10/10/2022

Polymeric Processing Techniques

MDP 462

Other
Injection Molding Processes

Lecture 6

Thermoset plastic
injection processes

Multi-injection molding
process
Plastic Injection
Processes
Reaction injection
molding process

Thermoplastic foam
injection process

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Thermoset injection molding

 Thermoset molding is the reverse process of thermoplastic.
[Thermoplastic molding is a reversible molding process by
which pellets of plastic are melted, forced into a mold to
assume their final shape and then quickly cooled to harden.]

 Thermoset molding in an irreversible process in which a

chemical change takes place in the material, instead of a
physical one.
 Thermoset material is injected into a hot mold and then
cooled to maintain the final shape of the part.

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• There are major differences in the tooling and

design between thermoplastic injection machines
and thermosetting injection machines.
• The most important differences between them is the
length of the barrel and screw, and heating
temperatures.
• This difference is related to the curing of thermoset
materials at certain temperatures.
• Curing of thermosets is not desired inside the barrel
or between the barrel and mold.
• So, screw and barrel temperatures are held at 50
degrees to 125 degrees.
• This temperature changes according to the
thermoset material being molded.

Thermoplastic Foam
Injection Molding

 Structural Foam Molding is a low-pressure foam

injection molding process where molten resin
is injected with nitrogen gas or a chemical blowing agent.
 The resin is then shot into the cavity, without overfilling
or packing it out.
 The blowing agent or gas then expands to push the
molten resin to the extremities of the cavities.
 As the part cools, the internal pressure of the foaming
action takes up the internal shrinkage and reduces sinks
over ribs or heavy cross-sections.

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Thermoplastic Foam
Injection Molding

Introducing a gas into

A structural foam part
can be produced either
by:
the molten plastic in the
injection unit
Mixing a blowing agent
(gas-producing)
ingredient with the
starting pellets.

 During injection, an insufficient amount of melt is

forced into the mold cavity, where it expands (foams)
to fill the mold.
 The foam cells in contact with the cold mold surface
collapse to form a dense skin, while the material in
the core retains its cellular structure.

 Items made of structural foam include electronic

cases, business machine housings, furniture
components, and washing machine tanks.

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Thermoplastic Resin Materials

There are several distinct types of resins that can
be used in the Gas-Assist (Nitrogen for example)
Molding process, these include:

•PC (Polycarbonate)
•PP (Polypropylene)
•ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
•PA (Nylon)
•HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene)
•PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)
•PPE (Polyphenylene Ether) Polycarbonate
• Polyphenylene Oxide - PPO (Noryl)
•Polybutylene terephthalate - PBT (Valox)

Performance benefits
compared to solid Injection

• Increased stiffness to weight ratio

• Thick section up to 5 inches
• Reduced part stress
• Better heat insulation
• Improved acoustical characteristics
• Improved electrical insulation characteristics
•Improved chemical and corrosion characteristics

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Gas Assist Injection

Molding Process
• Gas assist injection molding is a process that produces
large plastic parts with complex designs and superb
cosmetic surface finishes.
• The process is especially ideal for large handles,
equipment covers, doors, bezels, cabinets and skins.
• By injecting a controlled stream of gas (nitrogen or
carbon dioxide) into the mold, thick walls are created
with hollow sections that save on material, shorten cycle
time, and reduce the pressure required to mold the large
plastic parts with complex designs and attractive surface
finishes.
• All of these benefits are realized without any detriment
to the structural integrity of the molded component.

Multi-Injection
Molding Processes

 It is a multi-material injection molding

process ;
 The molded plastic part can be a
combination of two different materials or a
combination of different colors of the same
material;
 It characterized by two or more injection
units—thus, the equipment for these
processes is expensive;

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Multi-Injection
Molding Processes

Try to read the following title, it

is interesting

https://www.spark-mould.com/two-shot-molding/

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Over Molding

• Overmolding is the injection molding process where

created a single part by combining two or more different
materials together.
• The first material is generally referred to as the substrate
material, whose parts or fully covered by subsequent
materials (overmolded materials);
• Injection over-molding was first used to beautify the
appearance of consumer goods, now quite popular.
• Oftentimes, the exterior layer is an elastomer that gives the
desired surface texture or physical property such as
pliability;

Over Molding
• The technology is used in a variety of applications and can
even be used to enhance product functionality, such as
chemical resistance improvement, providing electrical
insulation, lasting grip, softer, more soft touching, etc.
• Examples of medical devices manufactured using the
overmolding technique are surgical instruments;
• The instruments are injection molded first then the soft grip
plastic layer is molded over the instrument to achieve the
desired grip and aesthetic;
• Material selection is critical to the success of an overmolding
project;
• The materials must be compatible and bond together
chemically and/or mechanically in order to avoid mold
defects such as distortion or warping.

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By rotating the platen, first shot and second shot

are separately injected into different parts of
mold

Handle Car Knob Audio Equipment Knob

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Insert Molding

• The method where an object is placed in an injection

molding tool with plastic material being injected
around the inserted component to either partially
encapsulate or completely encapsulate the inserted
component.

• Insert molding generally consists of a preformed

part—often metal—that is loaded either robotically
or manually into a mold, where it is then over
molded with plastic to create a part with improved
functional or mechanical properties

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Insert Molding

• The insert and the plastic, often a rigid plastic, must

mechanically bond together in order for the insert to
remain embedded in the plastic;
• Generally, insert molding results in better and more
reproducible encapsulation than other techniques such
as heat staking or ultrasonic welding where the plastic
part is melted post-molding in order to add the insert.

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Generally speaking, insert molding

is slightly faster than two-shots
because the two materials have
existed at the same time in a
single molding step; whereas,
overmolding is a two-step process
where the base layer is molded
first and allowed to cool; then, the
second layer is poured over the
base layer and allowed to cool

Co-injection Molding Processes

• Co-injection molding involves injection of two dissimilar
materials;
• Co-injection analysis simulates the sequential injection of
skin and core plastic materials;
• Sequential co-injection processes have two barrels and
one nozzle in an injection molding machine.
• The skin plastic is the material that is expected to be
deposited on the cavity wall over the entire surface of the
part;
• The core plastic displaces the skin plastic at the hot core,
pushing it to fill the rest of the cavity;
• The end product is a sandwich-like structure, with the
core plastic in the middle and the skin plastic on the
surfaces of the part.

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(a)The skin plastic is injected into the mold first;

(b)The core plastic then is injected;
(c)Finally, the skin plastic is injected again, to purge the
core material from the sprue .

Co-injection applications include:

• The use of plastic regrind as the core material, while

maintaining surface finish quality by using virgin plastic
as the skin material;
• The use of a core material that is thermally more stable,
to increase the thermal resistance of a part;
• The use of a high melt-flow index plastic as the core
material, to reduce the overall clamp force.

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Composite triple-
cylinder injection
molding
(Three-color
composite injection
molding technology)

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Bi-Injection Molding
• A bi-injection molding process involves injection of
two different materials into a mold at separate
injection locations, which are controlled
independently by two different injection units;
• Bi-injection processes have two barrels and two
nozzles in an injection molding machine;
• Note: It is possible to have more than one gate
(cavity entrance) location fed by each nozzle, to
control the distribution of the two materials
throughout the part cavity;
• Material A and Material B are injected through
separate nozzles. A weld line forms where the two
materials meet

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Multiple functions at one product

In-mold assembled in toys

Multi-color in cosmetics packaging

Earphone hook

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Reaction Injection Molding

 RIM produces thermosetting polymer resin parts by
forcing low-viscosity liquid polymers into a mold.
 A processing technique for the formation of polymers parts
by direct polymerization in the mold through a mixing
activated reaction.
 Two highly reactive liquid ingredients are mixed and
immediately injected into a mold cavity where chemical
reactions leading to solidification occur.
 RIM is a very economical process for low-production
volumes and large parts. It can easily mold thin and thick
walls in the same part.
 Urethanes, epoxies, and urea-formaldehyde are examples of
these systems.

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To begin the RIM process, two or more types of liquid resins (typically
polyol and isocyanate) are poured into separate holding tanks. The
holding tanks are equipped with temperature and feed-control
mechanisms

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Reaction injection molding provides an

array of benefits, including:

 It is a low pressure, low temperature process;

 Suitable for a wide range of thermoset materials;
 RIM is utilized for the molding of strong,
lightweight parts that are easily painted;
 More cost-effective for larger parts than injection
molding;
 Varying wall thickness;
 Lower cost tooling compared to injection molding;
 Lower labor requirements than resin transfer
molding;
 Low energy usage.

Reaction Injection Molding (RIM) - Process Overview

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWEfb
GH-Ewc

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INR72
T_qV-I

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