RACER TECHNOLOGY PTE. LTD.
Molding Defects Training Materials
Defects Associated to Molding Faults
Revision 00
Defect Name Defect Description
A&B&C A&B&C
Short Molding Material does not completely
reach all parts of the cavity.
Material reaches all parts of the
cavity but forms small grooves
on the surface.
Sink Marks Depressions on the surface
often opposite ribs, bosses or
changes in section usually
worst when furthest from the
gate.
Voids A hole often spherical or
sausage shaped in the centre of
the thickest part of a molding.
The void surface is usually
glossy & the size can vary from
about 3mm diameter to several
(cm) long.
Splash Areas of marks on the surface
Or of molding produced by
‘Mica’ collapsed bubbles in the melt.
(transparent
mineral Usually elongated in direction
substance) of flow often near the gate, but
marks seldom in the last part to fill
Or unless occur overall.
‘Fish eyes’
Windows Transparent sections in random
places.
The shapes & size of lead-
stock granules (tiny grain) or
blurred with ill-defined tails in
direction of flow.
Occur as natural particles when
Potential Root Causes
A&B&C
i) Insufficient material
injected. Occasionally lack
of venting (see “Burn”
marks).
i) Insufficient follow-up of
injection pressure to
counteract material
contraction.
i) Insufficient follow up of
injection pressure.
Void is formed rather than
‘sink’ when the surface,
through material properties,
or shape can resist pulled in
by contracted materials.
i) Volatile (easily change into
gas or vapour) material,
usually water, boiling off
as material starts to fill
cavity.
ii) Due to material over-
heated.
i) Un-plasticized particles in
crystallize polymers only.
Page 1 of 3
Corrective / Remedies Actions
C
i) Increase material feed.
ii) Increase injection speed.
iii) Increase injection pressure.
iv) Increase injection time.
v) Increase cylinder temperature.
vi) Increase mold temperature.
vii) Increase size of gate (runner and/or
sprue).
viii) Change to free flowing grade of
material.
i) Increase injection pressure.
ii) Increase injection time.
iii) Increase size of gate (spruce and/or
runner).
iv) Change position of gate.
v) Disguise it with surface features (eg.
Pattern).
Evaluate
i) Lower cylinder temperature.
ii) Higher mold temperature.
iii) Slower injection speed.
i) Increase injection pressure.
ii) Increase injection time.
iii) Increase molding temperature.
iv) Increase size of gate (runner and/or
spruce).
v) Decrease cylinder temperature.
Evaluate
i) Lower injection speed.
i) Ensure material condition before
loading into machine hopper. Fit a
hopper drier, or oven dry prior to
molding.
ii) Decrease cylinder temperature.
iii) Increase material throughput (eg. Fit
smaller capacity cylinder, or use a
faster cycle).
iv) Combination of (ii) & (iii).
i) Increase cylinder temperature.
ii) Increase cycle time.
iii) Fit a larger capacity injection
cylinder.
 RACER TECHNOLOGY PTE. LTD.
Molding Defects Training Materials
Defects Associated to Molding Faults
Revision 00
a dry colored molding is cut.
Near surface that are solid
when sectioned. Unlike voids.
Flow Marks Marks at or near the surface in
the form of streaks in the
direction of filling & may
resemble miniature (small
scale) weld lines.
Apparent changes in color or
reflectivity with ‘plate’ shaped
pigment particles or fillers (eg.
Graphite [form of carbon used
as a lubricant] & MDS).
Jetting A ‘snake’ shaped area opposite
and away from gate with flow
or weld lines at the furthest
edges.
Distortion Part or all of the molding is
being bent from its intended
shape.
Not to be confused with
‘Warpage’.
Warpage Usually all but sometimes part
of molding twisted or bent
from intended shape.
Weld Line A surface mark, usually a line
where 2 streams of material
meet (eg. after flowing round a
core pin or along thicker
sections).
Flashing A thin film of unwanted
material forming outside the
i) Vague (not clear) boundary
marks of materials with
different viscosities usually
at different temperatures
(eg. From plunger
machine).
ii) Oriented particles.
iii) Excess mold lubricant.
i) Material enters cavity with
too high a linear velocity.
Resulted produces a
‘worm’ that goes to the
other side of the mold and
corrugated to produce
filling back pressure
causing the material then
radiates out from gate. By
the time mold is filled, the
farthest part of the ‘worm’
is too cold to fuse to the
fresh front.
i) Molding is being ejected
before it is sufficiently
rigid to resist ejection
forces.
i) Fibre-filled composition.
ii) Large flat thin molding in
high shrinkage material.
iii) Molding with heavy
sections on one side & flat
on the other side.
iv) Thin walled rectangular
boxes with sharp corners.
v) Higher shrinkage on one
surface or area of the
molding as compared with
another.
i) Lack of fusion of joining
streams of material.
i) Injection pressure too high
for mold lock.
Page 2 of 3
i) Increases melt temperature.
ii) Improve mixing of melt (eg. By a
tab gate).
iii) Change speed of injection.
iv) Change position or type of gate (eg.
to a film gate).
v) Attempt removal by successive
molding.
vi) Wipe mold with clean rag or tissue.
i) Reduce rate of filling.
ii) Provide ‘baffle’ near to gate & if
necessary, change gate position.
iii) Increase gate size.
iv) Change to a tab gate.
v) Combination of (i) & (ii).
i) Increase the cooling time.
ii) Decrease the mold temperature.
iii) Decrease the material temperature.
iv) Increase the number or areas of
ejector pins.
i) Redesign component.
ii) Compensate with re-shaped mold
iii) Have high mold temperature on flat
side and cool on heavy section side.
iv) Check & ensure mold surface
temperature is correct.
i) Increase mold temperature.
ii) Increase injection pressure.
iii) Increase injection speed.
iv) Increase material temperature.
v) Change gate position or type.
i) Reduce injection pressure.
ii) Reduce injection speed.
 RACER TECHNOLOGY PTE. LTD.
Molding Defects Training Materials
Defects Associated to Molding Faults
Revision 00 Page 3 of 3

designed cavity (eg. along the
mold split line, or around
undersize ejector pins).
Burn Marks Discolored, often burnt, areas
on or in the last part of the
cavity.
Occasionally appears as a
surface bubble or blister after
molding has been ejected.
De-lamination Areas of thin skin peel off the
surface of the molding.
Crack (may be Localized crack occur in other
difficult to parts, usually roughly parallel
detect) with the surface.
ii) Tool wear and/or poor
mold making.
i) Due to air trapped in the
cavity being compressed by
incoming material to a high
temperature. Resulted
material to be oxidized.
i) Due to too high a shear
gradient (degree of slope)
across the section during
mold filling.
ii) Material contaminated with
another incompatible
polymer.
i) Material contaminated with
another incompatible
polymer.
iii) Reduce injection timing.
iv) Reduce material temperature.
v) Reduce mold temperature.
vi) Increase mold clamping.
vii) Check that material (flash or
‘strings’) on mold features (bent
dowels) are not holding mold apart.
viii) Check sequence switches (eg. that
full locking pressure is on before
injection).
ix) Check mold design, making &
condition.
i) Provide vents at last part of mold to
fill at or near the area where the
burn mark occurs.
ii) If away from the mold split-line, an
ejector pin may need to be added
with venting.
iii) Reduce injection speed.
iv) Reduce injection pressure.
v) Reduce material temperature.
vi) Reduce mold temperature.
i) Increase mold temperature.
ii) Decrease the speed of filling.
iii) Use uncontaminated material.
i) Use uncontaminated material.

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B ~ QC Inspectors / Technicians / Leaders / Supervisors / Engineers
C ~ Machine Technicians / Supervisors / Engineers

Reviewed by Approved by

Manufacturing
QA Manager
Director