Ch 6 METBD

470

Chapter 9 – Plastic and Polymer

Composite Fabrication Processes

1. Injection Molding (or compression or transfer)

2. Extrusion
3. Thermo-Forming
4. Blow Molding (injection blow molding with
preforms or extrusion blow molding with parison)
5. Rotational Molding (combination of 3 and 4)
Ch 6 METBD
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 Ch 6 METBD
470

Molding Processes Molding Processes for

for PE: Nylon (30% GF):
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You Tube Videos:

Blow Molding:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSabFFQUr9E&feature=related

Extrusion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpPS6S_EB4Q

Injection: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bit-
D1NnfjI&videos=BeAyHeQIsiY&playnext_from=TL&playnext=1

Thermoforming: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPLWxxyIJcE
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• Injection Molding – most common (60-70%)

– Process
Plastic pellets are heated in the injection unit and forced
through a runner system/gate(s) into a cavity in a mold.

Batch Process
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• Injection Molding
– Equipment
• Clamping Unit (Ejection System)
• Injection (Plasticating) Unit
• Frame
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• Injection Molding
– Main functions of Plasticating unit

1.Convey solid material/melt

1.Mix to produce homogeneous melt

1.Melt material
– Range of 300º F (PVC) to 740º F (Polysulphone)

1.Develop pressure for injection

 Ch 6 METBD
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• Injection Molding
– Materials
•Both amorphous and semi-crystalline are done easily
•Narrow molecular weight distribution

•With modifications to the equipment – thermoset

materials and liquid Silicone can be used
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• Injection Molding
– Parts
•Three dimensional
•Can be very complex
•Multiple cavitation is common (128 cavities)
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• Injection Molding
– Tooling - Molds
•Generally steel, but some Aluminum tooling is used
•High pressure process – molds are ‘beefy’
– Plastic pressures around 30,000 psi
– Weight – LXWXH/4 (in inches)
•Tooling is expensive and can take a long time to
create
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• Extrusion
– Process
Plastic pellets or powders are heated in a plasticating
unit and the melt is forced through a forming die.
Continuous Process
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• Extrusion
– Equipment
• Injection (Plasticating) Unit
• Frame
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• Extrusion
– Materials
•Both amorphous and semi-crystalline are done easily
•Wide molecular weight distribution
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• Extrusion
– Parts
•Two dimensional
– Sheet
– Hoses
– Line
– Rod

– Vinyl siding
– Pipes
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• Extrusion
– Tooling - Dies
•Generally steel – Aluminum is common though
•Low pressure process
– Tooling can be expensive
– Shorter lead times
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• Thermoforming
– Process
Sheet is heated and formed to the desired shape

Can be a batch or continuous process

Some consider Thermoforming to be a secondary

process because the material needs to be formed into
sheet prior to being thermoformed.
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• Thermoforming
– Process
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• Thermoforming
– Process
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• Thermoforming
– Process
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• Thermoforming
– Equipment
• Heating unit
• Vacuum unit
• Tool or die
 Ch 6 METBD
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• Thermoforming
– Materials
•Both amorphous and semi-crystalline are done
– Semi-crystalline are more difficult
•Wide molecular weight distribution
 Ch 6 METBD
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• Thermoforming
– Parts
•Three dimensional
•Generally simple shapes
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• Thermoforming
– Tooling – Dies or molds
•Generally Aluminum, but prototypes are commonly
made epoxy, wood, plaster, and composite materials
•Low pressure process
– Tooling is relatively inexpensive
– Shorter lead times
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• Blowmolding
– Process
– 2 basic types
• Extrusion Blow Molding
– consists of an extruder that melts the plastic and forms it into a molten
tube called a parison. Die closes around parison which seals both ends.
Blow pin is insereted and inflates the parison to assume the contoru of the
die. See
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcXB0NbbQzg&feature=related
• Injection Blow Molding (large volumes)
– Uses preforms - The preform is transferred on a metal shank, called the
core rod and into a blow mold.
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Blowmolding Equipment
• Depends on type of blowmolding you
are doing
– Extrusion
» Extruder
» Dies and Blowpins
» Clamping system
– Injection
» Preforms (Injection molding machine)
» Heating unit
» Blowing machine
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• Blowmolding
– Materials
•Both amorphous and semi-crystalline are done
– Semi-crystalline are more difficult
– Highly Crystalline materials (Nylon) are very difficult
•Wide molecular weight distribution
 Ch 6 METBD
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• Blowmolding
– Parts
•Three dimensional
•Generally simple shapes
•Hollow
•May need trimmed
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• Blowmolding
– Tooling – Dies or tools
•Generally Aluminum (some may have brass inserts)
– Steel Pinchoff areas
•Low pressure process
– Tooling is relatively inexpensive
– Shorter lead times