Basic knowledge of injection mold design

Injection Molding is a common process for the manufacturing of products out of thermoplastic and thermosetting materials. It consists of pouring molten materials into molds. The materials cool off and maintain a given pour expose to them. The ultimate product results from the incorporation of the injection mold in terms of parts, productivity, cost, shape as well as quality of the part. So, today we make easier the understanding of injection mold design and its ins and outs.

Basic parts of a Mold

Generally, an injection mold has several parts including:

Cores and Cavities: These are the primary features of the mold and transform into the shape of the product you want to create. However, the core and cavity differ within itself as male and female components.

Sprue: An important aspect of the process, the Sprue works as an entry for the molten plastic.

Runner System: Molten plastics are transferred from the sprue to the gate through the runners system.

Gate: In order to let the molten plastic in, an opening also known as the gate is used and attached to the cavity.

Ejector Pins: As the molten plastic temperature reduces and solidify, injectors reshape the part by pushing it out of the mold.

Design Considerations

There are specific aspects that need to be included in an injection mold design in order to achieve the best results

Geometry of the Part: This also has an impact on the complexity of the design because, for example, if the component has sharp corners or undercuts then that aspect will make the mold design more complicated.

Inclusion of Draft Angle: In order to easily remove the component from the mold without damaging it, a slight draft angle is added to the vertical walls of the part.

Thickness of the Walls: In order to ensure that there is no warping of the part and that it cools down evenly, uniform wall thickness has to be maintained.

Plastic Material Chosen: If a different type of plastic material is chosen than the one that was specified, it can reduce the flow rate and increase the shrinkage rate which affects the mold design.

Placement of Channels for Cooling: Channels for cooling must be designed and incorporated within the mold as they help in enhancing the quality of the molded parts and in controlling the cycle times.

Mold Making

Mold making is a process that necessitates the employment of specific types of talents or skillsets and specialized pieces of equipment. JSJM Technology employs precision manufacturing equipment to undertake a wide variety of functions including but not limited to product design, mold design , mold manufacturing and injection molding services.

Injection Molding Process

The process of injection molding can be divided into three stages for ease of convenience. These are:

Clamping: This step involves the secure placement of the two halves of the mold together in a clamp.

Injection: In this step, the liquid form of plastic is injected into the hollow space of the mold while under pressure.

Cooling: Once the plastic is injected into the mold, it is allowed to cool down and convert back into a solid state.

Ejection: The last step that is performed involves ejecting the finished part from the mold.

Trimming: The other stage that is performed further is the trimming of the excess plastics resulting from the runner system Ejection molding process.

For the plastic components to be of quality standard it is important to understand the basic principles of injection mold engineering and design. This is because they consider the geometry of the part, draft angle, the thickness of the wall, the materials to be used in making the molds and even the cooling channels to be put in place and so on. It is possible to work with experienced mold manufacturers like JSJM Technology to ensure that your design specifications are met. Because we have extensive experience in designing and producing custom injection molded parts, plastic molds, metal components, and precision connectors, we are well-positioned to assist individuals through all stages from initial design to final production.