Plastics: Siddhartha Veliganti/ Baba Sharat Chandra L
Plastics: Siddhartha Veliganti/ Baba Sharat Chandra L
Plastics: Siddhartha Veliganti/ Baba Sharat Chandra L
1. Thermoplastics :
The se plastic s so fte n whe n he ate d and harde n whe n c o o le d – pro c e sse s that
are to tally re ve rsible and m ay be re pe ate d. The se m ate rials are no rm ally
fabric ate d by the sim ultane o us applic atio n o f he at and pre ssure .
The rm o plastic m ate rials c o nsist o f individual m o le c ule s, pro pe rtie s o f
the rm o plastic s are large ly influe nc e d by m o le c ular we ight. Fo r instanc e ,
inc re asing the m o le c ular we ight o f a the rm o plastic m ate rial inc re ase s its
te nsile stre ngth, im pac t stre ngth, and fatigue stre ngth
Co m m o n the rm o plasts are : Ac rylic s, PVC, nylo ns, po lypro pyle ne , po lystyre ne ,
e tc .
Epo xie s, vulc anize d rubbe rs, phe no lic s, unsaturate d po lye ste r re sins, and
am ino re sins (ure a's and m e lam ine 's) are e xam ple s o f the rm o se ts.
Wate rpro o f
Lo w We ight
The rm al Insulatio n
Lo w stre ngth
Po o r m ac hine ability
Po lystyre ne
Charac te ristic s:
» O utstanding stre ngth and to ughne ss,
» Go o d e le c tric al pro pe rtie s and re sistanc e to he at disto rtio n
» Flam m able and so luble in so m e o rganic so lve nts.
Ac rylic is a use ful, c le ar plastic that re se m ble s glass, but has pro pe rtie s that m ake it
supe rio r to glass in m any ways. Co m m o n brands o f high- grade ac rylic inc lude Po lyc ast,
Luc ite and Ple xi glass
Charac te ristic s:
» O utstanding light transm issio n and re sistanc e to we athe ring
» O nly fair m e c hanic al pro pe rtie s.
Characteristics:
» Che m ic ally ine rt in alm o st all e nviro nm e nts, e xc e lle nt e le c tric al
pro pe rtie s.
» Lo w c o e ffic ie nt o f fric tio n
» Re lative ly we ak and po o r c o ld- flo w pro pe rtie s.
Characteristics:
» Go o d m e c hanic al stre ngth, abrasio n re sistanc e , and to ughne ss.
» Lo w c o e ffic ie nt o f fric tio n
» Abso rbs wate r and so m e o the r liquids.
Characteristics:
» Dim e nsio nally stable
» Lo w wate r abso rptio n and Transpare nt
» Ve ry go o d im pac t re sistanc e and duc tility
Characteristics:
» Che m ic ally re sistant and e le c tric ally insulating
» To ugh and re lative ly lo w c o e ffic ie nt o f fric tio n
» Lo w stre ngth and po o r re sistanc e to we athe ring.
Characteristics:
» Re sistant to he at disto rtio n
» Exc e lle nt e le c tric al pro pe rtie s and fatigue
stre ngth
» Che m ic ally ine rt, re lative ly ine xpe nsive
» Po o r re sistanc e to UV light.
Po lystyre ne :
Characteristics:
» Exc e lle nt e le c tric al pro pe rtie s and o ptic al c larity
» Go o d the rm al and dim e nsio nal stability
» Re lative ly ine xpe nsive
Polyester is not just a textile. It is made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the same
material used to make plastic drink bottles. Many drink bottles are recycled by being
reheated and turned into polyester fibers, which in addition to being an efficient use, also
helps keep polymers out of landfills.
Characteristics:
» One o f the to ughe st o f plastic film s
» Exc e lle nt fatigue and te ar stre ngth, and re sistanc e
to hum idity ac ids, gre ase s, o ils and so lve nts
Polyvinyl chloride is produced from its monomer, vinyl chloride. PVC is a hard plastic that
is made softer and more flexible by the addition of phthalates. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a
flexible or rigid material that is chemically non reactive.
Characteristics:
» Co m patibility with m any diffe re nt kinds o f additive s,
m aking it a highly ve rsatile po lym e r
» PVC is intrinsic ally fire re tardant
» Exc e lle nt e le c tric al insulatio n pro pe rtie s
» Go o d we athe r re sistanc e
Characteristics:
» Abrasio n re sistant
» O il and so lve nt re sistant, Lo ad be aring c apac ity
» Te ar & We athe r re sistant
» High fle x- life
Epo xie s:
Characteristics:
» Exc e lle nt c o m binatio n o f m e c hanic al pro pe rtie s and c o rro sio n
re sistanc e
» Dim e nsio nally stable
» Go o d adhe sio n
» Re lative ly ine xpe nsive
» Go o d e le c tric al pro pe rtie s.
Phenolics:
Phenolic is the name usually given to a resin made of phenol and an aldehyde.
It is used anywhere rigid materials are needed, particularly to create moldings
for consumer products, for some bearings, for insulation, and as a binder.
Characteristics:
» Exc e lle nt the rm al stability to o ve r 150 o C
» May be c o m po unde d with a large num be r o f re sins, fille rs, e tc .
» Ine xpe nsive .
Definition:
Made by dispe nsing m ixe d re sin, fille rs, m aturatio n age nt, c atalyst and m o ld
re le ase age nt o nto two m o ving she e ts o f po lye thyle ne film .
Advantage s
Pro c e ssing o f SMC by c o m pre ssio n o r inje c tio n m o lding e nable s the
pro duc tio n o f bo dywo rk o r struc tural auto m o tive c o m po ne nts, and e le c tric al
o r e le c tro nic m ac hine ho usings in large industrial vo lum e s.
The pro c e ss also pe ne trate s se c to rs suc h as sanitary ware (baths) and urban
furniture (stadium and c ine m a se ating) e tc
Part Consolidation: A well designed composite part can easily eliminate the
assembly of many metal parts by allowing you to mold them as one complete
piece. In addition, inserts can be molded into the SMC material to aid in the
assembly process.
Light Weight: Composite parts offer more strength per unit of weight than any un-
reinforced plastic and most metals.
High Strength: Composite parts can be designed to provide a wide range of impact,
tensile, and flexural strength properties, depending on the specific requirements of
the application.
Corrosion Resistance: Composites do not rust or corrode, and offer various levels
of chemical and environmental resistance.
Low Electrical and Thermal Conductivity: Composites can offer a wide range of
insulating properties to meet specific requirements for electrical and thermal
resistance.
DMC or Dough Molding Compound also called as BMC or Bulk Molding Compound
Definition:
DMC is a combination of chopped glass strands with resin in the form of a bulk prep
reg.
Economic Advantages:
50 % to tal c o st savings in c o m pariso n to c ast alum inum
The m o ld is c lo se d and c lam pe d, and a lo w visc o sity, c atalyze d re sin is pum pe d in,
displac ing the air thro ugh strate gic ally lo c ate d ve nts.
Me te re d m ixing e quipm e nt is use d to c o ntro l re sin/ c atalyst ratio s that are m ixe d
thro ugh a m o tio nle ss/ static m ixe r and inje c te d into the m o ld po rt.
Co m m o n m atrix re sins inc lude po lye ste r, vinyl e ste r, e po xy, and phe no lic s.
Auto bo dy pane ls
Wind blade s
RV c o m po ne nts
Pro pe lle rs
Chairs
Swim po o l pane ls
1. Compression Mould
2. Transfer Mould
3. Extrusion Mould
4. Injection Mould
5. Hot Runner Mould
6. Blow Mould
Step # 2 & 3 - The mold is closed up and held under hydraulic pressure while the
material cures.
Step # 4 - When the mold opens the part can be removed. The excess material,
called flash, needs to be trimmed off the part.
Little "thro w away" m ate rial pro vide s advantage o n e xpe nsive c o m po unds
O fte n be tte r fo r large parts
Step # 1 - A piece of uncured material is placed into a portion of the mold called
the "pot." The plunger (on the top- most part of the mold) fits snugly into the "pot."
Step # 2 - The mold is closed up and under hydraulic pressure the material is
forced through the small hole (the ”sprue") into the cavity. The mold is held closed
while the material cures.
Step # 3 - The plunger is raised up and the "transfer pad" material may be
removed and thrown away. Mold is opened and the part can be removed. The
flash and the gate may need to be trimmed.
The process produces continuous two dimensional shapes like sheet, pipe, film,
tubing, gasketing, etc.
The material is fed into the extruder where it is melted and pumped out of the
extrusion die.
Blowing molding is the primary method to form hollow plastic objects such as
soda bottles.
Blow molding is another common type of plastic molding. In this process a plastic
tubular form, produced by extrusion or injection molding, is used to form the part.
This form, called a parson, is softened inside a mold and then injected with air or
other compressed gas. This expands the parson against the sides of the mold
cavity, forming a hollow object the size and shape of the mold.
In injection molding, the material is worked and warmed and then squirted into the mold at
controlled speeds, pressures and temperatures.
Locating Rings:
This part is fitted on to the front face of the mold to serve the purpose of
locating the mould in the correct position in alignment to the machine
nozzle and directly align the sprue bush hole.
Sprue Bush:
It is the connecting member between nozzle and the runner system. The
plasticized material is transferred to the impression through a passage
termed as a “Sprue”. The Sprue Bush radius is always more than the nozzle
radius to avoid leakage of plastic material.
Guide Pillars:
The accurate mould assembly need the perfect alignment
between top half and bottom half at any point of time in a
mould cycle. The needed services is provided by guide pins
which guided into the guide bush in other half.
Cavity:
The space inside a mold into which material is injected. The
material injected will take the form of the cavity profile.
OVER MOULDING
Over molding is an injection molding process using two separate moulds of which you
mould one material over another to create or touch appeal such as a
handle or knob.
IN MOLD DECORATION
The Gas Injection Technique (GIT) is a special injection molding method. After the
actual injection molding operation, a permanent cavity is created in the molding as a
second step by means of an inert compressed gas (nitrogen).
The plastic is pressed against the mold wall by maintaining the gas pressure during the
solidification process, thus defining the external contour of the component.
Re duc tio n o f sink m arks and Unifo rm shrinkage and thus le ss disto rtio n
Disadvantages
Additio nal c o sts fo r gas, gas pre ssure syste m and inje c tio n de vic e
Re stric tio ns in the se le c tio n o f m ate rial and with subse que nt m ate rial
c hange o ve rs
Rotational or Roto molding is an extremely popular and well- used process for
producing items that are usually hollow.
Ite m s suc h as c hildre n's to ys, garde n furniture are m anufac ture d by
ro tatio nal m o ulding.
Ro to m o lding use s PVC in paste (plastiso l) fo rm whic h is intro duc e d into the m o uld
alo ng with any additive s suc h as pigm e nts o r finishe rs. The m o uld is c lo se d and the n
spun bo th ve rtic ally and ho rizo ntally and m o ve d into an o ve n.
As the paste starts to m e lt and the m o uld c o ntinue s ro tating, it's flung to the walls o f
the m o uld by c e ntrifugal fo rc e whe re it fo rm s a skin. Afte r a fixe d pe rio d, the m o uld is
re m o ve d fro m the o ve n and allo we d to c o o l c are fully to avo id the pro duc t shrinking o r
warping.
The delivery system design has a great influence on the filling pattern
and thus the quality of the molded part.
The delivery system, which provides passage for the molten plastic
from the
machine nozzle to the part cavity, generally includes:
A Sprue
Co ld slug we lls
A m ain runne r
Branc h runne rs
Gate s
Q uic kly c o o ls and so lidifie s to avo id bac kflo w afte r m o lte n plastic s
has fille d up in the c avity.
Ge ne rate s she ar he at by go ing thro ugh the narro w gate , raising the
te m pe rature o f m o lte n plastic s and im pro ving the filling in the c avity.
The struc ture is c o m plic ate d due to Thre e Plate m e tho d o f die .
Cold Slug Wells are highly desirable in an Injection Mold. The Cold Slug Well provides a
small reservoir (well) to trap air, and impurities before they enter the Runner, Gate and
Cavity.
A Cold Slug Well is located above the Sprue Puller Pin. Typically, as the runner changes
from a primary to secondary, and, secondary to tertiary there is
also a cold slug well at each intersection.
Cooling time is by far the most dominate time consumer in the injection molding
cycle. A long cycle time means that the molder must charge more for the same part.
The result will be a low cost tool that will run fast and keep your cost per part as low as
possible.
Most commonly used cooling design. Cooling channels should be placed close to the
mold cavity surface with equal center distances in between.
Baffle cooling
A baffle is actually a cooling channel drilled perpendicular to a main cooling line, with
a blade that separates one cooling passage into two semi- circular channels.
Bubbler cooling
A bubbler is similar to a baffle except that the blade is replaced with a small tube.
Spiral Cooling
A spiral is similar to a bubbler except that the coolant flow in a spiral slots.
Thermal pins
Air Cooling
Air is blown at the cores from the outside during opening or flows through a central
hole from inside.
This design is used for very slender core (less than 5mm)
Suc c e ssful tro uble sho o ting sho uld be gin at the de sign stage no t o n the sho p flo o r so
that m istake s c an be ide ntifie d and re m e die d be fo re the y be c o m e c ritic al. As a part
de signe r it is a ve ry go o d Ide a to be aware o f yo ur o ptio ns in to o ling and to c o nside r
tho se while de signing yo ur part.
Fo r e xam ple , have po te ntial gate lo c atio ns in m ind. Try to gue ss whe re knit line s will
o c c ur and ho w diffe re nt gate lo c atio ns will affe c t the m .
BLUSH
Dull discolored or whitish area on the surface of the part, usually at
the gate. May also occur where there is a sudden change in part
thickness.
BURN
Discoloration usually black, brown or dark yellow/ brown depending
upon severity. Feels rough and crunchy. Most often seen in deep,
blind ribs where a lot of air can be forced into a small space.
COLD FLOW
Wavy or streaked appearance on part surface. Looks like a
fingerprint or small waves like you would see on the surface of
water. Low melt temperature, low injection speed or low injection
pressure.
Cold Slug
Cold piece of plastic that has been forced into the part along with the melt. Add a cold
slug well at each intersection in the runner
Contamination
Foreign particles embedded in the part
Delamination
Separation of plastic surface layer giving a flaking or onion skin effect. Due to
contaminated resin.
Discolouration
Deviation from the original intended color of the material as
compared to the manufacturers color Chip. Contaminated
resin / Overheated resin / Incorrect regrind ratio / Incorrect
color mixing or blending.
Gloss
Smooth shiny areas on the part surface. Hard to fill areas.
Jetting
Squiggly line in part pointing to gate. Looks like a worm in the
part. Incorrect gate placement or size. The gate is positioned in
such a manner as to aim the plastic straight into an open area.
The plastic launches out into the open like a piece of "silly
string" and then stacks up.
Knit line
A line where the molten polymer flow fronts meet in the mold.
Incomplete adhesion occurs along the knit line and causes a
weak point in the plastic part. Mould is not preheated to
molding temperature.
Pin push
Circular or semicircular white stress rings on the side of
the part opposite an ejector pin. May even be raised circular
bumps. Unpolished core or less draft on core side of
component. Inadequate ejector pins for ejection
Drag
Fine, straight lines scraped in the line of draw. Cavity Side
happens usually from insufficient draft for the texture. Core
side drag happens usually from inadequate draft, rough core,
or over packing.
De pre ssio ns o r dim ple s in the part that are usually adjac e nt to thic k are as. In
c le ar parts, bubble s c an be se e n in thic k are as.
As the plastic c o o ls it shrinks. If the re is an are a that is pro po rtio nally thic ke r
than the re st o f the part, the n the plastic will shrink m o re in the thic k spo t
c ausing it to c o llapse inward.
Wall pe rpe ndic ular to ribs o r bo sse s that do n't c o nfo rm to the 66% rule.
Inc o nsiste nt wall thic kne ss. i.e . thic k are as adjac e nt to thin are as.
The failure to m aintain flatne ss o f a plastic part that was inte nde d to be flat. Disto rtio n
fro m the inte nde d shape o f the plastic part.
The c ause o f m o st part warpage is the shape o f the part itse lf. The patte rn, shape , and
thic kne ss o f ribs o n the part as the y unde rgo shrinkage have the gre ate st e ffe c t upo n
warpage .
Parting Surface is a line at which the two halves of mould meet and form a seal to
prevent the escape of material. The shape of the component, method of ejection, etc.
largely influence the selection of parting surface.
Shrinkage
Wall thickness differences may lead to varying shrinkage behavior that is weaker
or stronger depending on the plastic used. In the case of semi- crystalline
materials, a large wall thickness results in slower cooling, which then leads to
greater shrinkage. The resulting shrinkage differences in the molding lead to
internal stresses in the molding, which are either absorbed through the inherent
rigidity of the structure or reduced through special processing conditions.
Draft
The purpose of draft is to first provide release from the cavity side of the mold upon
tool opening. Then upon ejection, draft allows instant release of the plastic part
without dragging. If plastic parts have completely vertical walls, drag marks will occur
on the plastic as it scrapes along the metal tool face. If money is no object vertical
faces may be obtained however with the use of slides and lifters
0.0 degree:
Very small details under 0.040in tall that will get polished. The act of polishing will
apply some draft. Faces to be 100% relieved with side actions.
1/ 4 degree:
Emergency use only. Deep ribs, one internal side of a box where the other sides
have good draft, bosses ejected by sleeves.
1/ 2 degree:
Use sparingly and for good reason. Ribs, one internal side of a box, snaps, hooks, etc..
1.0 degree:
Standard draft, all features.
2.0 degree:
Standard draft, very light texture, cavity side to ensure good release.
3.0 degree:
Textured faces, faces that are in common with a shutoff.
Fre que ntly yo ur m o ld de signe r is using a diffe re nt CAD pac kage and if he
se nd bac k a drafte d m o de l, it m ay be diffic ult fo r yo u to do a go o d
inte rfe re nc e analysis.
Many to o l e ngine e rs will sim ply slap so m e draft o n and if the parts do n't fit,
its yo ur pro ble m .
Whe n the m o ld is finishe d and yo ur parts do n't fit, tim e is lo st re wo rking the
to o l.
3. Use the least thickness compliant with the process, material, or product design
requirements.
Using the least wall thickness for the process ensures rapid cooling, short cycle
times, and minimum shot weight. All these result in the least possible part cost.
4. Design parts to facilitate easy withdrawal from the mold by providing draft
(taper) in the direction of mold opening or closing.
Wall thickness
The typical plastic part may be considered to have a shell type configuration with a
basic surface and features which are attached to it to meet functional
requirements.
Application Requirements
Structural requirements including strength, impact, fatigue or deflection.
Moldability
The size of the part and the ability of the material to fill the furthest point can
determine the minimum wall
* From a cost standpoint, the thinnest wall utilizes the least material and results in the
fastest molding cycles.
Mo ldability
Ec o no m y
Giving wall thic kne ss sho uld be c are fully c o nside re d in the de sign stage to avo id
e xpansive m o ld m o dific atio ns and m o lding pro ble m s in pro duc tio ns
The o ptim um thic kne ss is o fte n a balanc e be twe e n o ppo sing te nde nc ie s, like :
Durability Vs Co st
Wall thickness
Wall thickness
Wall thickness
Wall thickness
Wall thickness
RADIUS
Sharp corners greatly increase the stress concentration. This high amount of
stress concentration can often lead to failure of plastic parts.
Standard tables for stress concentration factors are available and should be consulted
for critical applications.
As can be seen from the above chart, the stress concentration factor is quite high for
R/ T values less than 0.5. For values of R/ T over 0.5 the stress concentration factor gets
lower.
Radius sho uld be be twe e n 50 % o f the no m inal wall thic kne ss.
If the part has a lo ad be aring func tio n the n the uppe r e nd is re c o m m e nde d.
A m inim um radius o f 0.5m m is sugge ste d and all sharp c o rne rs sho uld be
bro ke n with at le ast a 0.125 m m radius.
Radius
RIBS
Ribs increase the bending stiffness of a part. Without ribs, the thickness has to
be increased to increase the bending stiffness. Adding ribs increases the
moment of inertia, which increases the bending stiffness.
Functions of Ribs:
The rib give s stiffne ss and stre ngth in m o lde d part witho ut
inc re asing o ve rall wall thic kne ss.
Rib Thickness:
Many fac to rs go into de te rm ining the appro priate rib thic kne ss. Be c ause thic k
ribs o fte n c ause sink and c o sm e tic pro ble m s o n the o ppo site surfac e o f the
wall.
The rib thic kne ss sho uld be le ss than the wall thic kne ss
The thic kne ss range s fro m 40 to 60 % o f the m ate rial thic kne ss as
pe r 66% rule
The rib sho uld be attac he d to the base with .125 X thic kne ss radius
at the c o rne rs and .5 de gre e draft sho uld be give n fo r e je c tio n,
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DESIGN GUIDELINES
Ribs
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DESIGN GUIDELINES
Rib Height?
Maximum rib height should not exceed 3 times the
nominal wall thickness as deep ribs become difficult
to fill and may stick in the mold during ejection.
Rib Location
The rib location is based on providing maximum
bending stiffness. Depending on orientation of the
bending load, with respect to the part geometry,
Ribs oriented one way increase stiffness. If oriented
the wrong way there is no increase in stiffness.
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DESIGN GUIDELINES
Rib Location
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DESIGN GUIDELINES
Rib Quantity
Rib Moldability
Ribs are preferably designed parallel to the melt flow as flow across ribs can
result in a branched flow leading to trapped gas or hesitation. Hesitation can
increase internal stresses and short shots.
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DESIGN GUIDELINES
Holes
Holes also are a major design element, The location of any holes may
significantly affect the part's overall strength. Trying to create a hole in the
side of a part is especially challenging, and the need for side holes should
be minimized in the initial design.
Hole spacing
The minimum spacing between two
holes or between a hole and side wall
should be one diameter.
Hole location
Holes should be located three
diameter or more from the edge of the
part to avoid excessive stress.
Blind Holes
The depth of a blind hole should not exceed 3 times the diameter. For
diameters less than 5 mm this ratio should be reduced to 2.
Core pins supported by just one side of the mold tool create blind holes.
The length of the pins, and therefore the depth of the holes, are limited
by the ability of the core pin to withstand any deflection imposed on it
by the melt during the injection phase.
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DESIGN GUIDELINES
Blind Holes
Through holes
Through holes
BOSSES
Greater wall sections for increased strength will increase molded- in stresses
and result in sink marks. So use this method.
Bosses located at corners can result in very thick walls causing sinks. Bosses
can be isolated using the techniques illustrated.
Alternative boss design can be used for bosses near a standing wall.
Strengthening a Boss
Strengthening a Boss
Rib design
Failure of boss
Failure of boss
Mating of bosses
GUSSETS
Gussets can be considered as a subset of ribs and the guidelines that apply to
ribs are also valid for gussets. This type of support is used to reinforce corners,
side walls, and bosses.
The height of the gusset can be up to 95% of the height of the boss or rib it is
attached to.
Depending on the height of the rib being supported gussets may be more
than 4 times the nominal wall thickness.
Gusset base length is typically twice the nominal wall thickness.
These values optimize the effectiveness of the gusset and the ease of molding
and ejecting the part.
GUSSET DESIGN
De sign fo r Manufac turability and Asse m bly (DFM/ A) is a ve ry bro ad to pic c o ve ring
m any are as. Re gardle ss, it c an be st be de fine d as any to o l o r pro c e ss that he lps a
de signe r o r e ngine e r think abo ut, and the re fo re avo id, m anufac turing and asse m bly
pro ble m s do wn the ro ad.
The de sign o f plastic parts is go o d disc ipline fo r the applic atio n o f DFM/ A princ iple s
be c ause de signe rs m ust be in tune with all the fac to rs that c an c ause a flawe d
de sign
Assembly alignment
Simplify design and assembly so that
the assembly process is unambiguous.
SNAP DESIGN