Basics of an injection molding machine
Introduction:
An injection
molding machine also commonly called an injection press, is the machine used to
produce plastic parts using the injection process. It is basically achieved
through heating and clamping. It also has two basic parts the injection unit
and the clamping unit. This article will explain the basics of an injection
molding machine.
Body:
To explain the
process in layman’s terms the machine works by feeding resin or material into
the machine, colorants or other materials are added, it is then heated and
pressed together to form the desired shape or form and then ejected from the
machine. There are also two types of machine orientation, horizontal and
vertical. A lot of injection machines are horizontally oriented, but for those
that require insertion these types are vertical oriented.
There are
three stages in completing the whole injection molding process:
- PLASTICATION – raw materials are sent
forward by a rotating screw into a barrel, while the barrel is heated from
the outside. The screw charging in and out of the barrel will stir and cut
through the plastics, thereby causing gradual plastication.
- INJECTION – when the screw stops rotating,
the clamping part begins to close the mold and the injection unit takes
its place to few the molds together, the injection pressure and speed as
required by the molding techniques inject the fused plastics into mold
cavity.
- MOLDING – the materials in the fused cavity
are then cooled, the plastic parts are then ejected from the chamber thus
the process of the molded plastic part is completed.
The whole
injection cycle is completed by these three steps. The cycle is just repeated
until the manufacturer gets the right number of products produced.
The injection
molding machine also has two types:
Plunger
injection Molding Machine.
- The machine pushes forward the materials in
the barrel by the to and fro movement of the plunger while the spreader
injects them further into the mold through a nozzle. Plastication occurs
when the barrel starts to be heated from the outside, when there is no
sufficient heat this result in poor plastication. Plunger injection
molding is not best for molding plastics are too heat sensitive and have
low fluidity.
Screw
injection Molding Machine
- In place of the horizontal plunger, this
type of injection molding, machine instead has a screw in place of it. The
screw can move in and out of the barrel and is able to send materials,
compact and plasticate as well as transfer pressure. This type of machine
has more yields and is highly productive among the injection molding
machines.
Conclusion:
To understand
how the injection molding machine works will help the manufacturer choose the
best one for the type of part or piece that will be created. The process of
injection molding is just a continuous cycle. As one cycle finishes, another
one starts. Finding the right type of injection molding machine that will fit
the specifications of the piece to be manufactured will help reduce costs in
the end-product, minimize wastages, maximize productivity and labor costs.
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