𝐈𝐄𝐌𝟏𝟑𝟒
MANUFACTURING PROCESSES-I
B.Sc. Industrial Engineering and Management – 2nd Semester (Spring 2023)
DIEM, University of the Punjab, Lahore.
Instructor: Zahid Shah
zahid.iqtm@pu.edu.pk
MODULE 𝟎𝟔
PROCESSES FOR PLASTICS
06-0 3 : THE INJECTION MOLD
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lecture, you should be able to
• Understand the main features of injection molding tooling – the injection mold
• Differentiate between a two-plate, three-plate, and hot runner mold
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The Injection Mold
• The special tool in injection molding
• Custom-designed and fabricated for the part to be produced
• When production run is finished, the mold is replaced with a new mold for the next part
• Various types of mold for injection molding:
– Two-plate mold
– Three-plate mold
– Hot-runner mold
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Basic Mold Structure
No. Part Name
1 Top Clamping Plate
2 Cavity Plate
3 Core Plate
4 Spacer Block
5 Ejector Plate
6 Ejector support plate
7 Bottom Clamping Plate
8 Core Insert
9 Locating Ring
10 Sprue bushing
11 Return Pin
12 Spring (Return Spring)
13 Sprue Lock Pin
14 Ejector Pin
15 Guide Pin
16 Guide Bushing
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Basic Mold Structure…
The cavity:
• It gives the molding its external form
The Core:
• It forms the internal shape of the molding
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Basic Mold Structure…
Feed System for single-impression mold
Feed System for multi-impression mold
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Basic Mold Structure…
The Main Parts of an Injection Mold – Demonstration
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Two-Plate Mold
• A mold consisting of fixed side mold plate (cavity plate) and movable side mold plate
(core plate) is called two-plate mold
• A mold of 2 plates only may be able to mold a simple and thin shaped product
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Two-Plate Mold…
Details of a two-plate mold for thermoplastic injection
molding: (a) closed. Mold has two cavities to produce two Details of a two-plate mold for thermoplastic
cup-shaped parts with each injection shot. injection molding: (b) open
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Two-Plate Mold…
• Cavity – geometry of part but slightly oversized to allow for shrinkage
– Created by machining of mating surfaces of two mold halves
• Distribution channel through which polymer melt flows from nozzle into mold cavity
– Sprue - leads from nozzle into mold
– Runners - lead from sprue to cavity (or cavities)
– Gates - constrict flow of plastic into cavity
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Two-Plate Mold…
• Ejection system – to eject molded part from cavity at end of molding cycle
– Ejector pins built into moving half of mold usually accomplish this function
• Cooling system - consists of external pump connected to passageways in mold, through which
water is circulated to remove heat from the hot plastic
• Air vents – to permit evacuation of air from cavity as polymer melt rushes in
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Three-Plate Mold
• Uses three plates to separate parts from sprue and runner when mold opens
• Advantages over two-plate mold:
– As mold opens, runner and parts disconnect and drop into containers under mold
– Allows automatic operation of molding machine
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Three-Plate Mold…
Three-plate mold: (a) closed, and (b) open.
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Hot-Runner Mold
• Eliminates solidification of sprue and runner by locating heaters around the
corresponding runner channels
• While plastic in mold cavity solidifies, material in sprue and runner channels remains
molten, ready to be injected into cavity in next cycle
• Advantage:
– Saves material that otherwise would be scrap in the unit operation
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How to Assemble an Injection Mold
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Injection Molding Video: Up to 01:30, Then 03:00
Onward
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Injection Mold Design Considerations
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How to Make Plastic Injection Molds
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Recap
• What is the tooling of injection molding called?
• What is the difference between cavity and core?
• What is the difference between cavity and cavity pate? Core and core plate?
• Why is a two-pate mold so named?
• Where is the third plate added to a three-plate mold (as compared to two-plate mold) and what
is the purpose?
• What is a cold-runner mold?
– Conventional two-plate and three-plate molds (mentioned above) are cold-runner molds
• What is a hot-runner mold?
• How is an injection mold manufactured?
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References
• Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing, 4th Ed. By M. P. Groover; John Wiley
And Sons
• Degarmo’s Materials And Processes In Manufacturing, 10th Ed. By J.T Black,
R.A. Kohser; John Wiley And Sons
• Manufacturing Engineering and Technology, 5th ed. by S. Kalpakjian, S. R.
Schmid
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THANKS!
