CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
Synopsys
This chapter is intended to provide the know-how about injection molding related issues to
student, with an improved understanding of the basics of injection molding. Although
injection molding has been used since the 1930's, the operating personnel have generally
learned the process from their supervisors, who either learned from
their predecessors or gained the knowledge by "trial and error." The chapter will
explore the elements of the molding process at the most basic level in the
hope that it will contribute to the productivity and job satisfaction of those injection molding
machine personnel. The residual benefit to the managers and owners of
molding operations....improved profitability.
Welcome to Plastic Injection
Technology course
• Code : BMM 4843

• Assessment Method;

• Quiz / Assignment : 15 %
• Test 1 : 25 %
• Project (Group) : 20 %
• Final Examination : 40 %
The Course Main Sections
• Section 1 (3-4 weeks)
• Injection Molding and Plastic

• Section 2 (2-3 weeks)

• Injection Molding and Metal

• Section 3 (7 weeks)
• Software and Mold Fabrication and
Processes

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 INTRODUCTION

• The injection molding machine itself consists of the clamp unit, the
injection unit, the control unit and a hopper.

• As we will learn later, the hopper can be modified to include a loader,

dryer and in some cases, an additive feeder.
Hopper

Injection Unit
Clamp Unit Figure1.1
Schematic of an
injection molding
Control Unit machine
• The diagram shows the clamp unit closed without a mold.
• The injection unit heats, melts, pumps and injects the plastic into the
mold when the mold is "closed.“
• The control unit monitors and, controls the functioning of the injection
unit and the clamp unit.
• The mold is mounted within the clamp unit and this unit opens the
mold to allow plastic parts to be ejected and holds the mold closed
when melted plastic is being injected.
• The mold consists of two halves, the core half (or male part shape)
and the cavity half (or female part shape).
• The core is made to be a little smaller than the cavity into which it fits,
the area between the core and the cavity represents the part.
• This area is filled with melted plastic, then cooled and ejected from
the mold to become the plastic part, as illustrated in Figure 1.2.

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 Cavity Half

Part

Core Half

Figure 1.2 Illustrative drawing of an injection mold

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• In order to solidify the plastic part in the mold so that it can be
removed (ejected), it is usually necessary to cool the mold.
• The cooling is accomplished by circulating cool water through cooling
channels that are machined into the mold itself.
• The water is cooled by a chiller, which can either be a free standing
unit nearby the machine or by a part of a temperature controller (TC)
system.
• TC may take the form of chillers, or in other cases, heating units (for
thermosets), heat exchangers, and various types of water and oil
temperature controlling devices.

Figure 1.3 Example of mold

temperature controller
• The molder's raw material, plastic, is usually purchased in pellet form.
Each pellet is about the size of a small kitchen match head or 3mm in
diameter.
• Plastic is typically purchased from the manufacturer or a distributor
and is delivered in 25kg bags, in drums (about or 100kg), or about
450kg big boxes.
• Many types of plastic are available to use in the production of plastic
products. Each type offers different mechanical properties in the
molded form.

Figure 1.4 Various plastic

raw materials
• All plastics do not melt in the same way nor at the same temperature,
thus further complicating the molding process.

Figure 1.5 Melt-temperature

ranges and decomposition in
the molten state of some
thermoplastic resins.
• Moving the plastic from its storage to the machine is the function of
the loader.
• A loader may be as simple as a vacuum powered unit with hoses that
pull pellets from a storage box and deposit them in the hopper.
• This unit is called a hopper loader and sits beside the machine with
hoses that can access storage box that are nearby.

Figure 1.6 Vacuum loader.

• Unfortunately, most plastics are hygroscopic (meaning the plastics
are able to absorb and retain moisture).
• If the moisture is not removed to a certain level, the plastic parts
produced will contain cosmetic or structural defects and the injection
unit components may suffer corrosive wear.
• As a result, many plastics are processed through a dryer.
• There are several types of dryers available today, but all involve the
circulation of either hot air or dehumidified hot air through the pellets
before they are allowed to enter the injection unit.
• Some dryers are quite small and fit on top of the machine as a part of
the hopper assembly and others are large enough to dry the plastic
that might feed several machines.
Figure 1.7 Hopper dryer.
• After the plastic parts are ejected from the mold, they may be
dropped onto a conveyor (or removed by robot) for further
transporting to an inspection or packaging area.
• Conveyors come in all sizes and shapes and help automate the parts
movement throughout the plant.
• In addition to conveying parts, they may also convey runner systems
and parts that have defects to a grinder.

Figure 1.8 Conveyor for

the large cap PET bottles.
• The grinder is used to grind up the runners and defective parts into a
form (typically flake-like pieces slightly larger in size than pellets) that
can be mixed with new pellets in quantities up to 50% (or more) for
remelting again into plastic parts.
• The ground-up material is referred to as regrind.

Figure 1.9 Plastic Shredder

Grinder and Crusher Machine for
Waste Plastic Materials
 IM Elements Summary
Element Function
Plastic Raw material used to mold parts
Loader Transports plastic from storage to machine hopper
Dryer Removes moisture from plastic before entering the injection
unit
Additives Colorants, lubricants or other ingredients added to the
plastic pellets
Additive Adds specified quantity of additive (colorant or other
Feeder additive) to the plastic being fed to injection unit
Injection Part of the IM that heats, melts, and injects the plastic into
Unit the mold
Clamp Part of the IMM that contains the mold and holds it closed
Unit during injection and open it when the parts are ejected.
Control Part of the IMM that controls all elements of the molding
Unit process.
 IM Elements Summary
Element Function
Mold A combination of rectangular tool steel plates that form
and support the cavities and cores and allow the
injection of melted plastic into the cavities
Chiller A type of refrigeration unit that cools the water that
circulates through the mold to speed the solidification of
the plastic part
Conveyor Transports finished plastic parts to areas for other
operations or packaging and conveys the runners to a
point where they may enter a grinder for recycling
Grinder Grinds runners and defective parts into a regrind that
may be added to virgin material and recycled
Robots Used to pick parts out of the mold or perform other
automated movement functions