1.

0 OBJECTIVES
1.1 To understand the operation of injection moulding in producing polymer
products.
1.2 To identify the process involved in producing final product by using
injection moulding technique.
1.3 To understand the effect of injection pressure on the flow rates of polymer
melt.

2.0 INTRODUCTION
Injection moulding of thermoset materials is the most automatic method of
processing these materials and has become the most common. An injection
moulding press consists of two major sections, the clamp and the injection unit.
The clamping section, which is similar to a compression press, uses either
a hydraulic cylinder (hydraulic clamp) or a hydraulic cylinder and linkage
mechanism (toggle clamp) to close the mould halves and hold them together
under pressure. This section of the press also contains the main ejection system
for part removal from the mould.[1]
The injection unit includes the injection barrel, reciprocating screw or
sometimes a plunger for bulk moulding compound (BMC) materials, the injection
screw motor, the material hopper for granular materials and a stuffer when
moulding BMC. A reciprocating screw is always used to process phenolics,
melamine-phenolics and granular polyesters. BMC moulding compounds are
mostly processed using a reciprocating screw but they can also be processed using
a plunger injection unit.[1]
Figure 2.1: Two principal components of injection moulding which consist with injection
unit and clamping unit

With injection moulding, granular plastic is fed by a forced ram from a

hopper into a heated barrel. As the granules are slowly moved forward by a
screw-type plunger, the plastic is forced into a heated chamber, where it is melted.
As the plunger advances, the melted plastic is forced through a nozzle that rests
against the mould, allowing it to enter the mould cavity through a gate and runner
system. The mould remains cold so the plastic solidifies almost as soon as the
mould is filled.[2]

The reciprocating screw aids in the processing of thermoset materials in a

number of ways. The rotational motion advances the material down the screw to
where it is plasticized (changed from a solid to a semi-viscous state) and then
injected into the mould. At the same time that the screw rotation is advancing the
material, the screw is being forced backward. This “backing up” of the screw
allows the plasticized material to move in front of the screw so it can then be
injected into the mould. Once the pre-determined amount of material is plasticized
in front of the screw, the screw is pushed forward, forcing the material out of the
barrel and into the mould. In instances where a Check Ring is used to process
BMC materials the material is pushed through the Check Ring and into the
mould.[1]
 Figure 2.2: The basic principle of injection moulding process

Quality control is an important aspect in manufacturing process. The

quality of product in injection moulding is influenced by injection moulding
process parameter. Optimizing the parameter of injection moulding process is
critical to enhance productivity where parameters must operate at an optimum
level for an acceptable performance.[3] The processing of a thermoset moulding
compound is controlled by three items which are Time, Temperature - [both stock
(material) temperature and mould temperature], and Pressure. In injection
moulding, each of these is affected by a number of variables that need to be
controlled.[1]

Pressure – The pressure on the material is controlled by the primary pressure,

which moves the screw forward at a rapid speed to fill the cavities.

Time – There are 4 major times in a moulding cycle; Overall Cycle Time,
Injection time, Cure time, and Open time. Overall Cycle Time is the complete
moulding cycle from clamp to clamp. The Injection time has two elements –
Primary (fill) and Secondary (packing and hold). The Cure Time encompasses the
 entire moulding cycle when the clamp is closed. The Open Time is the time from
clamp open until the clamp is locked up for next cycle.

Stock Temperature - The melt temperature of the moulding material (stock

temperature) is controlled by the barrel temperatures, screw speed, injection speed
and back pressure. The screw speed, injection speed and back pressure create
frictional heat. To maintain a consistent and workable stock temperature, all of
these variables must be adjusted properly. The stock temperature cannot be too
hot that the material cures before it is able to fill the parts. Likewise it should not
be so cold that it cannot be injected into the mould or require additional cycle
time to cure the moulded parts.

3.0 MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENTS

3.1 Injection moulding machine

3.2 Hydraulic motors and gears of injection moulding machine

3.3 Starting power panel of the injection moulding machine

3.4 Materials hopper where the plastic material is poured into

3.5 Weighing balance

4.0 PROCEDURES
4.1 The main parts of the injection moulding machine were clearly observed and
the manual of the injection moulding was read before starting.
4.2 The main power was switched on followed by starting the cooling system and
hydraulic system.
4.3 The operating voltage of injection moulding machine was checked to ensure
the machine is operating under optimum and stable voltage.
4.4 There are 3 service cards that can be used to operate injection molding
machine. However, only the 2nd card was inserted and it was used to operate
the machine.
4.5 The temperature at each respective plasticizing zone was set as shown as the
table below:
Table 4.1: Temperature(°C) at each respective plasticizing zone.
Zone Nozzle (°C) Front (°C) Centre (°C) Rear (°C)
S-PT 200 220 220 210
*This table shows the temperatures at each respective zone which are held
constant.

4.6 The screw speed was set to 50% and the back pressure was set to 100 bar
according to the manual. The pressure at zone 0, 1, 2, and 3 was set to 90 bar
whereas zone 4 and 5 was set to 70 bar.
4.7 The experiment can only proceeded when the nozzle and the barrel zone
reached the set temperatures. h. The polypropylene(PP) was then feed into
hopper with care.
4.8 The process was started with manual operation mode. j. The mould release
was applied to the both sides of the cavity mould.
4.9 The steps in manual operations are followed to inject the polymer into the
mould cavity.
4.10 The barrel was filled with molten polypropylene (PP) .
4.11 The mould was then closed and the polypropylene (PP) was injected into
the mould cavity.
4.12 The mould is then opened and the sample was then ejected out.
 Figure 4.1: Control panel of the injection moulding machine.

4.13 The injection moulding chamber was closed while the molten PP was
injected into the mould. The machine has a safety switch that will not allow
the machine to run unless the door is closed.
4.14 The machine in semi-automatic and automatic modes was operated by
changing the mode of operation from the main control panel.
4.15 The PP that was ejected out was then weight to see the quality and the
weight of the product.
4.16 The cycle was repeated with difference setting on pressure. The pressure
at zone 0, 1, 2, and 3 was changed to 120 bar whereas zone 4 and 5 was set to
110 bar.

Precautions
i. Do not operate the machine unless you have been instructed in its
operation and safety devices.
ii. If any safety equipment is missing, damaged, or inoperative, notify
your supervisor immediately and do not operate the machine.
iii. Floor and machine should be kept free of oil and pellets.
 iv. Be conscious of sharp square corners on ejector pins; many cuts result
from protruding ejector pins.
v. Do not stick fingers or rods into the barrel/screw feed throat area.
vi. Never stand directly below a mould suspended in air.
vii. Wear safety shoes and safety glasses at all times.

5.0 DISCUSSION
5.1 Find out the reasons of short shot and flash.
Short shot and flash are the 2 most critical defects in injection moulding.

5.1.1 Short Shot

Figure 5.1.1: Short shot

Short shot is the incomplete filling of mould cavity. This defect
can be seen as a part of a cavity is missing, resulting a portion of a
part where there is no plastic. The finished product becomes
deficient because it is incomplete. [4] [5] There are several factors
that lead to short shot. Inadequate processing parameters,
insufficient materials, materials selection and venting of mould are
the reasons that short shot occurs.

5.1.1.1 Inadequate processing parameters

Processing parameters include fill time, injection pressure,
injection speed and material temperature. First and
foremost, correct filling duration is critical to ensure
 optimal fill time. Defects occur if the filling time of
material is not enough.
Next, if injection pressure is too low, the injection speed to
fill up the mould cavity might be limited, hence, the flow
front of the plastic material will become cold and hardens
before it has sufficient time to fully filled up the mould
cavity and short shot happens.
Besides, low temperature will also lead to shorter
hardening time of plastic material in the mould cavity.
Again, if the flow front of the melt solidifies before the
mould is fully filled, hardens plastic will block the
incoming melted plastic, hence short shot arises.[6]

5.1.1.2 Insufficient materials

When insufficient material enters the cavity, the melted
plastic is not enough to fill up the entire cavity, hence, the
moulded part will be incomplete.

5.1.1.3 Poor materials selection

Another major cause of short shot is poor materials
selection. Material with high viscosity has lower flow rate
is more difficult to fill up the mould cavity than material of
low viscosity which possess higher flow rate. Short shot
happens when materials of high viscosity are not supply
with enough heat and pressure during filling of cavity.[6]

5.1.1.4 Improper venting

Furthermore, venting of mould also contribute to this defect.
When a mould is not vented properly, the gas or air trapped
is unable to escape from the cavity during moulding cycle.
 This results in short shot as the material can not fill up the
void in the cavity where the gas or air is trapped.[4]
5.1.2 Flash

Figure 5.1.2: Flash

Flash is another moulding effect that happens when some molten
plastic escape or seep out from the mould cavity. This normally
happens along the parting line of the moulds.[5] There are several
reasons that flash can occur.

5.1.2.1 Poor materials selection

Plastic materials with low viscosity may cause flash.
Material with low viscosity flows easier into a mould
cavity then a material of high viscosity. However, this low
viscosity might also able to seep through the shut-off
surface, especially when the mould is not closed properly,
leading to flash.

5.1.2.2 Inadequate processing parameters

The processing parameters that cause flash to develop are
the high injection speed, high barrel temperature and high
hold pressure A high injection speed and high barrel
temperature reduces the viscosity of the material and allows
 it to flow easier in the mould. Again, low viscosity may
lead the melt material to seep through mould partings,
resulting flash. High hold pressure can force the mould to
open slightly and allow plastic to flow across the shut-off
surfaces. [7]

5.1.2.3 Sprue brushing length

Sprue bushing in the mould can produce flash. When the
press nozzle seals on the sprue bushing, 5 to 15 tons of
force can be created. If the support of the mould for the
sprue bushing is inadequate, the pressure could transfer to
the parting line, hence, the nozzle contact force will push
the melt materials out of the mould. Flash could also be
caused by thermal expansion in the sprue bushing. If the
face of the sprue bushing seals off the parting line, nozzle
pressure or thermal expansion will not hold the mould
properly, resulting flash. [8]

5.1.2.4 Improper venting

Venting is to remove air from the mould in the shortest
time possible. An improperly designed venting system will
cause flash.

5.1.2.5 Material overload

Big shot size will cause flash during injection moulding.
Injection of more plastic material then requires will
overcome the clamp tonnage and force the mould to open,
leading to flash formation. [7]
5.2 Suggest the solution for short shot and flash.
5.2.1 Short shot
5.2.1.1 Inadequate processing parameters
Filling time is one of the important process parameters in
injection moulding. To overcome short shot issue, viscosity
curve experiment as done in Scientific Moulding by John
Bozzelli can be done to determine the optimal duration for
a material to fill up a cavity.
If short shot happens due to low injection pressure, the
injection pressure should increase by 5%. If this method
helps in reducing the unfilled part, pressure can be
increased for another 5% subsequently until it is full.
Similar technique is used to solve the issue if the defect is
caused by low injection speed. The injection speed can be
increased by 5%. And if this method manages to reduce the
defect, it can be increase for another 5% until it is full.[6]
Viscosity curve from Scientific Moulding by John Bozzeli
is the plot of the viscosity of a polymer versus shear rate.
This shows the effect produced by injection speed on
viscosity. By applying the data process parameter can be
monitor and optimum setting can be obtained.[9]
There are 2 ways to increase plastic temperature to deal
with short shot problem. The first is to increase the barrel
temperature which is within material processing
range/below degradation temperature or increase the back
pressure setting during plastizing stage.[6]

5.2.1.2 Insufficient materials

Increase the material feed in the moulding machine should
solve the problem due to this factor. if the defect still occur,
 feed throat should be check to ensure that it is not
clogged.[10] Another method is to increase the screw start
position, to increase the amount of plastic inject into the
mould.

5.2.1.3 Poor materials selection

Viscosity experiment the materials and choose ideal
material for the mould cavity. Besides that, addition of
additives can be use to change the viscosity of the material.
[6]

5.2.1.4 Improper venting

The vents of the mould should be check for blockages and
repair when is needed.[4]

5.2.2 Flash
5.2.2.1 Poor materials selection
Many things affect the viscosity of a material. Melt flow
index (MFI) is often used as a reference to measure the
flow of materials. A lower MFI material will be more
viscous and less likely to flow across the shut-off
surfaces.[7]

5.2.2.2 Inadequate processing parameters

To overcome the issue, the injection speed can be reduced
by a small amount at a time until an ideal result is obtained.
This defect can also be fixed by adjusting barrel
temperature. Reduce the barrel temperature by 10°C
subsequently. This adjustment requires some times as the
machine will need time to lower and stabilize the
temperature. These 2 technique are able to increase the
 viscosity of the material, prevent over flowing of materials.
Reducing holding pressure is another method to avoid
material to flow out from the mould.[7]

5.2.2.3 Sprue brushing length

To solve flash caused by improper length of sprue bushing,
try to determine the thermal expansion of the sprue bushing
during productions. Shorter bushing might be more
appropriate.[11]

5.2.2.4 Improper venting

Vent size should be varying according to the plastic
materials used. The viscosity of the plastic being moulded
determines the depth of the vent. Stiff materials should
operate with deeper vents and fluid materials should
operate with thinner vents. [8] Recommended venting size
is 0.025mm (0.001 inches) for crystalline polymers and
0.038mm (0.0015inches) for amorphous polymers.[12]

5.2.2.5 Material overload

To control the shot size, the screw start position should be
reduced. By reducing the screw start position, the amount
of plastic going into the mould can be reduced too.[7]
6.0 CONCLUSION
In conclusion, injection moulding is used to produce thin-walled plastic parts for
a wide variety of applications. The most common application is the plastic
housings. Plastic housing is a thin-walled enclosure, often requiring many ribs
and bosses on the interior. These housings are used in a variety of products
including household appliances, consumer electronics, power tools, and as
automotive dashboards. However, there are some defects that maybe occurred
during the injection moulding process. These defects refer to „short shot‟ and
„flash‟. „Short shot‟ can be overcome by increasing the mould or melt
temperature so as to increase the ability of flowing whereas „flash‟ can be
overcome by increasing the clamp pressure to ensure that the mould parts remain
shut during shots.
7.0 REFERENCES

[1] Sheboyan, Wisconsin, "Thermoset Injection Molding" Plenco, 13

February 2015. [Online]. Available :
https://www.plenco.com/plenco_processing_guide/Sect%204%20Injection
%20Molding.pdf [Accessed on 30 March 2018]

[2] Robert H.Todd, D. K. (1994). Manufacturing Processes Reference Guide.

Science and Technology Magazine. [Accessed on 30 March 2018]

[3] O.M.F Marwah, A. J. (2017). "Evaluation of Injection Molding Process

Parameters for Manufacturing Polyehtylene Terephthalate." [Online].
Available : http://sci-hub.tw/https://www.matec-
conferences.org/articles/matecconf/abs/2017/49/matecconf_icme2017_00
037/matecconf_icme2017_00037.html [Accessed on 30 March 2018]

[4] J. Cooley, "Injection Molding Defects--Dealing With Short Shots,"

ASACLEAN Purging Compound, 2017 August 2017. [Online]. Available:
http://blog.asaclean.com/injection-molding-defects-dealing-with-short-
shots. [Accessed on 30 March 2018].

[5] "Top-10 Injection Molding Defects And How To Fix Them," Creative
Mechanisms, [Online]. Available:
https://www.creativemechanisms.com/blog/what-cause-injection-molding-
defects-and-how-to-fix-them. [Accessed on 30 March 2018].

[6] "Troubleshooting Short Shots In Injection Molding Increases Production

Performance," Improve Your Plastic Injection Molding Business, [Online].
Available: https://www.improve-your-injection-
molding.com/troubleshooting-short-shots.html. [Accessed on 30 March
2018].
[7] "Using Injection Molding Troubleshooting To Improve Production
Performance," Improve Your Plastic Injection Molding Business, [Online].
Available: https://www.improve-your-injection-molding.com/injection-
molding-troubleshooting.html. [Accessed on 3 April 2018].

[8] "What are Causes of Flash in Plastic Injection Molding?," Crescent

Industries Inc., 27 August 2014. [Online]. Available:
http://info.crescentind.com/blog/bid/72378/what-are-causes-of-flash-in-
plastic-injection-molding. [Accessed on 3 April 2018].

[9] "Understanding Polymer Flow: Interpreting the Viscosity Curve," Plastic

Technology, 29 May 2012. [Online]. Available:
https://www.ptonline.com/columns/understanding-polymer-flow-
interpreting-the-viscosity-curve. [Accessed on 30 March 2018].

[10] "Short shot," Santa CLara University Engineering Design Center, [Online].
Available:
http://www.dc.engr.scu.edu/cmdoc/dg_doc/develop/trouble/shortsht/f4000
001.htm. [Accessed on 30 March 2018].

[11] J. Bozzelli, "How to Stop Flash," Plastic Technology, 7 January 2004.

[Online]. Available: https://www.ptonline.com/articles/an-expert-tells-
how-to-stop-flash. [Accessed on 3 April 2018].

[12] "Flash," Santa Clara University Engineering Design Center, [Online].

Available:
http://www.dc.engr.scu.edu/cmdoc/dg_doc/develop/trouble/flash/fe00000
1.htm. [Accessed on 3 April 2018].