Injection mold tooling can only be carried out properly if the injection mold is designed according to product requirements. Any compromise on the injection mold design can greatly lose your injection molding business in China. If you are not an experienced mould designer, you can hold on to this article. GO4 Mould will review the requirements and guidelines for a good injection mold design below.
What is Injection Molding?
Injection Molding
Understanding the injection molding process and injection mold design is necessary. Injection molding die is a new technique used to turn plastic into useful products by melting it.
Usually, injection molding die is performed in the following steps.
Melting: The first step is to melt the plastic material you use for injection molding. This process is delicate because maintaining the temperature is difficult. Be certain of the point where the plastic melts so you don’t have to over-boil it.
Casting: Casting means injecting the heated plastic into the injection mold. The injection cycle timer starts at this point when the mold is closed after pouring the mold material.
Cooling: After the injection, the mold is set to cool for as long as possible because cooling enhances its finishing quality.
Ejecting: At this part, the molded product is ready and gets ejected from the mold. Mold gates and screws are used to open and close the molds.
Packaging: Runners are also used in the manufacturing of mold products. If a little runner is left in the mold, it is removed and used for recycling. The ejected mold product is collected and packed after it is manufactured.
Moving on to the next section, which is about the injection mold design.
What is Injection Mold Design?
Injection Mould Design
Every machine or product needs a proper draft for its manufacturing. It is crucial in executing the product formation, and we call it a design. Like all other products, injection molds also require a fine design so that injection molding takes place easily.
Injection mold design is related to engineering, and companies hire expert engineers to create their mold designs. These designs are analyzed and tested to ensure their accuracy and precision. Go4 Mould trains its mold designers to create the highest-quality and most authentic injection mold designs.
To make a mould design, you’ll need to know the basics and important considerations, which are discussed further.
Basics for Making Plastic Injection Moulds
The basics for making plastic moulds are below.
- Be precise with the temperature and pressure
- Choose the right material
- Use CNC machines and other digital technology to make moulds
- Keep the environment clean
- Concisely make the design of the mould
- Stick to your budget
- Select the valuable manufacturer
- Uses imported technology
- Sterilize the mould tools
Important Parameters for Injection Mold Design
Making a reliable, high-strength moulding tool can take a long time and demands high precision. The quality of an injection mould determines its success and precision. Molds are also one of the most expensive capital investments in a project; thus, it’s important that the mould tooling is manufactured with utmost care. This is especially recommended in high-volume injection moulding applications, where moulds can be complicated.
You should make moulds based on the following parameters.
- Excellent engineering and design
- You should manufacture them with cutting-edge machinery that allows for precision machining.
- The mould manufacturing machines must be sterilized and of high quality and high technology.
- They should have high tolerance and environmental resistance
- Mold bases and cavities should be made of high-quality stainless steel for maximum performance and durability
- They must be tested before delivering to the client
- A thick and corrosion-resistant layer must be placed above the mould cavity.
- Due to the complex cavity designs, the cost of cutting and manufacturing increases for the high-production orders. So, to keep up with the quality, the cutting and processing should be outclassed.
- Pre-hardened steel moulds can avoid risks in massive plastic injection moulding orders and enhance the product’s production quality.
You’ll find the injection moulds fulfilling the above-mentioned mould parameters at Go4 Mould.
Materials Used to Make Injection Moulds
Selecting the right material for making injection moulds is very necessary. The materials used in plastic injection moulds are typically medium and steel and carbon alloys. Designing the cavities of an injection mould is easier than manufacturing them. They are complex and are significant for the dimensional accuracy and surface roughness of the mould. These seemingly little requirements enhance the quality of
- Mould steel
- Mirror polishing performance
- Heat treatment deformation
- And dimensional stability with other things.
The following materials are used at a larger scale to design injection molds.
Aluminum: Aluminum is the best choice for manufacturing a high-quality mould. When aluminum is combined with a well-equipped CNC machine, you get a good mould, high tolerance, mirror finishing, and other impeccable properties.
Injection mold designers should also design their mould drafts based on the easy removal of the mould part. This technique saves time, and the monthly yield of the mould parts increases by 20 sets.
Stainless Steel is also a great material for making injection moulds for plastic products. Its corrosion-free nature and high tolerance against temperature and pressure add to the molds’ durability. Consequently, an injection mold produces a very smooth and fine-looking plastic product.
Hardened/Pre-hardened steel: Most injection moulds are designed with hardened or pre-hardened steel. Hardened steel is more resistant to environmental conditions and lasts longer than pre-hardened steel. Steel moulds are more expensive than aluminum moulds, but they can handle massive productions.
Advantages of a Good Injection Mould Design
No matter how perfect the machines and tools used to make the injection mold are, if your designs lack accuracy and precision, that mold is useless. A good plastic mould design costs a one-time investment and can be pursued for years. Your flawless mould design offers the following advantages.
- It avoids the risk of malfunctioning of the mold
- A good injection mold design excels in the production and efficacy of the mould
- It reduces labor cost
- You can tackle both low and high-mould part orders
- The complex parts can be easily manufactured with a good injection mold design
- It leaves little room for scrap or wastage of the part material
- You don’t need to work on the mould parts after they are injected molded with a good design mould. This is because it provides a good surface finish
You see, by going concisely with a single step, you can have advantages greater than your investment.
Effect of Mold Shape and Design on the Final Product
Impact of Mould Design
The shape and the design of the injection mould affect the final products in both positive and negative ways. We’ll discuss both sides below.
- Positive impacts
The list of positive effects of mold is long.
Tolerance: First, a good mold shape and design will accommodate the shrinkage of the resin material. Some plastic resins are prone to shrinking or relaxing during injection molding.
Fewer Defects: A good injection mould design and shape reduce possible defects. If the complexity of the mould cavity is perfectly maintained through a good design, the final product will be a replica of the design you want.
No Material Limitation: There are no limitations to the mould part material if the design and shape of the injection mould are up to the mark. You can use any plastic material and resin you want. There’ll be no risk and fear of breakage or false outcomes.
- Negative Impacts
The faulty shape and design of your mould increases the odds of
- Reduced production
- Rough surface
- Increased cost
- Defects in the injection molding operation
- The downfall of your business
- Disappointed client
Considerations for Injection Mold Designing
Injection Mold Design Requirements
When designing and producing a plastic molding tool, it is important to consider the part’s design. Certain points contributing to the injection mold design process should be checked.
Mold draft:
Creating a mold draft is the first and foremost step in the injection mold design process. It is important to stimulate your mind with ideas that can prove valuable later in the process. Start by making a rough draft and working towards perfection by observing minute troublesome details.
Ribs:
Just as buildings need pillars to support and increase their strength, injection molds need ribs to enhance efficiency. The rib design must not exceed the mold’s wall thickness; otherwise, it may create design issues. The key to smartness is to look for convenient locations to lace the mold ribs.
Wall thickness:
Choose the wall thickness according to the mold part material. The wall thickness is specific to the specific mold materials. For instance, the wall thickness for polycarbonates ranges from 0.040 to 0.150. Similarly, it differs for different plastic and metal alloys.
Location of the Gates:
gates are the very openers of injection molds. Keep the design of the gates greater than the mouth of the mould so that the part material flows in easily. Screws are attached to the gates for the opening and closing of the mold.
Ejectors:
It is the area where we remove the mould part. In automatic mould injection moulding, the mould part is collected in the bin, while in a manual process, we remove the moulds with the help of vacuum pumps and similar tools.
Undercuts:
Undercuts prevent the mold material from sliding away from the molds. However, avoid using too much undercut, which will only increase the cost.
Cavities:
Cavities or cores are the unmatched features of injection moulds. Cavities reduce the material waste and keep the material intact.
Mold material:
While designing, opt for the most suitable mould material possible. Make sure that it doesn’t affect the quality of the mold material because materials of low quality can intermix with the mold part and resultantly create chemical reactions.
Parting lines:
Defining the parting lines is crucial because it determines the areas to be covered by the mold part, angles, and other technical information.
Radius:
A proper radius adds to the degree of a good mould design. Maintain a proper radius between the edges and the center. Also, avoid making sharp edges of the mould, as they hinder mold ejection.
Choosing the Right Partner for your Injection Molding Business
The second important thing after designing the injection mould is choosing the right partner. Although we have provided you with a checklist for designing injection moulds, it doesn’t mean any layperson can design them. You need authentic and reputed manufacturers and designers for your project.
We find Go4 Mould as your most trusted and reliable business partner for the services it provides.
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Cost of Injection Mold Design
The cost of the mould designs depends on the company you give your project to. The costs will be high if the company uses highly skilled and knowledgeable designers. Local designers, on the other hand, may offer you a considerate price.
Conclusion
Whether you are designing a new injection mould or changing an existing one, design is always an important part of the process. If you don’t stimulate the design of your injection mould before you hit the drafts, you are more likely to increase the price and time of production.
We have explained everything possible regarding injection mold design and hope you can implement the knowledge in your business. If you are starting a new injection molding business, consider Go4 Mould for the designing services. We have a huge network of injection mold design supplies and extensive on-field experience. You’ll get remarkable products and services while collaborating with Go4 Mould.
