Significance/Scope

The injection machine is a rather fast machine that allows for small productions of very
precise objects. Moulds can be slightly difficult to make but once a good mould is prepared a
good quality of desired product can be obtained. The injection machine can usually make
smaller objects depending on the barrel’s volume but operates at faster speed and with high
precision as compared to that of extrusion machine. As injection is done applying the
pressure, the products will have higher strength than the waste plastics. The wastage of
plastic will be significantly reduced as the waste can be easily converted to aesthetic and
other useful products. The electricity consumption during the operation of this machine is
minimal.
Limitations
 Thermosetting plastic and other plastic having higher melting points can’t be operated
as it is difficult to maintain high temperature in injection moulding.
 The output color is often unknown when mixing of different colored plastics is done in
the barrel and may result in unpredictable patterns.
 The surface texture of the casted product may sometimes be unsatisfying depending on
the quality of the molds prepared. Further surface finishing might be required for
achieving better textures.
Working Mechanism of Commercialized Injection Molding Machine

Molten thermoplastic is injected into a mold and a high pressure is applied. The desired
plastic shape is obtained inside the mould. After solidification of finished part, it is injected
out of mold.
Type Name Properties Common uses Burning
 P Polyethylene Clear, tough, solvent Soft drink, water
terephthalate resistant, barrier to gas bottles, salad domes, Yellow flame
E
and moisture, softens biscuit trays, food little smoke
T at 80° containers

Hard to semi-
flexible,
resistant to chemicals Difficult to
High-density and Shopping bags, freezer ignite,
moisture, waxy smells like
HDPE polyethylene surface, bags, milk bottles, candle
softens at 75o juice bottles,
Ice-cream containers,
shampoo, crates

P Polyvinyl Strong, tough, can be Cosmetic containers, Yellow flame

V chloride clear and solvent, electrical condult, green spurts
C softens at 60° plumbing pipes, blister
packs, roof sheeting,
garden hose

Cling wrap, garbage bags, Difficult to

Low-density Soft, flexible, waxy squeeze ignite
polyethylene
surface, Scratches smells like
LDPE easily, bottles, refuse bags candle
softens at 70o

Bottles, ice-cream tubes,

Hard but still flexible, straws, Blue yellow
waxy surface,
P Polypropylene translucent, flower- pots, dishes, garden tipped flame
P softens at 140o furniture, food containers

Computer keyboard
Acrylonitrile components, Dense smoke
Butadiene Glass transition
ABS Styrene temperature is 105o C,
melting point is 230oC Wall-sockets, printers,
Plastic toys

Temperature, electricity consumption and cost

For PP plastic, the melting temperature(Tm) is 160oC.
To achieve that temperature for single heating coil (235W, 220V) is approximate 20 min.
[ power ×time(¿ hour )]
So, the energy consumed (EkWh) =
1000
[5]
[160 ×0.33333]
= = 0.053 kWh
1000
Since, the number of heating coil (n) = 3
Total energy consumption (EkWh) T = 3 × 0.053 = 0.159 kWh
The cost of per kWh electricity is 10. Then,
Cost = 0.159 × 10 = 1.6
I.e. to manufacture one sample of product, it takes 1.6 as the electricity cost.
Calculation for heat loss by convection
Assumption;
Steady flow 1-Dimensional
Heat transfer due to Radiation is neglected
Heat transfer due to conduction inside the barrel is also neglected
Let, the length of the barrel of the injection molding
be L= LC =0.7m
TW=250 ℃
Diameter (d) = 0.05m
Kf = 0.0345 W/m ℃ , ρ = 7272 kg/m3
Kinematic viscosity ( v ) = 39.45×10-6 m2/s Lc=0.7m
Ambient temperature T∞ = 20℃
Pr = 0.685
Since there is still air outside the barrel (natural convection) and similarly for vertical cylinder.
Now, we need to have the nature of free convection for this we will calculate
Rayleigh number “Ra”.
The grashoff number:
Buoyant Force gβ ( Twall−T ∞ ) L3
Gr = =
Viscous Force V
2

−3 3
9.81× 2.0450× 10 ×230 × 0.7❑
Gr = 2
( 39.45∗10−6 )
Gr = 1.72 ×108 Tcenter
Pr = 0.68
Therefore,
Ra = Gr × Pr = 1.178*108
Which lies between 107 to 1012 i.e the flow is laminar.
Local Nusselt number is given by;
Nux = 0.508 Pr0.5 (0.952+Pr)-0.25 Gr 0.25
I.e. Nux = 56.75
Similarly, the average Nusselt number is given by;
4
Nuavg = Nux
3
h avg L
Nuavg = 56.75 =
K
The respective value of havg is given by;
havg = 5.364 W/mK
The heat loss is given by
Qconv = havg As (Tw-T∞ ) [11]
Qconv = 42 Watt

Heat Supplied by heating coil (235 W,220 V)

Qtotal = Qconv + Qcond
Qcond = 235 - 42=193 W
Now the inside temperature of the barrel can be calculated
2 πK L(TS−Ti)
Qcond = r2
ln ( )
r1
2 π ×52 ×0.7 (523−Ti)
[12] 193 = 25
ln ( )
15
Ti = 522.82 K = 249.82 ℃
There is drop of 0.18 ℃ when the temperature of the barrel surface is at 250 ℃ .
For Cylindrical Mold,
Length (L) = 50 mm
Inner radius of the mold (r) = 15 mm
So,
Volume (V) = πr2 × L = 3926.99 mm3 = 3.92×10-6 m3 [17]
Amount of ABS Plastic needed to fill the cylindrical mold is given by,
m = ρ × V = 3.52 ×10-3 = 3.52 gm [18]
Assume, velocity of injecting plastic (V) = 0.052 m/s
Dynamic viscosity of ABS at 230 degree (µ) = 2×10-6 Ns/m2
ρdv
Reynolds number (Re) = [19]
µ
Re= 608400
Hence calculating pressure loss due to viscous effect using Darcy friction factor (f),
64
f=
ℜ
[20]
f = 1.05×10-4
Calculating pressure loss due to viscous effect using Darcy friction factor
fρl v 2
P1 – P2 = [21]
2D
Hence calculating above equation, we get
ΔP =1.79 ×10-3 N/m2
Now, calculating discharge from nozzle using Poisellue’s equation;
Q π r 2 ΔP
t
=
8µl

Calculating we get volumetric flow rate,

Q
= 2.75 ×10-5 m3/s
t
Now calculating velocity
Q
We know = A×V [22]
t
Q
V= t
A
 Q∗4
V= 2
t∗π d
V = 0.051 m/s
Hence the liquid ABS plastic runs out of the nozzle with the velocity of 0.051 m/s.