Injection Moulding

Injection moulding of plastic is a method used for making plastic components. The idea of
injection moulding is moulding material is heated and plasticized inside a heating cylinder and is
injected into a mould to create a component. There are several types of injection machines
available such as horizontal, vertical, low foam etc. The versatility of this method lies in the fast
(between two minutes and two seconds )and cheap production of components.

Figure Horizontal injection machine

The raw material for this process is often thermosetting plastics that are fed into the barrel
through the hopper. Once inside the barrel the pellets are heated electrically. When pellets are
heated they melt into a very viscous liquid. This liquid pellet mixture is transported to the nozzle
area by the screw. The rotary motion of the screw pushes the mixture to the end of the nozzle.
The end of the screw has a backflow prevention check valve that maintains the pressure required
for injection. A plunger system inside the nozzle pushes the molten material into the mould. The
mould is made up of two halves the movable half and fixed half. Between the two halves is an
impression of the part we want to make. This may be a single part or multiple parts that are
connected by suitable gates. Once the plastic is injected it is cooled as soon as possible. Some
moulds have cooling channels that enhances the cooling process. For a specific amount of time a
holding pressure is maintained to avoid shrinkage. Once solidified the plastic component is
pushed out of the mould. After the product is removed from the mould some trimming may be
required to finish the part to the required shape.

Some important parameters that must be adjusted while selecting the required machinery include
clamp force, shot capacity, clamp stroke , mould thickness , Platen size etc.

Another important factor when talking about injection moulding is mould designs. The mould
design must be made using best industrial practices using an experience engineer. The mould
must have all the required runners and gate. The design must be made so that the molten material
can reach all parts of the mould before solidifying. A draft angle must also be provided at the
mould wall that helps the finished plastic to be removed from the mould when once the whole
thing cools down.

The main defects that are observed in this process include Flash defect, Warping, Bubbles,
Unfilled section, Sink Marks, ejector marks. Careful design of the mould and selection of the
most suitable parameters can help us reduce the chances of producing defected products.