TROUBLE SHOOTING IN INJECTION MOULDING PROCESS

Presented By N DURAI CIPET-Chennai

Short shots
A short is an incomplete moulding. Moulding with narrow sections or ribs are vulnerable to short shots. Frequently the moulding is unfilled at the furthest point from the gate

Possible cause:
Insufficient Material injected into the cavity.

Check:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Short size Injection speed may need to be increased Injection time increase Changeover point from Injection to Holding pressure Mould temperature - Increase

FLASH
Flash is a thin film of unwanted material forming outside the designed cavity. It is frequently found among the split line or around the undersized ejector pins.

Possible Cause:
The mould is forced open due to the injection pressure being too high for the mould locking force or mould tool may be worn.

Check:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Mould clamping pressure may be too low. Injection pressures may be too high for mould lock. Change over point from injection to hold-on pressure is too late. Switches set to bring on mould lock before injection . Mould - for wear damage or an obstruction.

SINK MARKS
Depressions on the surface often opposite ribs, bosses or change in section, usually worse when furthest from gate.

Possible Cause:
Material shrinkage or flowing back through the gate.

Check:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Hold on pressure may be too low Hold on pressure check levels. Material cushion or (pack) size. Mould temperature may need to be too low. Gate may need to be increased.

Burn Marks
Description Burn Marks show up on the finish molded parts as charred or dark plastic caused by trapped gas and is usually accompanied by a distinctive burnt smell. Note: If this problem is allowed to continue without fixing the root cause it will very quickly cause damage to the molding surface.

Possible Solutions
-Alter gate position and/or increase gate size. -Check for heater malfunction. -Decrease booster time. -Decrease injection pressure. -Decrease injection speed. -Decrease melt and/or mold temperature. -Improve mold cavity venting. Vents may become smaller over time due to wear and they will need to be brought back to their original depth. -Reduce clamp force to improve venting. Vents may become smaller because they are being crushed by the clamping force. If it is possible to reduce the clamping force without causing flash then this should be done. Note: This is always good practice to minimize wear on the mold and machine. -Improve venting at the burn location. Burn marks often occur on deep ribs that have no venting. - If possible it may be helpful to put an ejector pin or sleeve at the burnt area to allow the trapped gas to escape to atmosphere.

Brittleness
Description Brittleness is a condition where the part cracks or breaks at a much lower stress level than would normally be expected based on the virgin material properties. Possible Solutions 1.Check for material contamination. 2.Decrease amount of regrind use. 3.Decrease back pressure. 4.Decrease injection pressure. 5.Decrease screw speed. 6.Increase melt temperature. 7.Dry material. Refer to the drying instructions provided by the material supplier.

DISTORTION
Moulding is misshapen on ejection. Possible cause: Moulding is ejected from the mould before properly solidified.

Check:

1. Cooling time may be too short.

2. Mould temperature may be too high.

3. Material temperature may be too high.

4. Mould ejector system uneven or forced ejection.

Bubbles
Description Bubbles are similar to blisters in that there is air entrapped in the molded part. 1. Possible Solutions 2. -Decrease injection speed. -Decrease injection temperature. -Dry material further. -Increase injection pressure. -Increase number and/or size of vents. -Increase shot size.

JETTING:
A worm shaped area opposite and away from a gate with flow or weld lines at the furthest edges.
POSSIBLE CAUSE: Material enters the cavity too fast. This produces a worm that travels across the cavity and corrugates to produce a back filling, the material then radiates from the gate but does not fuse with the worm, which is now too cold

CHECK: 1. Injection Speed this may be too high 2. The gate may need to alter or change its position

Cracking, Crazing
Description Cracking or Crazing is caused by high internal molded in stress or by an external force imposed upon the part. They can also be caused by an incompatible external chemical being applied to the finished parts The cracks often don't appear until days or weeks after the parts have been molded. Possible Solutions -Decrease injection pressure. -Dry material. -Increase cylinder temperature. -Increase mold temperature. -Increase nozzle temperature. -Modify injection speed. -If the material is partially crystalline then it may help to reduce the mold and/or melt temperature. -If the material is amorphous then it may help to increase the mold and/or melt temperature.

Delamination
Description Delamination occurs when single surface layers start flaking off

Possible Solutions -Adjust injection speed.

-Check for material contamination. Incompatible resins or colorants may have been accidentally mixed causing this condition to be seen. -Dry material. -Increase melt temperature. -Increase mold temperature. -Insufficient Blending. Check melt homogeneity and plasticizing performance.

Discoloration
Description

Discoloration is similar to burn marks or brown streaks but generally not as dark or severe. It may cause the part to be a darker shade than the virgin pellets and is often found nearest the gate area, however it can also appear as dark streaks throughout the part.
Possible Solutions -Check hopper and feed zone for contamination.

-Decrease back pressure. -Decrease melt temperature. -Decrease nozzle temperature. -Move mold to smaller shot-size press. -Provide additional vents in mold. -Purge heating cylinder. -Shorten overall cycle.

Flow, Halo, Blush Marks

Description Flow, Halo, Blush Marks are marks seen on the part due to flow of the molten plastic across the molding surface. Possible Solutions -Decrease injection speed. -Increase cold slug area in size or number. -Increase injection pressure. -Increase melt temperature. -Increase mold temperature. -Increase nozzle temperature. -Increase size of sprue/runner/gate.

Voids
Description
Voids are hollows created in the part. They are normally found in thick sectioned parts caused by material being pulled away from the hot center section towards cold mold walls leaving a void in the center.

Possible Solutions
-Clean vents. -Decrease injection speed. -Decrease melt temperature. -Dry material. -Increase injection pressure. -Increase injection-hold. -Increase mold temperature. -Increase shot length. -Increase size of gate. -Increase size of sprue and/or runners and/or gates.

Warping, Part Distortion

Description
Warping, Part Distortion is shows up as parts being bowed, warped, bent or twisted beyond the normal specification outlined on the drawing.

Possible Solutions
-Adjust melt Temperature (increase to relieve molded-in stress, decrease to avoid overpacking). stress, decrease to avoid over packing). stress, decrease to avoid over packing). -Check gates for proper location and adequate size. -Check mold knockout mechanism for proper design and operation. -Equalize/balance mold temperature of both halves. -Increase injection-hold. -Increase mold cooling time. -Relocate gates on or as near as possible to thick sections. -Try increasing or decreasing injection pressure.

WINDOWS (FISH EYES)

Transparent sections in random places sometimes the shape and size of granules in the direction of flow. They also occur as natural particles when a dry coloured moulding is cut. Possible Cause
Unplasticised (Unmelted) particles.

Check:
1. Barrel temperature may have to increase. 2. Cycle time may have to increase 3. Screw speed may be too high 4. Back pressure may have to increase.

Sprue Sticking
Description Sprue Sticking generally occurs in a cold runner mold when the sprue is staying in the mold. Possible Solutions -Check mold for undercuts and/or insufficient draft. -Decrease booster time. -Decrease injection pressure. -Decrease injection speed. -Decrease injection-hold. -Decrease mold close time. -Decrease nozzle temperature. -Increase core temperature. -Open the gates. -Ensure that the correct design of nozzle tip for the material is being used.

POOR SURFACE FINISH

This ranges from dull patches on a shiny finish to scratches, pit marks and a rough finish.

Possible cause:
Implementation on mould surface or inability of melt to replicate the mould contours.

Check:
1. Tool polish, damage or rust marks. 2. Injection speed may be too low

3. Mould temperature may need to be increased

4. Injection pressure cavity may be under pressurised. 5. Melt temperature may need to increase.

CONTAMINATION
Possible cause

Foreign material has contaminated the melt, either in the form of bubbles, crackers, marks, marks or lumps.

If raw material bins or hoppers have been left uncovered it is possible for foreign particles to enter the melt. This can also cause damage to the mould and the screw.

Check:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Material in hopper for contamination Hopper magnet for ferrous metals. Raw materials form manufacturers. Melt temperature may be high Screw tip, screw and nozzle for evidence of Dead Spots due to local overheating.

Splash marks
Sometimes called Scuffing or Mica Marks. These areas or marks on the surface of the mouldings, like silver streaks, in the direction of flow.

Possible Cause:
They are usually caused by collapsed bubbles in the melt which have resulted from unescaped moisture, but can also be caused by overheating the melt. Most frequently found in hygroscopic materials such as Nylon, ABS, Acrylics, etc.

Check: 1. Material that drying requirements have been met the moisture content of material in the hopper. 2. Melt temperature may be too high. 3. Decompression setting may be drawing hot air in from the nozzle.

Flow marks
Marks at or near the surface in the form of streaks in the direction of filling.

Possible cause:
Vague boundary lines between varying viscosities of material.

Check:
1. Injection speed may need to be increased. 2. Melt temperature may need to be increased. 3. Mould temperature may need to be increased. 4. Gate type and position may need to be changed.

WELD LINE
A surface mark, often a line where cold fronts of material meet eg: After flowing round a core pin, or along thicker sections.

Possible Cause:
Lack of fusion between cold fronts of material

Check:
1.
2. 3.

Injection speed too low.

Mould temperature may be too low. Mould vents may be blocked.

4.
5. 6.

Hold on pressure may be too low.

Shot volume may be too small. Barrel temperature may be too low.