Injection Molding

Overview

This seminar provides comprehensive information about the injection molding process, and covers both the underlying engineering principles as well as their application in the molding environment. Classroom lectures cover the basics of the injection molding process and provide practical analyses that yield results and can be applied in the molding shop.

Injection molding workshops supplement the class material to provide experience with actual machine operation and practical molding techniques. Machine start-up, operation and shutdown procedures are demonstrated. Molding trials that show the relationships between processing variables and part quality are conducted.

Workshop emphasis is on practical setup procedures that optimize molding cycle and product requirements. Troubleshooting techniques and solutions to practical molding problems are also addressed.

Audience

This course is appropriate for sales managers, account managers, sales and applications engineers, new product development specialists, product marketing professionals, product designers and engineers, industrial designers and industrial engineers, mechanical engineers, materials purchasing managers, manufacturing personnel and technicians, plant managers, production supervisors, quality assurance and quality control personnel, and anyone involved in plastic part or mold procurement.

Content

Overview of the Injection Molding Process

• Molding behavior of thermoplastics; molding functions - plastication & injection, forming & solidification; machine & mold operations, machine sequence; process sequence & variables - plastication, injection, packing & holding, cooling

Plastics Materials and Their Molding Requirements

• Molecular structure - polymer types, amorphous vs. crystalline; thermal characteristics - transitions & energy requirements; flow characteristics - non-Newtonian effects

Plastic Melting, Filling, Holding and Cooling

• Processing mechanisms - feeding, melting & mixing; screw problems & solutions; special screw options: mixing, multi-stage
• Isothermal cavity filling - filling modes - filling problems; thermal effects - flow length, orientation, stresses; runner & gate flows, flow balancing; pressure requirements - pressure traces; packing/holding & cooling-heat transfer effects; pvT applications

Elements of Injection Molds

• Mold types & configurations: 2-plate, 3-plate, stack, etc.; ejection systems; cooling systems; thermal systems/hot runners

Injection Molding Machinery

• Injection units - variants & options; clamp systems - toggle, hydraulic, hydromechanical; hydraulic/electrical systems, energy saving features; specialized machines: multicomponent, coinjection, gas-assist, etc.

Process Setup and Troubleshooting

• Scientific and decoupled molding concepts; troubleshooting; cycle time minimization and yield

Process Monitoring & Control

• Machine and mold sensors; proportional & servo valves; closed-loop control; velocity and temperature profiling; statistical process monitoring

Workshops

Enrollment Limit