Injection Moulding Machine & Components of Injection Moulding Machine

Injection Moulding Machine

The injection molding machine converts granular or pelleted raw plastic into final molded parts via a melt, inject, pack and cool cycle.

Components of Injection Moulding Machine

A typical injection molding machine consists of the following major components,

1. Injection system
2. Hydraulic system
3. Mold system
4. Clamping system
5. Cooling System
6. Control system

Injection System

The injection system consists of a hopper, a reciprocating screw and barrel assembly and an injection nozzle. This system confines and transports the plastic as it progresses through the feeding, compressing, degassing, melting, injection and packing stages.

Hydraulic System

The hydraulic system on the injection molding machine provides the power to open and close the mold, build and hold the clamping tonnage, turn the reciprocating screw, drive the reciprocating screw and energize ejector pins and moving mold cores. A number of hydraulic components are required to provide this power, which includes pumps, valves, hydraulic motors, hydraulic fittings, hydraulic tubing, and hydraulic reservoirs.

Mould system

The mold system consists of tie bars, stationary and moving platens as well as molding plates (bases) that house the cavity, sprue and runner systems, ejector pins, and cooling channels. The mold is essentially a heat exchanger in which the molten thermoplastic solidifies to the desired shape and dimensional details defined by the cavity.

Clamping System

The clamping system opens and closes the mold, supports and carries the constituent parts of the mold and generates sufficient force to prevent the mold from opening. Clamping force can be generated by a mechanical (toggle) lock, hydraulic lock or a combination of the two basic types.

Cooling System

Cooling time is by far the most dominate time consumer in the injection molding cycle. A long cycle time means that the molder must charge more for the same part. During Product Design we should use thermal analysis capabilities to specify the cooling design for the tools. The result will be a low cost tool that will run fast and keep your cost per part as low as possible.

Control System

The control system provides consistency and repeatability in machine operation. It monitors and controls the processing parameters including the temperature, pressure, injection speed, screw speed, position and hydraulic position. The process control has a direct impact on the final part quality and the economics of the process.

What is Mould & Types of Mould

Moulding is a manufacturing technique for making parts from plastic material.

• Molten plastic is injected at high pressure into a mold, which is the inverse of the desired shape.
• The mould is made by a mold maker from metal usually either steel, aluminum and precision-machined to form the features of the desired part.
• Injection moulding is very widely used for manufacturing a variety of parts from the smallest component to entire body panels of cars.

Mould Manufacturing

Types of Moulds

1) Compression Mould

Compression Moulding is one of three processes used to mold parts. Compression molding is the oldest and simplest way to make products. In some specific applications, compression molding is still the best way.

2) Transfer Mould

Transfer Molding involves having a "piston and cylinder" like device built into the mold so that the rubber may be squirted into the cavity through small holes.

3) Extrusion Mould

Extrusion moulding is a method used to form thermoplastic materials into continuous sheet film, tubes, rods and other shapes and to coat wiring and cable. The process produces continuous two dimensional shapes like sheet, pipe, film, tubing etc. The material is fed into the extruder where it is melted and pumped out of the extrusion die.

4) Injection Mould

Injection Molding is the most advanced typical method of molding plastic products. Injection molding produces the most consistent results by automating all aspects of how the material gets into the mold. In injection molding, the material is worked and warmed and then squirted into the mold at controlled speeds, pressures and temperatures.

5) Hot Runner Mould

Hot runner molds are two plate molds with a heated runner system inside one half of the mold. A hot runner system is divided into two parts: the manifold and the drops. The manifold has channels that convey the plastic on a single plane, parallel to the parting line, to a point above the cavity. The drops situated perpendicular to the manifold, convey the plastic from the manifold to the part.

6) Blow Mould

Blowing molding is the primary method to form hollow plastic objects such as soda bottles. Blow molding is another common type of plastic molding. In this process a plastic tubular form, produced by extrusion or injection molding, is used to form the part. This form called a parson is softened inside a mold and then injected with air or other compressed gas.

This expands the parson against the sides of the mold cavity, forming a hollow object the size and shape of the mold.

Decorative Crown Moulding

There are five types of decorative moulding commonly used. These include: baseboard, cornice, crown moulding, wall mouldings, and panel mouldings. Lets take a look just about Crown Moulding.

Crown moulding is used along the top of the wall also called bed mouldings they are installed at an angle to adjunct surfaces. Crown moulding is also used to finish cabinets, built-ins and fireplaces. crown mouldings have been around as long as the use of plastered ceilings has been. Crown moulding usually reflected the type or intended use of the room. For example, reception rooms were often decorated with crown moulding was often installed in the more functional areas of the home, such as the kitchen.

Traditionally, crown moulding has been made from milled hardwood and plaster. Wood crown moulding can be found and made from several hardwoods such as hickory, ash, poplar, alder, cherry, maple, mahogany and oak. Wood crown moulding enriches the character of any interior as it frames your ceiling and complements your decor. There are many styles available and you can find many of the traditional styles such as acanthus, grape and oak leaf motifs and shell. Wood crown moulding will certainly add classic detail to any room.

Mould Machines

China is the largest producer of injection mould machines in the world and in fact it ranked 1st in the world. In the past few years injection mould machine producers have got greatly improved on technology. However compared with those in developed countries injection mould machines in China still have a way to catch up on technology and varieties. In detail there is still not little blank on such varieties as super-large or special precision injection mould machines; meanwhile self-support rate of home-made injection mould machines for products processing, most adopt imported injection mould machines. Totally research and manufacturing of injection mould machines cannot still satisfy demands brought by development of plastics industry in China.

Mold, Plastic Injection Molding and Automotive Molding

Mold

Traditionally, molds have been expensive to manufacture. They were usually only used in mass production where thousands of parts were being produced. Molds are typically constructed from hardened steel, aluminum and beryllium copper alloy. The choice of material to build a mold is primarily one of economics. Steel molds generally cost more to construct, but their longer lifespan will offset the higher initial cost over a higher number of parts made before wearing out

Plastic Injection Molding

Injection molding is the process of making polymers. It is considered a great branch of science because it helps to shape plastic into useful objects. Plastic can be shaped by various techniques but injection molding is the most common method of shaping plastic resins. Large machines called injection molding machines accomplish injection molding. Plastic parts are formed by forcing molten material into a mold where it first cools and then hardens. The molded shape produced is a reverse image of the mold tool. Injection molding is considered a low cost technique for creating both simple and complex plastic parts.

Automotive molding

Automotive Molding (car body molding) is protective and decorative moldings, Car moldings include side body molding, lower body molding, door moldings, window moldings, footrest molding, etc. Various car moldings on the car body. must have high scratch resistance, weather resistance and gloss matching that of the car body.