra step each time a mold it set into the press, but it's worth it in the long
run. If you've ever seen or heard a cam crash, you would agree.

Cleaning water lines

Molding facilities are running cooling water in a continuous loop. The water may pick up debris from piping,
the air, other molds, and so on. More so, if the circulation water is not treated properly. At Basilius, we
contract our water treatment out to a specialist that monitors it once a month. We also run a filter system on
the main tank to help remove debris.

It's important to blow out cooling lines after each run. Again, this is a simple practice but can avoid build-up
of debris and rust in the cooling channels. Build up will not only reduce the cooling capacity of the cooling
channel surface but will also slow the flow to other areas cause warms spots in the tooling. It's also best
practice to keep a flow/pressure valve around to put in line with a mold. Make a note of those settings when
the mold is new and check it every so often.

Backup Components
If your building a new mold, it's a good idea to get some spare components. It's shocking to me to see
injection molders who shut down production because of a $25 core pin. For components like knockouts and
lifters, it worth the investment to keep some spares when practical. Some custom made components like
inserts can be more expensive and may need to be taken on a case by case basis. It's best to ask your tool
builder what components would be good candidates for backups. It's often much more cost-effective to
make spare components along with the originals than to make them later.

A class 101 mold should be good for over a million cycles, but bad maintenance practices can make it come
up short. Some basic preventative maintenance and possibly some small investments in advance can save
thousands in downtime. We hope this guide keeps your molds running for millions of cycles.
About Basilius
It’s Personal
Basilius Inc. is a family-owned business that has been in operation since 1952. You’ll find hands-on ownership
in every key operation and process. We work as an extension of your team to ensure
absolute quality and efficiency. We are driven by a commitment to customer satisfaction rooted in
accountability, responsiveness, and service excellence.

Quality Reassurance
Basilius Inc. meets international standards for quality and performance. In-house validation processes ensure
that the tooling and parts will meet or exceed your quality standards.

A Simple Source, A Simple Solution

Our centralized facility makes it possible for us to handle every step of the process under one roof,
ensuring consistent quality, continuity, and conformity to your part specifications. Our integrated approach
streamlines solutions to get your parts to market faster.

From Specialized Assistance to Turn-Key Solutions

Basilius Inc. is a full-service plastics part supplier, which can support as much or as little of your project
development as you choose. If you need technical assistance for part design, we have the equipment and
expertise to assist you from step one through project completion. If your design is complete, we can build
molds directly from your part design. If you need machine time for short-term production runs or are looking
for a permanent home for your existing tools, we will meet your injection molding needs. Basilius, Inc. is truly
a one-stop-shop.

Basilius Inc.
4338 South Ave
Toledo Ohio, 43615
419-536-5810
Contact@basilius.com
https://www.basilius.com/contact