The Truth About Injection Molds: Everything You Need To Know | Infographic
Views : 268
Update time : 2022-04-20 17:00:03
Injection molds are used to create physical objects by injecting liquid plastic, metal or other materials into the mold cavities. Injection molds can be found in all types of industries, from medical devices to toys and containers. There are two basic categories of plastic injection molding, referred to as "drop-in" and precision cavity. While it is true that the term ' Injection Molds' has a more specific meaning for something used in the pharmaceutical industry - but these terms apply across other producing industries too. An important point to make from this infographic image is that proper planning and preparation can avoid significant problems with plastic molds. Apparently, injection molds are not as bad or expensive as they would seem at first sight! Make sure you check this chart out and see how inexpensive molding your own products can be. Over 50% of injection molds designed in the US are used by producers making plastic products, and approximately 10 percent worldwide use injection molding.
How are injection molds made?
An injection mold is a machine that uses liquid plastic, metal or other materials to create physical objects. The machine has three parts: the mold holder, the filler tube and the ejector. The mold holder dips a piece of metal called an "injection core" into the molten material. The filler tube feeds the material into the injection core while the meter forces it through narrow channels and out through the small opening at the other end called "pugs". The ejector presses the injection core upward, forcing it out through a small opening into the bottom of the mold. As more material is injected into each cavity in the mold, pressure builds so much that air can no longer be squeezed out through those tiny openings. This causes bulges to form and eventually lifts off from all sides of each cavity. Plastic injection molds are used for making a variety of plastic products ranging from parts to containers, automotive components, medical devices and consumer goods such as toys and food cans.
What types of plastics are injection molded?
The most common plastics injected using injection molds are polyesters and polycarbonates. Other thermoset plastics such as epoxy, urethanes, and acrylics can also be injection molded. These include materials used in products such as sports equipment, computer cases and household appliances. Polyester resins are the most commonly found materials used for injection moulding and refer to any thermoset plastics that are typically a mixture of esters. The technical term for these types is polyesters or polyethylene terephthalate. These PETs are quite cost competitive in comparison to other thermoplastics such as nylon polyamide and polypropylene but have chemical stabilizers which prevent them from degrading when exposed to light, moisture and temperature variations. First-generation PET material is a homopolymer with respect to glycolic acid, which is used in the polymerization process. Type two STAR hydroxy thermally stable resins are produced by charging PET type one resin with these stabilizers at elevated temperatures after an initial melt of the ester monomers from dimethyl erythritol and glycolic acid. The resulting material was found to be thermally stable, rugged, low density but slightly more expensive due to the addition of these stabilizers, making it a type two PET made primarily for uses in sports equipment such as tennis racket handles compared with adipoyl transfer copolymer (ATCP) used for injection-moulded products or polycarbonate that are thermoplastic.
