How to Select a Suitable Mold Steel for the Injection Moulds

How to Select a Suitable Mold Steel for the Injection Moulds

Different mold steel has different performance, so different injection moulds use different steel. The question is how to select the suitable steel for the injection moulds?

Mold steel is divided into cold die steel , hot die steel, and plastic mold steel, be used to forging, punching, cutting, die-casting, etc.

For some import pre-harden mold steel, such like DIN1.2311, DIN1.2738, NAK80. The steel factory hardness can reach HRC32-40. They have high polish performance, deformation resistance, and pressure resistance. They widely used to table mould, large box mould, auto part mould, etc.

Domestic pre-harden steel, SC45#, SC50#, SC60#, P20, 718, P20H, 718H. The factory hardness is HRC32-37. They can be use directly, and also can be make harden treatment if there has more hardness requirement. Such like nitridation, heat treatment.

However, there are some mold steel that don’t have any hardness when the injection moulds maker got it. Import steel, DIN1.2344, DIN1.2316, H13, S136, S420, and mold steel made in China, 2316, S136, H13, 3Cr13, 4 Cr13, etc, they all need to quenching or nitriding to reach the necessary hardness after rough machining. The steels are stainless, suitable for rubber injection moulds that needs corrosion resistance.

According to our mould manufacturing experience, most packaging mould, such like preform mould, cap mould, thin wall container mold, syringe molds, cutlery mold, PVC mold, etc. They                                                                       are normally made by high quality mould steel, S136, DIN1.2316. The similar feature of this mould is that they all have high output requirement, and stainless steel. These steel can guarantee a longer mould life than other general steel.

DIN1.2738, 718H, H13 is widely use for home appliance mold, commodity mold, auto part mold. For example, battery box mold, helmet mold, bucket plastic molds, thick container mold, etc.

For some large plastic mold, such like industry use bin mould, pallet mold, panel mold, multi crate mold, table mold, chair mould, bumper mould, etc. Because the most mould cost is on the steel, so customers will select P20 for the mould core and cavity. Besides, they easy machining than harder steel.

SC 45# is normally use for injection moulds base. Sometimes, it also use for some large mould core and cavity when customer doesn’t has longer mould lifer requirement.

When you are select the mold steel for your injection moulds, we kindly suggest you that, it is not the harder the better, or the expensive the better. You need to select a suitable mold steel for the injection moulds.

PC Injection Molding

PC Injection Molding

Polycarbonate (PC) as the only five engineering transparent plastic products, production at home and abroad is growing rapidly, in 2000 the global production capacity is about 1.85 million tons, 2001 tons, 2002 tons, 2003 tons, is expected in 2004 will increase to 2.9 million tons, 2005 tons, with an average annual growth rate of about 12%.

PC injection molding

PC injection molding

PC plastic molding
Our country PC capacity for many years has been small, only three companies to maintain production, capacity of less than 5000 tons/a, the annual output 2000 tons, with China’s PC demand rapid growth, at present our country a PC joint venture cooperation construction unit upsurge, bayer company and Shanghai huayi group chlor-alkali chemical company in Shanghai chemical industry park construction 200000 tons/aPC device, is expected to a period of 50000 t/a device will be in production by the end of 2004, finished at the beginning of 2006, the second phase project of 100000 tons/a, in view of our country PC huge market demand, will eventually make the PC unit capacity to 200000 t/a, plant production is mainly in optical products, used in the production of CD, DVD, car lighting system, etc.

Japanese emperor people chemical is zhejiang jiaxing construction 50000 tons/aPC device, is expected to put into production in April 2005, the main raw material bisphenol A by mitsui chemical supplies, chlorine and caustic soda were from A local enterprise, carbon monoxide their production, products for general level products, mainly supply electrical components, auto parts production, plan in 2006 will add A 50000 t/A production device; At the same time the company in Shanghai gaoqiao free trade zone construction owned 18000 tons/aPC, ABS injection molding complex device, at present has gone into operation and plan in the first half of 2005 new 20000 tons/a second line. Japan mitsubishi gas in sichuan chemical company intends to build 100000 tons/aPC device, is expected to put into production in 2007.

ABS injection moulding

ABS injection moulding

Plastic Molds for PC palstic parts
In addition, the domestic and some enterprises and foreign cooperation or use of the technical construction scale PC production device, so the next few years China will enter a new stage of PC production in 2006, domestic production capacity will be increased to around 250000 tons/a, 2010 will reach 50-600000 tons/a. According to China’s PC huge potential market, foreign famous PC company not only in our cooperation construction production device, but also in China, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and other countries and regions construction scale device, relatively more device investment is aiming at the market.

PC production technology progress main development trend is to develop the phosgene synthesis process to replace at present the main synthesis process interfacial polycondensation phosgene method, GE plastics and bayer company are developing their non phosgene method production technology and to the industrialized production, in addition xu/chi mei, mitsubishi chemical/mitsubishi gas, emperor people company, LG chemical company are developed non phosgene technology, are building or planning to build the phosgene method PC device, the phosgene method route will become the future PC of the main production line.

Market analysis for PC injection moulding 

In the 1990 s in China since the end of the PC demand from originally of textile industry with sand tube steering electronics/electrical, CD, construction, automobile industry and other fields, demand has increased dramatically. In 1999 the domestic consumption of about 140000 tons, and in 2003 increased consumption of 380000 tons, with an average annual growth of about 28%, far higher than the average growth of the national economy and other general engineering plastics growth. Due to the domestic production minimum, our country use PC mainly imported from abroad. In 1999-2003 in China PC net imports respectively for 138000 tons, 235000 tons, 212000 tons, 342000 tons, 381000 tons, and it does not include a number of smuggled in PC, also did not consider import finished product and leftover material, so the actual domestic import and consumption data than the customs statistics to be much higher, the domestic and foreign PC world agree that our country market potential is tremendous its relative stability.

Injection mold China

In 1999-2003 in China PC market fast growth was mainly to electrical and electronic products, hollow sunshine board, CD and DVD and non one-time drinking water and food container demand, at present, China’s PC consumption structure roughly as follows: electronic electrical and computer accessories accounted for about 42%; Hollow sunshine plate accounted for about 26.3%; CD and DVD about 13.1%; Drinking water and food containers accounted for about 10.5%; Composite materials and automobile industries accounted for about 9.1%. In the next few years our country original main consumption field will continue to maintain high growth momentum, computer and household appliances sustained growth, this in the future to a PC at an average rate of about 10% – 12%; Railway, highway, airport and urban construction, the hollow sunshine plate demand remains strong, and in recent years the domestic Yangtze river and the pearl river delta area using PC processing to produce the plank enterprise economic benefits than many polymer resin production enterprise good many, is expected to hollow sunshine board for future PC demand with an average annual growth rate of 12-15%; At present our country become the world’s second big CD consumer, before all of it relies on import CD grade PC production, with bayer Shanghai CD grade PC and put into production, the next few years for the PC CD demand will still remain more than 20% high speed growth; Experts predict the future domestic PC the fastest growth in demand will be in PC as the backing material polyolefin-g-mah/kind of composite material, the automobile industry will be the main pulling power. The expected future years our country PC demand with an average annual growth rate will be 15% – 20% between, 2006 domestic PC market demand will reach 55-650000 tons/a. Domestic production is still unable to meet the domestic market demand, will from neighboring countries such as Japan, South Korea, Thailand import a large number of products in the domestic market supply.

PC/ABS injection molding  mainly used in automobile industry

Application progress

At present the global PC application has to high functionalization, specialty direction development, in view of our country PC production capacity and market demand are presents the fast development situation, especially, the domestic many sets of large-scale device of construction, with the rapid development of automobile industry pulling, the next few years PC industry in our country has entered a new stage of development, the most key is to accelerate the PC application research.

First of all domestic production enterprises should make full use of domestic production capacity increase and in plastic modified and plastic alloy accumulated experience, to speed up the PC alloy composite material development, production and application, of which the most important is:

PC/ABS alloy, PC and ABS blend can comprehensive PC and ABS fine performance, on the one hand, can improve the ABS heat resistance, impact resistance and tensile strength, on the other hand, it can reduce the cost of PC and melt viscosity, improve the processing performance and reduce products internal stress and impact strength of the sensitivity of the product thickness. At present PC/ABS alloy development is rapid, the global output of about 850000 tons/a or so, China’s demand is about 200000 tons/a or so. The world each big companies to develop out of PC/ABS alloy new varieties, such as flame retardant, glass fiber reinforced, electroplating, such as ultraviolet radiation resistant varieties, mainly for the automobile industry, computer, photocopiers and to electrical and electronic components, etc. The domestic research and production company has Shanghai jie things jie company, Chinese academy of sciences, lanzhou university (htma changchun application etc.

PBT injection molding
PC/PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) alloy, PBT and PC blend system alloy material can improve the PC liquidity and improve the processing performance and resistance to chemical resistance. Japanese researchers use PC and PBT ester exchange in the presence of catalyst, system PC/PBT blend, comprehensive performance is good, and has a good transparency; With the PC refractive index similar glass fiber reinforced PC/PBT, not only system comprehensive excellent performance, but also has the very good transparency, and can do glass instead of material. At present foreign PC/PBT alloy products are mainly used for automobile bumper, packaging film materials, auto base and seat, etc. The domestic research has just started.

In addition PC/PS (polystyrene) alloy, PC/PET (polyethylene terephthalate) alloy, liquid crystal polyester modified PC, PET/PCL (by ethylene glycol, low molecular weight polycaprolactone and terephthalic acid copolymerization a multi-block copolyester) and PC blend modification, poly (1, 4 – cyclohexane two formic acid – 1, 4 – cyclohexane two methanol) ester modified PC is worth attention and research and development.

Secondly it should keep up with the international development trend, together with PC alloy material research advances, PC application range is expanding constantly, to speed up the PC consumption field development.

Wide wave transmission of optical devices,

PC sheet especially suitable for making lens, in the PC molecular chain introducing silica group, can improve the hardness and scratch resistance. PC as high refractive index plastic, used to make resistance to high temperature optical fiber core material, if in the PC molecular chain of C – H chain for C – F chain replaced, can reduce the absorption of visible light, can effectively reduce the transmission way signal loss. Another PC good pervious to light quality, in a transparent window material, high-rise building curtain wall, airport and sports venues transparent building materials applied very common and has potential, the future is focused on the improvement of the surface hardness and antistatic property. |

Flame retardant environmental communication appliances, we should focus on developing of flame retardant PC used for communication electrical field, so no pollution flame retardant PC material become development key, bromide flame retardants due to the toxicity in reducing use and environmental protection halogen free flame retardant agent can significantly reduce the PC thermal deformation temperature and impact strength, therefore more suitable is organic silicon flame retardants. In addition with communication electrical light miniaturization of PC material put forward higher requirements, the PC/ABS alloy is especially appropriate in communication appliances and aerospace industry application.

plastic molding

PC injection molding

Surface metallization of auto parts, PC surface metallization has good metal gloss and high strength, which are widely used in all kinds of auto parts, but plating process will reduce its impact toughness, and therefore the elastomer and PC for common mixing modification, contains elastomer distracted induced cracking stress, although the plating will not reduce the impact toughness, and therefore plating stage PC resin are development prospects. Another surface metallization PC can also as electromagnetic wave shielding material, the application of the computer.

Low residual harmful food container, industrial synthetic PC is bisphenol A type, because when synthetic trace unreacted monomer bisphenol A residue in the resin, in as drinking water and food containers, easy to be dissolve out so as to influence people in healthy body, therefore to develop health level PC resin, used as A water bucket and other food container production and use, as A water bucket and other food packaging materials and containers PC in the domestic application prospect is very good.

Anti cracking embrittlement of medical devices, PC has many excellent properties, at present has been used medical instrument, because of its resistance to chemical character is poorer, in the presence of chemical easy cause internal stress cracking, such as PC in artificial dialyser, artificial lung medical equipment application to solve high temperature disinfection lead to crack aging phenomenon, if overcome these disadvantages, PC in medical instrument can be applied in rapid expansion.

Food packaging materials and containers PC in the domestic application has a good prospect

Concluding remarks

At present our country PC industrial production, consumption and application into a rapid deplastic injection mouldvelopment in the new period, in view of the present situation in our country in addition to speed up the PC application study outABside, but also speed up the localization technology industrialization process, after many years of hard work our country – ester exchange method PC production technology mature, become very promising green production process, the domestic should collaborative promote industrialization process.

In addition the domestic production enterprises should avoid blind construction of introduction and PC device, can avoid competition hot, speeds up the PC materials such as bisphenol A and other production, future domestic bisphenol A great gap, from another point of promoting China’s PC industry development, but also effective to avoid market risks. At present the domestic technology level compared with foreign there is still a large gap, the existing small and medium-sized production device should speed up the technology introduction, digestion, absorption edge production side, and constantly bigger and stronger, and at the same time supporting production some PC composite material, set up the sales network, forming characteristic PC processing application enterprise.

There are many type of plastic material which can be molded by plastic molds and plastic molding process, if you want to know the best solutions for your project you can ask https://www.plasticmold.net/, they will offer you the best plastic mold and plastic molding process for your project.

Over Molding

Overmolding and over molding

Over-mold injection molding , th eprocess is the same as insert molding, where an existing component is loaded into a mold and plastic is molded around it to create a multi-material single part. Insert-molding is most synonymous with combining metal components with plastic in such products as electrical pin connectors. When the term over-molding is used, the metal component is simply replaced with a previously molded plastic part. Single-shot injection molding machines are used to produce both the plastic component and the over-molded plastic. Tooling for injection over-mold injection molding requires two molds; one for the plastic component and one for the over-mold. Over-mold injection molding requires labor to handle the plastic component and load it into the second mold. Over-molding is generally reserved for higher priced parts that can absorb higher machine time and labor costs.

If you are planning to go into a plastic molding business, you should first know the different processes. Choose from a plastic molding process that fits your budget, your expertise, and your resources. In Injection Molding, melted plastic is forced into a mold cavity. Once cooled, the mold can be removed. This plastic molding process is commonly used in mass-production or prototyping of a product. Injection molding machines were made in the 1930’s. This can be used to mass produce toys, kitchen utensils, bottle caps, and cell phone stands to name a few. Plastic molding is a very technical process. It needs experts in this type of manufacturing business for it to be competitive in the market. Therefore, a very scientific and systematic study should be first made before going into this endeavor.

plastic molding | Plastic injection mold

Injection molding is an effective way to make custom parts. Granules of plastic are melted down and then injected into a metal mold; there the molten plastic hardens into a designated shape. Then you open the mold and a new part is removed, inspected and is ready to go. Injection molding is an incredibly versatile form of molding plastics. As with everything, injection molding has its ups and down so it is important that the ends justify the means for your project needs. There are three main components in the injection molding process. The injection apparatus itself which melts and then transmits the plastic, the mold, which is custom designed, and clamping to provide controlled pressure.

Thermoplastic injection molding is molding the most widely used of all plastic processing methods. The injection molding machine reduces pelletized raw material and colorants into a hot liquid. This “melt” is forced into a cooled mold under tremendous pressure. After the material solidifies, the mold is unclamped and a finished part is ejected. Injection molding offers the lowest piece prices available, but tooling prices are generally the highest. Thermoset injection molding is similar to thermoplastic injection molding except that uncured thermoset resins are mixed, injected, and held in the mold until cured. As with thermoplastic molding, the price per piece can be low, but the tooling prices are generally very high.

Purchasing the box, some assorted socket rails, and some additional clips for the socket rails, I took the box home with me to see how well it would stand up as a replacement. The box is quite simple in construction. It’s a plastic injection molded case made of a very thick plastic. The case consists of a flip open lid (with two latches that are padlock compatible) covering a deep top storage area, and three drawers that are very similar to the large rolling tool chests that many professionals and advanced amateur home mechanics have in their garages. When you flip the lid open, the lid will immediately release the latching mechanism for the three drawers. Unfortunately, the lid does not contain any hinges or tethering that prevent it from flopping open and hitting itself on the back of the tool box. This was my only gripe involving the tool box.

Do you want to know more information about overmolding and insert molding? If so please go to our double injection molding site by https://www.plasticmold.net/double-injection-molding/, there are more information for you.

Electrical Discharge Machining And Mold Making

   The use of electrical discharge machining is so essential that it is almost impossible to imagine a modern shop without an EDM machine. Many of today’s products simply could not be produced without it. Think of all the cell phones, calculators, IPods, cameras, medical devices and the endless amounts of high tech equipment that are made out of plastic!

Besides the essential role it plays in plastic injection mold making, EDM is used for the precision machining of medical parts, aerospace parts, and other highly specialized products. Electrical discharge machining, including Wire EDM, has also completely changed the way molds are made, as well as other specialized parts.

This is your information source for the EDM die sinker

Graphite CopperEDM ToolingEDM Oil
EDM FiltersSpecialty ElectrodesCarbide EDMingSurface Finishes

Check out the pages dealing with graphite, graphite dust, copper, dielectric fluid, electrode holders, and machinery.

Plastic injection mold

Plastic injection mold

What about jobs in EDM?

Find out what kind of personality it takes to have electrical discharge machining as a career job. See what the future holds in this high-tech profession.

You can also find educational material that attempts to explain this rather mysterious process. Not so long ago, it was as much black art as science. Today, however, much of the mystery is removed due to CNC controls.

Most shops send their operators to classes put on by the manufacturer of their EDM machine. It is foolish to invest so much money in a machine and skimp on the training! But it happens all the time.

What about EDM and stress?

EDM is quite a stressful occupation, to put it mildly. It may not appear difficult, but the stress levels can be exhausting. Nearly every mold component that is EDM’d is in the final stages of manufacturing. The slightest mistake can become very costly, very quickly.

There is nothing quite like the feeling of coming to work in the morning and seeing your supervisor leaning over the EDM machine staring at your workpiece. Then you find out that you had mixed up two locations and the completely finished cavity block is now completely useless!

Go to mold wiki to know more about mold

Injection Molding Process

Process of Injection Molding

The process of injection molding process is best explained as heating up a type of plastic and under a forced type or pressure is poured into a predesigned mold, after the hot liquid is poured into the mold the mold is clamped shut to prevent any air from getting in. After the initial work is done, the mold hardens and takes the shape of the mold.

Then the next step in the process is when the resin (hard plastic) which is now in the shape of a small pellets are poured into the feed hopper, the hopper is a large open bottomed contained and what it does is that is filters the pellets into the screw.

As the screws turn the resin pellets are moved into the screw and then they go through a very intense pressure. Then friction is created and when that happens heat is generated to melt the pellets. There are heaters on both sides of the screws and there is temperature control during the melting process.

The oil gets pumped from the tank to the injection molded parts that run along the tie bar equipment, then that’s when the liquid plastic gets injected into the mold. Then the water-cooling technique is applied in assist in cooling off the mold. The process is complete when the mold is pulled from the pre-designed mold.

Used Injection Molding Machines

Used Injection Molding Machines

There are constantly new techniques and new technology in the industrial world of injection molding. New machines, new plastics, new equipment. There are some companies that keep up with other companies by buying a lot of expensive equipment the second it comes out.

But these are the companies that cost so much because they have to charge more to pay for the price of the new equipment they just bought. But then you have the companies that like to keep using used machinery because they are just as good as new and as the old saying goes if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. Not every company wants to be the fancy company with all new machines.

Some companies want to just be known as the company that did my job in the most outstanding way. They want the recognition for a job well done rather than for the company who spend a lot of money on a piece of new machinery.

Companies that keep using used machinery don’t have to increase their prices and customers like to see that and they will keep coming back to the company that does great work for a great price.

How Injection Molding Works

How Injection Molding Works

In this post I’m going to explain how injection molding works. Creating polymers is an amazing process. Then there is the question of forming the plastic or rubber into useful objects….another fantastic discipline. One of the most common methods of forming rubber or plastic resins is a process called injection molding. Injection molding is made possible by large machines called injection molding machines.

Material, either rubber or plastic resin is fed to the machine. This can be in the form of a hopper for plastic pellets or an auger for thicker, heavier compounds. Colorants are usually fed to the machine directly after the hopper. The resins enter the injection barrel by gravity though the feed throat. Upon introduction into the barrel, the resin is heated to the appropriate temperature to make it melt.

This now viscous material is injected into the mold by a reciprocating screw or a ram injector. A reciprocating screw provides the advantage of being able to inject a smaller percentage of the total shot1. The ram injector on the other hand, must typically inject at least 20% of the total shot. A screw injector can inject as little as 5% of the total shot. Many factors also come into play such as the type of mold, how the material is injected, etc., effect the shot.

The Plastic mold is a cavity in the machine that receives the material and shapes it accordingly. In order to make the injected material solidify, the mold is cooled constantly to a temperature which makes the solidification possible. The mold plates are forced together, usually by hydraulic force. The clamping force is defined as the injection pressure multiplied by the total cavity projected area. Molds are typically over-designed with regard to the pressures they must endure depending on the material to be cast. In addition, each injectionable material has a calculated shrinkage value associated with that has to be accounted for as well.

Some Typical Complications

Burned or Scorched Parts: Melt temperature may be too high. Polymer may be becoming trapped and degrading in the injection nozzle. Cycle time may be too long allowing the resin to overheat.

Warpage of Parts: Uneven surface temperature of the molds. Non-uniform wall thickness of mold design.

Surface Imperfections: Melt temperature may be too high causing resin decomposition and gas evolution (bubbles). Excessive moisture in the resin. Low pressure causing incomplete filling of mold.

Incomplete Cavity Filling: Injection stroke may be too small for mold (ie. not enough resin is being injected). Injection speed may be too slow causing freezing before mold is filled.

Injection Molding Materials

Injection Molding Materials

Plastics are used as molted liquid to form the main ingredient in injection molding; the plastics that are used are polymerization, which basically means molecules that have had a chemical reaction and the properties change as a result. Plastics were first on the rise after World War I including new types of plastics called PVC and PS.

PS or polystyrene is a brittle but tough type of cheap plastic that is used to make airplane and car model kits and other little toys like that. They are used in plastic molding because the plastic can break down easily.

PVC has a great and respected reputation as a strong and sturdy plastic; you can do many things with it because of the strength of the material. PVC is used on fencing, pipes and pipe covering. PVC is molded and used in injection molding because when it solidifies it becomes a durable solid materials.

One of the best materials used in molding is nylon. Nylon is also called polyamide. This is the strongest and most flexible material you will ever find. Dupont began manufacturing nylon based products in 1939 and have a great and powerful fiber ever since. Injection molding is only as good as it’s materials.

So these are the materials used in injection molding. want to know more information about injection molding process? Go to https://www.hao-mold.com/

Contract Injection Molding

Contract Injection Molding

When you are looking for a company to do a terrific job handling your custom injection molding contract. You want to make sure that they can cover your needs. If at all possible, tour the facility of where you are interested in having your work done. But you want to make sure their facility can handle the load.

You want a company that handles both a large and small volume of work. Some companies only will do a certain amount of work therefore they turn down small amount jobs. You want them to provide samples, you want to be able to see what kind of job they will do for you before you contract a huge order and do not like the work.

You want full production abilities, process optimization, and Insert molding and over molding, PPac capabilities. You also want packaging and domestic and international shipping capabilities. The company that you contract for your work, you want to handle the type of job you have for the price that you want.

That is why it is important to tour the facility to see first hand how the company will handle your job load. You want a guarantee that the job you give them will be nothing less than spectacular. This is what contract Plastic molding is all about.

Injection Molding Machines

Injection Molding Machines

One type of injection molding machine is the Milacron LIM, Liquid Injection Molding; there are many benefits in having this machine over the traditional LIM. This machine has its own controls and especially made soft ware for this product only. It has a low pressure set up for injection setup and it has a closed loop control.

Unlike the traditional LIM this machine has an increased power ejector force, so it can inject the mold quicker. It has a standard injection screw, a cooling plate on both sides, eight new pneumatic valves, and two heat zones on each paten, a 3-stage air ejector. The improvements from the standard LIM also include a revised rear seal on the injector screw and also a revised seal that is on the nozzle.

These machines have a thermo set process that uses a silicone rubber material that is used to be injected into the heat plastic molds. The best part about these Milacron machines is that no other machine can use their software is designed just for their machines and no one else’s. The Milacron also has a complete design line of Fluid Auto meter mixers.

Milacron is one of the best in the business of injection molding and if your company needs to replace a machine, consider this one, it is one of the best.