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Ralph

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Decorate Your House Using Crown Molding

by Ralph
written by Ralph

Building a house is a dream everyone wants to accomplish. However, this depends on the house you want to build. Currently every one of you is capable of building a house depending on his or her financial capabilities. Not everyone wants to build a house but others want to build a home that is fully furnished and well decorated.

To accomplish this it means you must be financially stable or if not borrow from any financial institution. If you are a house enthusiast, I know you must be well versed with the new technologies used to construct a decent house. An excellent house decoration is what you want when you construct a house.

Nevertheless, do you know what technique you should use when decorating your house? Crown molding, is a technique that you should use. I know it may seem so new to you but I guarantee excellent decorations that you will love.

History of Crown Molding in House Decoration

This technique has various methods of house decoration. Crown molding was first used in Ancient Greece and Rome. The Greeks used several shapes when molding their houses such as parabola, hyperbola, or ellipse. However, the Romans used circles in decorating their houses. This technique provides a classical architectural design whose use has evolved since the ancient times.

Carpenters embraced this molding technique all over Europe. They used gouges, hand planes, and chisels to ensure the dentil is correctly arched, sandpapered, and fixed. Using this technique was considered heritage by most people and could be afforded by the rich and mighty.

This myth however does not make sense currently due to the evolution of crown molding.

The Crown Molding Intrigue

As a DIY home changer enthusiast, you will not always end up with what you picture. To skip such inconveniences you can utilize a coped joint for inside corners. This spares you inconvenience of wrong pre-determination of the correct inside degree measurements; most corners are not precisely 90 degrees.

Outside corners must be mitered and consideration taken in estimating and cutting, since not every outside corner measure genuine. On the off chance that the point is not precisely 45/22.5 degree, you can use a corner-estimating gadget or bit of scrap crown molding might be utilized to acquire the correct estimation before making a polished product.

Styles of Crown Molding

Decorating your house using this technique is brings a worthy appearance to your house. Nevertheless, there are different styles of crown molding.

  1. Medium-Density Fiberboard Crown Molding

MDF’s invention was in the 1980s mainly in European and American countries. This technique uses residue of both softwood and hardwood that has been converted into timber fibers. This is accomplished by use of resin binder, wax, and application of high temperatures and pressure.

This molding technique is cheaper when you compare it to other crown molding styles. You must paint if you want exemplary appearance. Cutting and installing MDF seems a challenge for many constructors but only experts can do it perfectly. Denting this style is the simplest crown molding style.

  1. PVC

A crown molding style that is mostly used for bathroom decoration. Enriching Moldings exist in horde frames. Each intended for a particular reason; confining an entryway, for instance, or giving a visual change at the intersection of dividers and ground surface. Such a large number of sorts of trim adorn our homes today; it is regularly hard to recognize them.

  1. Pearl

Globule and pearl moldings are two extraordinary, however fundamentally the same as, sorts of trim. Both element a line of little, symmetrical circles. Combined regularly with different plans: leaves, darts, or axles, this assortment of trim commonly goes with crown or seat railing.

  1. Packaging

Packaging is intended to cover the incomplete hole amongst dividers and entryway or window outlines. Despite the fact that distinctive varieties of entryway packaging styles are promptly discovered the width of packaging for the most part traverses a few inches.

  1. Baseboard and Baseboard Styles

Used to trim dividers where they join flooring, baseboards for the most part measure three to five inches. Baseboard styles are typically basic, and complemented with a little bit of quarter-round; semi-roundabout trim.

  1. Crown

This trim is the “delegated” structural component of a room, as it finishes the progress amongst dividers and the roof. Crown moldings, otherwise called cornice moldings, normally brag overwhelming outlines – albeit numerous kinds of crown shaping exist.

  1. Chair Rail

Seat railing is practical trim intended to shield dividers from being harmed by furniture. Obviously, it can likewise serve a beautifying capacity, portraying two distinct kinds of divider covers, paint, and backdrop, for example.

  1. Picture Rail

Picture railing permits work of art casings to be hung without nails being driven specifically into the divider. Frequently joined with crown shaping, this sort of embellishment is maybe a couple inches tall and seems seven to nine feet off the floor.

  1. Inlet

Otherwise called coving, bay embellishment is plain, sunken formed trim utilized where dividers and roofs meet. It can likewise be utilized on stairs, at the gathering of risers and treads. Generally, inlet might be viewed as a less luxurious form of crown.

  1. Dentil

An elaborate detail with a Classical family, dentil shaping comprises of little, uniformly dispersed squares in a rehashing design. Joined into crown shaping, dentils are as often as possible found in noteworthy homes.

  1. Egg and dart

For the most amount witnessed together with crown or seat railing, egg-and-dash bring into being integrates oval egg shapes; displayed after old Greek format trimming rotating with V-like darts.

Crown Molding Installations

To install crown moldings you have to connect seams to where your ceiling meets the walls. There are two regular approaches to design inside corners:

  1. Using a compound miter saw.

By using a compound miter saw, you cut the finishes of the corner pieces simultaneously along two axes.

  1. Coping

Coping/adapting is a two-stage process

  • Cut a basic miter
  • Use a coping saw to undercut miters.

The Future of Crown Molding

A wide range of manufacturing organizations is currently fabricating crown molding materials as plastic and froth. These commonly are offered with corner pieces and are the mainstream with DIY home change enthusiasts.

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rubber molding
Rubber Molding

Types of Rubber Molding

by Ralph
written by Ralph

Rubber molding is a method in which a functional rubber product is manufactured. Rubber molding produces molded rubber portions by pressing a chunk of rubber into a rubber molding metal chamber, then exposed to heat to activate the chemical reaction. Rubber companies use rubber molding in the manufacturing of rubber products.

Rubber Molding History

Charles Macintosh a Scottish chemist discovered that by applying rubber to a cloth by use of a coal-tar byproduct to cement fixed cloth with an elastic surface. During the Victorian era, the demand for rubber grew in the USA and European countries.

During the early days of rubber production, the rubber products where of low quality hence the demand for rubber declined but with time the demand increased after rubber products such as shoe soles and rubber erasers.

In 1839, Charles Goodyear discovered vulcanizing. Vulcanizing is the process of adding sulfur to rubber to enhance toughness by stabilizing polymers in the rubber. This invention was not used instantly but took several years for manufacturers to accept it. In 1889, vulcanization became popular which led to the development of automobiles and bicycle tires.

There are three common techniques used in rubber molding;

  • Transfer molding
  • Rubber Injection Molding
  • Compression molding

Transfer Molding

Rubber transfer molding is a method permitting manufacturers to produce both rubber items and molded rubber parts. In this technique, manufacturers insert the molten substance into a cavity located above the pot and then use ram to force the mold through a runner and gate system as it melts upon the application of heat and pressure.

Transfer Molding

Rubber transfer molding is related to injection molding since the rubber goes in the cavity after the mold is locked. Rubber products by this technique are less costly than a rubber product by compression molding.

Advantages of Transfer Molding

  • Flexible Design. Rubber transfer molding technique permits sharp edges. The transfer pots and plunger design, easier preforms required agreeing to standardization and is cheap.
  • Short Manufacturing Phase. The period of production using transfer molding is shorter compared to the other rubber molding techniques. It is more consistent and allows for constricted tolerances and more complex parts.
  • Extraordinary Cavity Amount. Transfer molding products require less and simple preforms.
  • Ability to produce over molded constituents.
  • A cost-effective method for high and medium accurate constituents.

Disadvantages of Transfer Molding

  • Material Wastage. Pots produce a large number of material wastage. This yields an enormous pad of sprues. Scraps are not recyclable because the polymers are thermosetting.
  • Mold Repairs.Inserted transfer molding tools need repairing overtime. Inserts also require removal and reset maintenance.
  • Intricate Molds.Designing and molding are complex hence becoming costly.

Rubber Injection Molding

Rubber Injection Molding was derived off a process that was initially intended for plastic molding. Making its debut in the mid-1960s, Rubber Injection Molding has since enabled manufacturers to create variations of molded rubber products. This cutting-edge technique was cropped out of the plastic process through an altercation of significant heating.

Rubber Injection Molding

Rubber Injection Molding and Transfer Molding processes both begin with efficient preparation of material. First off, the material is mixed in bulk and immediately stripped off into continuous strips. The strips are fed into a screw with a pre-determined amount of rubber into a barrel.

Advantages of Rubber Injection Molding

  • Elimination of pre-forms placement. Rubber Injection Molding removes the necessity for placing pre-forms in a compression molding or transfer molding by operators.
  • Pre-heating materials. The technique apparently forces materials into cavities. Pre-heating materials allow for free flow into the cavities because of decreased viscosity.
  • Complete dissemination of pre-forms. Pre-forms involves a lot of labor. Rubber Transfer Molding completely eliminates pre-forms thus removing the probability of affecting the final product. Pre-forms pose both weight and shape variability.
  • Cuts down wastage of materials.
  • Economical for both high procession components and high volumes of medium.

Disadvantages of Rubber Injection Molding

  • High machinery cost. Despite flashing tooling, the Injection Molding process involves high initial tooling.
  • Restrictions on parts design.
  • Costly in small runs of parts.

Compression Molding

Compression Molding is a method that allows manufacturers to create pre-forms in the shape of the end product. In this technique, manufacturers take either rubber compounds or mixed raw material and create pre-forms in the shape of the end product. This specification allows for total cavity fill due to a surplus of material provided by the pre-forms that need to fill the cavity.

Compression molding takes its toll when the mold is closed behind the pre-form. The preform is heated and pressure applied to it in order to fill the cavity. Excess pre-form material spills out into overflow grooves once the cavity is filled. The compression process paves way for de-molding of rubber. Usually, manufacturers de-mold the rubber by hand.

Rubber Injection Molding

Once the rubber is de-molded manufacturers finally obtain a molded rubber product. Medium hardness compounds are normally a resolve of the compression process. Compression Molding is used also in applications requiring expensive materials and in low volume productions. This is due to minimal overflow amount/ flash that builds up during the molding process.

Applications of Compression Molding

  • Simple O-ring drive belts.
  • Complex graph diaphragms with more than 10 inches in diameter.
  • Facilitates Timco to offer a variety of other molded products.

Advantages of Compression Molding    

  • Compression Molding is cost-effective for manufacturers in two instances; where tooling is already in existence and where the cross-section of the part is large thus requires a long time to cure.
  • Maximum cavity count. Compression Molding allows for total cavity fill. This is due to the creation of pre-forms in the basic shape of the end product. The surplus pre-forms material fills the cavity.

This allows for maximized cavity count because pre-form material fills out the cavity before pouring out to overflow grooves.

  • Economical for medium precision for medium hardness compounds.
  • Cost effective tooling.

Disadvantages of Compression Molding

  • Greater waste proportions. Once the cavity is overfilled, preforms material fills out in the overflow grooves.
  • Slower process time
  • High labor cost

Conclusion

Rubber Molding is a different kettle of fish. Its roots are traced back to Plastic Molding and its discovery through an altercation has since been resourceful to manufacturers.

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Injection Molding

6 Important Features to Pinpoint When Creating Plastic Parts for Injection Molding

by Ralph
written by Ralph

You have a new plastic product or an improvement on an existing product. You want to find the best way to manufacture your product. One of the most popular methods of plastic part production today is injection molding.  The question to ask, though is, “Is injection molding the right process for your product, and which mold manufacturer is the best choice?” Before making that decision, there are several factors to investigate to ensure the best process and the best mold manufacturer to choose.

pegs

The 6 Features

When it comes to your product there are 6 features or aspects to consider when designing for injection molding2. Those include the physical properties of your product, where it will be used, what your product will look like, if there are any standards or regulations your product must meet, the price of your product, and which mold manufacturer can build the best mold to meet your need.

The Physical Properties

When considering the physical aspects of your product you need to determine how strong your product needs to be. The type of material you choose will be a determining factor in strength, flexibility, and how resistant the product is to impact. You’ll also want to decide if the product should be flame retardant and resistant to scratches and wear and tear.

Where Your Product Will Be Used

Considering where your product will be used is also important. Will the product come in contact with chemicals, humidity, or extreme temperatures? Will it be exposed to adverse weather conditions, like snow and rain? The answers to these questions will also help determine the materials best suited to your product.

What Your Product Will Look Like

Is the outer appearance of your product important to the design of your product? Does it need to be a certain color, have decorations or a finished surface? Material and mold manufacturer are important aspects to consider for this product need. You need to find a mold manufacturer capable of building a mold that will produce the outer designs of your product.

The Standards And Regulations

Is your product required to meet certain agency standards or regulations? If so, you need to ensure that your design meets or exceeds the requirements of any agency you need to comply with2.

The Prices

The cost of your product will also be a factor in determining materials and finding a mold manufacturer. You’ll want to keep the production cost of your product down, so you can determine a good selling price for your product. You’ll want a high-quality material, but also one you can get at a good price. You’ll also want to find a mold manufacturer that can produce the needed mold at a decent price.

Of course, a major aspect to consider is how well your product is suited to injection molding. Are there any features of your product that aren’t feasible with injection molding? Would another form of manufacturing work better for your product, such as a 3D printer? Looking at all options is important when determining production methods for your product.

The Manufacturers

And finally, once you have determined the answers to the previous questions, it’s time to find the best mold manufacturing company to create the mold for your injection molded part. A good place to start would be with Sositar Mould Co., Limited and Eco Molding Co., Limited in Shenzhen China.

 

Sositar Mould is a mold manufacturing company that has been building injection molds for 15 years. The company has 10 injection molding machines with shot capacities ranging from 0.5g to 2kg per cycle3. They also offer custom colors and integrating other components, such as threading for inserts. Sositar Mould have created molds for various industries including automotive, lighting, agriculture, medical and sports equipment. Their mold design team includes special mold designers with years of experience in plastic mold structure and injection mold design. Eco Molding also has a high-quality design team and in-house mold making. With more than 25 skilled toolmakers, short lead times, and experience in all areas of machine processing, Eco Molding offers cost efficient mold design and building1.

 

Considering these 6 aspects when creating a plastic product for injection molding will help to avoid costly and time-consuming problems down the road. Contact with an injection mold manufacturer such as Sositar Mould and Eco Molding will ensure that you have the best design and the correct materials to create the quality product you’ve imagined.

 

Sources
  1. Eco Molding Co., Limited- ecomolding.com
  2. Ferriot- https://blog.ferriot.com/blog/7-key-aspects-to-identify-when-designing-injection-molded-plastic-parts
  3. Sositar Mould Co., Limited- moldchina.com
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Injection Molding

What Specifications Does Your Injection Mold Manufacturer Need?

by Ralph
written by Ralph

Injection molding is an extremely popular method of manufacturing. Most injection molded parts begin as a 2D or 3D CAD drawing or file.  A mold is produced from the data in the CAD files. The process then involves heating a granular plastic and pushing it through a heated barrel to melt it. The plastic is then molded into a part and cooled before being ejected from the mold. If you have a product you want to produce through injection molding, you should know what specifications your chosen manufacturer will need.

CAD Drawing or File

The first step in producing an injection molded part is the CAD drawing or file with the information about your design. CAD files can be either 2D or 3D. A 3D file will have all the data included even though it is not necessarily visible on the screen. A 2D file, or blueprint, looks more like a photo of your design and does not contain data like the 3D file2. Therefore, 2D files should include information from the designer about how the part should function, and what it should look and feel like.

CAD Drawing or File

2D files should include:

  • Dimensions and Tolerances
  • Surface flatness, finish and color
  • Type of material
  • Location and size of holes, and thread type
  • Radii

Specifications in a 3D File

The specifications included in a 3D CAD file should include wall thickness, ribs, corners, draft angles, bosses, texture, any lettering, undercuts and inserts2.

Wall thickness:

Thinner walls make the injection molding process easier. Thin walled parts cool more quickly, are lighter and use less material. Consistency in wall thickness helps reduce warping.

Injection molded parts usually have a range of 0.08” to0.16” for wall thickness, although walls can be as thin as 0.02”. The material used can also affect the walls thickness1. For instance, a ABS resin can have a wall thickness between 0.045” and 0.140”. A Nylon would be between 0.030” and 0.115”.

Specifications in a 3D File

Ribs:

Ribs are used to increase the stiffness when a part bends, which helps keep the wall thickness from increasing. Specifications for ribs should include a thickness of 60% or less of the nominal thickness, a height of 3 times lower than the wall thickness, and a draft angle of 0.25⁰. The specs should also include rounded corners1. Sharp corners can stress in your part or cause a stress riser to form during the molding process. However, round corners reduce stress and the possibility of fracture.

Ribs:

Draft angles:

Including a draft angle helps to reduce drag or punch marks when the part is ejected from the mold. Draft angles should be 1⁰ to 2⁰. If the design doesn’t provide for draft angles, a side action mold should be used1.

Draft angles:

Bosses:

Parts that require fasteners, like screws, should include specs for bosses, which are the areas where the fasteners are attached. Bosses should be 60% or less than the thickness of the wall, have a base radius that is 25% of the main wall’s thickness, and be supported by ribs1. Ribs should also be used to separate bosses that are in corners.

Bosses

Texture:

When creating a part with injection molding it is possible to add texture or lettering to the piece. This can be done for aesthetic purposes or to include branding on the product. Specifications for texture should include a depth of 1.5⁰ minimum per 0.025mm in addition to any normal draft1. These specifications could change depending on what is being molded.

Texture

Lettering specification should include a font with small features, like Sans Serif, that are at least 0.020” thick. The text should be raised instead of cut into the product and should have a depth between 0.010 and 0.015” to help reduce costs.

Undercuts:

Undercuts keep the mold from sliding away along the part. Undercuts are either external or internal and should be minimized. If possible, a feature should be redesigned to avoid undercuts. Undercuts can increase costs of tooling because they require either side cores or core lifters1.

Undercuts

Inserts:

Inserts are where fasteners are placed and where they can be replaced often. Inserts in injection molded parts are usually put in with thermal insertion, ultrasonic insertion or molded in1.

Inserts

Using injection molding to manufacture your parts can save time and money as production costs are low once the original cost of the mold has been paid. Injection molding also cuts down on waste and scrap, and produces a consistent product. Providing both 2D and 3D CAD files can help provide most of the specifications for your injection mold manufacturer. Knowing what specifications your injection mold manufacturer needs will make the process easy and less stressful.

 

Sources

  1. CAD Crown- https://www.cadcrowd.com/blog/how-to-design-for-injection-molding/
  2. Star Rapid- https://www.starrapid.com/blog/how-to-prepare-your-cad-drawings-for-manufacturing/
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Temperature Controller
Injection Molding

The Importance of Temperature Control In Injection Molding

by Ralph
written by Ralph

From the granules being fed into the barrel, to the final piece coming from the mold, injection mold temperatures are very important. Problems with quality in injection molding can occur because the flow of the heated plastic is disrupted due to the mold being over or under cooled. Under-cooled parts don’t solidify properly and stick to the mold1. Over-cooled parts may not form completely and design details could be lost due to the mold not filling correctly. Over or under cooling can also cause shrinkage or warping of the parts1. Several areas of the molding process demonstrate the importance of temperature control in injection molding.

Barrel Temperatures

A major area that demonstrates the importance of temperature control in injection molding is the barrel of the machine. The barrel in injection molding machines the plastic travels through usually have between 3 and 5 individual heating zones6. The material you are using sets the barrel temperature. The temperature settings are determined by the material’s supplier. Therefore, the machine’s temperature settings should change with the material being used for the production pieces.

The heating zones of the barrel are most often set to gradually increase as the material moves from the back of the barrel toward the mold. Temperatures differences from the rear to the front of the barrel can range from 50 to 80⁰ F6.

If the temperature in the rear zone is too high it can cause the plastic to melt too soon and block the flow of the granules into the barrel. The cooling water from the feed throat takes away most of the rear zone heat, so too high a temperature can also waste energy6.

Adjusting temperature in the middle zones of the barrel is the best way to use barrel temperature. The heat in this section will be mixed by rotation before the plastic reaches the front zone and any variation in temperature will be removed6.

The temperature in the front zone should match the actual desired temperature for the material. Once in the front zone of the barrel the material will not be mixed again, so any plastic that is unevenly heated won’t set correctly6. Therefore, slowly increasing temperature from the rear zone through the middle zone, and maintaining temperature in the front zone, is the best process for obtaining quality parts6.

Nozzle Temperatures

Nozzle Temperatures

The nozzle area of the injection mold is also one that demonstrates the importance of temperature control in injection molding. It is important that the nozzle temperature be lower than the mold temperature4. If the nozzle temperature is higher than the mold by too much it can cause the plastic to drool. If the temperature in the nozzle is too low, though, it can cause the plastic to decompose and possibly block the nozzle4.

Mold Temperatures

Mold Temperatures

Another area that proves the importance of temperature control in injection molding is the mold itself. Maintaining optimal mold temperature reduces unit costs, ensures quality of product, and promotes uniform molding of parts3.

Mold temperature can affect product quality in various ways. Too low of a temperature can create knit lines where the plastic comes together, and can produce an incomplete part. Too high of a temperature can cause warping or blistering in the part2.

The mold temperature should be lower than the temperature in the barrel. This allows the material to cool down. The temperature in the mold is usually between 150 and 350⁰ F2.  Cooling lines filled with water are used to lower the temperature and lines with oil are used to heat the mold and maintain a temperature above water’s boiling point when needed.

Maintaining optimum mold temperature for the material being used will improve part quality, lower cost of production, improve accuracy of parts, lower part distortion, and shorten the time it takes to cool down3.

Temperature Controller

Temperature Controller

A temperature controller installed on the injection molding machine can ensure the proper temperature is maintained during processing. Temperature controllers, or control units, preheat the mold before the melted plastic is pushed into the mold. The control units keep the mold heated to the set temperature point by circulating a coolant through the mold. The heat that has been produced by the melted plastic is absorbed from the mold by the coolant which keeps the mold at a proper temperature for precise molding5.

Injection molding is a process used around the globe. Producing quality, cost efficient products is important for many industries and businesses. The importance of temperature control in injection molding is a major component of producing those quality products.

 

Sources

  1.  Ptonline.com – https://www.ptonline.com/articles/troubleshooting-mold-temperature-control
  2.  AccuTherm- http://accutherm.com/blog/importance-temperature-control-plastic-injection-molding/
  3.  Lanxess- https://techcenter.lanxess.com/scp/americas/en/techServscp/79183/article.jsp?docId=79173
  4.  Crescent Industries- http://info.crescentind.com/blog/bid/59146/5-factors-important-to-injection-molding
  5.  Delta systems- https://www.deltatsys.com/industries/injection-molding-temperature-controller
  6.  Paulson- https://www.paulsontraining.com/molding-machine-control-set-setting-barrel-temperatures/
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Metal Injection Molding
Injection Molding

Top 6 Advantages of Metal Injection Molding

by Ralph
written by Ralph

Do you have a need to produce a high volume of a small, complex metal piece or component? Does the usual method of metalworking or machining seem cost prohibitive? Perhaps Metal Injection Molding is the process you are looking for. Metal Injection Molding (MIM) is a process that uses Plastic Injection Molding machinery to create metal components and pieces. The top 6 advantages of Metal Injection Molding are listed here.

Background and Process

The process of Metal Injection Molding began in the 1970s at a company called Parmatech in California. Once refined and patented, the process became popular with manufacturing during the 1980s. Improvements to the process in the 1990s awarded more recognition to the MIM process and the advantages of Metal Injection Molding have increased over the last few decades. Metal Injection Molding has become a $1.5 billion-dollar industry today, with over 500 parts producers worldwide.

The MIM molding process has several steps1. As the image shows, the process begins with mixing the metal powder with a thermoplastic or polymer binding agent. The mixture is granulated into a feedstock material that is then liquefied and injected into the mold. The molded piece is called a “green part”, which then goes through a debinding process to remove most of the binding material from the part using a solvent, heat or a combination of both. The part is now called a “brown part” and is very fragile, but it can be carefully handled. The part is put through a sintering, or high heat and pressure, process. Sintering removes the rest of the binding ingredient, shrinks the product by 20 to 30 percent, and produces the final part1.

Process

Advantages of Metal Injection Molding

Of the many advantages of Metal Injection Molding, the ability to design small, complex parts quickly and efficiently is one of the most important1. Regular metalworking techniques limit the range of designs for small, intricate metal parts. Small details often need to be created with additional machining or other methods. With MIM, molds can be designed to include small details such as holes, threads, and slots all at once. A second design advantage of MIM is the fact that the final product is more like the original design, without the need for additional machining or finishing.

Another advantage is the ability to combine multiple components into one piece with MIM. Regular metal working usually requires the manufacture of separate parts that must be assembled to create the final product. Metal Injection Molding allows separate pieces to be molded into one solid piece, eliminating further machining and assembly, and lowering costs2.

Size comparison

Combining multiple components also lowers production time. Some parts can be molded in as little as 10 seconds2.

A third advantage of Metal Injection Molding is the creation of more complex parts at a high volume of pieces

Without the need for regular metalworking techniques, there’s the possibility of producing 10,000 to 2,000,000 or more parts per year. Parts with irregular shapes, various holes and slots, internal threads, and contours are a great fit for MIM production1.

The range of materials available to use in MIM is also a great advantage. Metals like stainless steels, magnetic alloys, tungsten, high-speed steels, and copper alloys are possible materials. Special metals like titanium alloys, precious metals, and particle composites are also used3. Special alloys, such as super alloy Ni 625 that resists corrosive environments, and H-X that withstands high temperatures, are available for use in MIM.

The strength and density of finished products are also an important advantage of Metal Injection Molding. During the sintering process, the part is heated to temperatures near melting. This process removes any of the binding material left in the part and densifies the part, shrinking it from 20 to 30%. Finished pieces have densities between 93 and 99%6. MIM produced parts are usually as strong, if not stronger, than machined parts.

Powder to part

A final advantage of Metal Injection Molding is the efficiency of the process. MIM has minimal waste. Nearly all, 95-98%, of raw material is shipped as product5. The feedstock is recyclable and is used again, so waste is almost non-existent.

Applications

Metal Injection Molding is used in many areas of industry7. Industries that use small, strong and complex parts have grown the MIM business by millions of dollars over the last few decades. For instance, the medical industry uses MIM to produce surgical instruments and implantable devices. The dental industry produces orthodontics, such as seen in this photo.

The automotive industry uses MIM to produce engine parts, steering system parts, and lock parts. The IT and electronics industry makes up about 50% of MIM sales in Asia, producing items such as lightning chargers for phones and fiber optics parts7. The aerospace industry produces engine components and seatbelt parts. Firearms parts are produced with Metal Injection Molding and parts of Department of Defense equipment are MIM produced. Consumer products include eyeglass parts, camera equipment parts, and musical equipment pieces.

The process of Metal Injection Molding offers many advantages for producing high volumes of small, complex metal parts or components. The advantages of Metal Injection Molding include design flexibility, a variety of materials, reduced processing and assembly costs, and a strong quickly and efficiently produced product.

Product applications of MIM products occur in many areas of industry and use, including in the medical and dental field, automotive and aerospace industries, and as consumer products. If you need to produce a high volume of a small, complex metal piece or component, then the advantages of Metal Injection Molding can work for you.

 

Metal Injection Molding Sources

 

  1. Optimim: https://www.optimim.com/mim-process
  2. Chinasavvy: https://www.mobile.chinasavvy.com/industrial/metal-injection-molding.html
  3. Sandvik: https://www.materials.sandvik/en/products/metal-powder/metal-injection-moulding-mim/mim-advantages/
  4. 8 reasons: https://medium.com/amt-mim/8-reasons-metal-injection-molding-could-be-suitable-for-you-d6d8280f377
  5. Industrialmetalcasting: http://www.industrialmetalcastings.com/casting_metal_injection_mold.html
  6. PIM: http://www.pim-international.com/metal-injection-molding/metal-injection-moulding-introduction/

 

Images

 

Process:  http://www.custompartnet.com/wu/images/metal-injection-molding/mim.png

Size comparison: http://s3files.core77.com/blog/images/2014/01/0metalinjectionmolding004.jpg

Powder to part: https://www.industr.com/en/EM-Magazine/__image/a/2298544/alias/xl/v/1/c/18/ar/flexible/fn/MIM_04.jpg

Combination process:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/OBE-Metallpulverspritzguss-Abb2.jpg/220px-OBE-Metallpulverspritzguss-Abb2.jpg

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PLASTIC INJECTION MOLDING
Injection Molding

Introduction to Plastic Injection Molding

by Ralph
written by Ralph

Plastic Injection Molding

The injection molding process is one of the main production processes in the processing of plastics. Injection molding has some features that provide a beneficial application of this method, especially in the manufacture of complex molded parts as mass-produced. These features are:

  • Direct route from the raw material to the finished part
  • No or only minor post-processing of the molded part is necessary
  • Fully automated and process
  • High reproducibility of production

The range of molded parts that can be produced by injection molding extends from the smallest of gear wheels or bearings to large waste containers. The weights of the molded parts are in the order of 0.001 g to 100 kg.

 

Machine and process flow

The task of an injection molding machine according to DIN 24450 comprises the discontinuous production of moldings of preferably macromolecular molding compositions, wherein the primary molding is done under pressure.

process flow

For this purpose, it is necessary to convert the material supplied by the raw materials manufacturer usually in granular or powder form (elastomers usually in the form of strips) so that it is converted into a flowable state. First, the material is plasticized by rotation of the screw (Figure 1). After closing the mold (step 1), which has a cavity corresponding to the molding, the plasticized material is injected by axial feed of the screw into the tool (step 2).

Process flow in injection molding

Figure 1: Process flow in injection molding

For thermoplastic materials, the melt is subsequently cooled in the mold (step 3). In the case of crosslinking materials (thermosets, elastomers), the tool is heated, thus initiating the crosslinking process. The last step involves opening the tool and ejecting the molding (step 5).

The outlined process steps, which sometimes overlap in time, are part of every injection molding cycle. In the production of an injection molded part, the individual production steps, which are shown again in greater detail in Figure 2, are coordinated by the control device of the machine.

Injection molding

Figure 2: Injection Molding

The aim in the economic production of a molded part is to reduce the cycle time required for this process in order to achieve a high output.

In addition to the above-mentioned method steps can perform other functions, such as the movement of the unit, actuation of core pulls u. a. m., However, these do not change the basic procedure.

 

machine design

Irrespective of the material to be processed, an injection molding machine is made up of the following assemblies (Figure 3): The machine bed is used to hold the plasticizing unit and clamping unit. The latter serves to realize the opening and closing movement of the tool during the production cycle. The course of the injection molding cycle is coordinated via a control or control unit, which is usually housed in a separate cabinet from the machine.

Construction of an injection molding machine

Figure 3: Construction of an injection molding machine

The drive of the screw located in the plasticizing unit as well as the closing unit is carried out hydraulically or via direct electrical drives. The pumps required to provide the required hydraulic oil volume flow are housed in the machine bed and are driven electrically. The hydraulic valves required for the control of the individual movements are as far as possible in the immediate vicinity of the consumers to whom they are assigned. To operate additional functions such. As ejector, nozzle or for moving core trains, additional purely electromechanical or pneumatic drives are used.

In the following explanations only machines are to be considered whose main movement mechanisms (plasticizing, injecting, opening / closing tools) are hydraulically realized, since this type of machine is predominantly found in practical use, but all-electric machines are becoming increasingly important.

To cool the injected molten plastic, the molding material must be cooled under solidification temperature in thermoplastics before the molding can be removed from the mold. (In the case of crosslinking molding compounds, the tool is heated in order to trigger the crosslinking process). To this end, tool tempering devices (also referred to as tempering unit) are necessary. These can be an integral part of the machine or be placed as an external unit to the machine.

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Productivity Increase
Injection Molding

Six Ways To Minimize Cycle Duration In Injection Molding

by Ralph
written by Ralph

Part Design

Keep the wall thickness as thin as possible according to the application. The thinner the wall thickness, the shorter the cooling time phase of the injection molding cycle. As the wall becomes thinner, the cost of the molding machine and the material cost of the parts are also reduced. In determining the wall thickness of a particular part it is ensured that the part strength is still within the quality limit and that the forming machine has the ability to make thinner parts. Clicking the link below will display a case study to reduce the wall thickness.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/case-study-dyson-vacuum-cleaner-bin-paul-kuklych/?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_post_details%3ByMgHE5D4StGz7JOMDibWXQ%3D%3D

 

Mold Design

The design of the cooling channels in the mold plays an important role in minimizing the cycle duration. Make sure there are many large channels near the molding surface. However, please be careful not to compromise the strength of the mold. If the cooling channel is made too large on the molding surface, if it is too close to the molding surface, it contributes to the deflection of the mold, causing not only cracks in the mold cavity but also part quality problems. Cracked cavities are usually a great chaos in productivity level because exchange inserts are required.

Another mold design characteristic to be considered is the ejector system. The ejector system must be robust enough to quickly damage parts from the mold. Generally, the thinner the part, the less extruded surface area, the more difficult to discharge. This is one reason why thin wall molding is difficult. For details on thin wall molding, please click the link:

https://www.improve-your-injection-molding.com/thin-wall-injection-molding.html

 

Molding Machine Suitability

A suitable molding machine must be able to achieve the correct filling time limit to make acceptable parts. If the filling time is too short or too long, a rejected part is generated. Accurate filling time uses specific injection pressure and injection speed.

For details of molding machine selection, please click the following link:

https://www.improve-your-injection-molding.com/plastic-injection-molding-machine.html

 

Process Technician’s Ability

Injection molding is a complicated process because there are many parameters in the machine controller, and when changed it affect cycle time. For example, it is possible to shorten the cycle duration by increasing the injection speed, increasing the platen speed, increasing the injection speed, reducing the mold opening stroke, shortening the holding time, and shortening the cooling time. Unless a systematic approach is taken, it is difficult to make the best combination of process parameters. The training of scientific molding principles of process engineers is a great merit.

 

Resin Selection

Some material suppliers claim to manufacture the same resin grade to reduce cycle time. They have a special formulation which means that parts are discharged faster than usual. If a substitute for such a resin is not available, please consider additives such as Nanosil. Clicking on this link will display information about Nanosil’s experiment which reduced cycle time by 13%.

https://www.improve-your-injection-molding.com/nucleating-agent.html

 

Polishing

Product designers specify polishing of a specific grade based on cosmetic purposes. Grinding grade is often high mirror polishing, causing many molding difficulties and increasing cycle time. Since there are various grades for the mirror finish, please execute only the minimum requirement according to the application.

Please let me know if you have any idea about ways to reduce cycle time.

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Injection Molding Compression Molding
Resin Molding

Resin Molding Technology – Injection Molding and Compression Molding

by Ralph
written by Ralph

 

Injection Molding

Compression Molding

Injection molding technology

Injection molding is a packaging method for traditional semiconductor electronic devices. It is a resin encapsulation method that fills the melt-shaped resin into the cavity to make it hardened.

Resin injection is an environmentally friendly process that can replace the open mold process. Resin injection process can be used to produce stable high-quality products, such as yachts and wind blades. The process can be used to produce large, complex products, but also the sandwich material or embedded parts together.

This process impregnates a dry, reinforced layer of material with the reinforcement in a rigid, airtight mold that is covered with a flexible vacuum bag and sealed along the perimeter. Using the vacuum, the resin is drawn into the mold cavity and impregnated with a reinforcing material. After the resin is cured, the vacuum bag is removed and the product can be demolded.

Compression molding technology

With the development of big data terminals such as IoT (Internet of Things) and auto-driving, the demand for semiconductor electronic components has soared, and electronic devices used in tablet PCs and smartphones have also become increasingly diversified.

At the same time require semiconductor packaging technology to ultra-thin, high-density direction, looking forward to a substrate-less wafer-level packaging process to improve production efficiency and cut the costs.

Resin utilization of 100%, can reduce material costs

Compression molding technology means pouring the liquid resin or granular into the cavity, immersing the product into the molten resin, by which the mold would be formed. This method eliminates the need for gate and runners for injection molding. With resin utilization of almost 100%, it significantly reduces customer material costs while reducing waste emissions, making it an eco-friendly forming technology.

No resin flowing, use as thin a gold wire as possible

Compression Shaping Minimal resin flow minimizes resin impact on chips and gold lines, resulting in higher product productivity and lower costs.

Compatible with large substrates and wafers

In order to reduce the cost of semiconductor devices, the industry is pushing forward with large-size frames and demands for the corresponding semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The Company has implemented the encapsulation of very large substrates by using compression forming technology and is the first to provide the industry with an effective solution to reduce costs.

Use chip placement down

The development of ultra-thin semiconductor devices, the same large area of the substrate and the wafer required a total of uniform resin, the chip-down due to the Company’s technology can achieve ultra-thin packaging products. Chip down can effectively reduce the occurrence of wrapping.

Reduce the process and no need to clear mode

As a result of encapsulation, there is no need for lapping of the cover and CPM (Chemical Polishing Mechanical ), which can shorten the production time of the entire manufacturing process. At the same time, there is no need for a clear mold due to the use of a release film for mold release.

Injection Molding

Injection Molding

Compression Molding

Compression Molding

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