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Injection Molding (injection + molding)
Kinds of Injection Molding Terms modified by Injection Molding Selected AbstractsManufacturing of Net-Shape Reaction-Bonded Ceramic Microparts by Low-Pressure Injection Molding,ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 5 2009Nadja Schlechtriemen Reaction-bonded oxide ceramics based on intermetallic compounds are able to compensate the sintering shrinkage completely due to their high increase in volume caused by oxidation. Using low-pressure injection molding (LPIM) for shaping ceramics avoids needless materials loss and affords the manufacturing of complex formed structures. The combination of both, reaction-bonded ceramic and LPIM-processing, offers the manufacturing of ceramic microparts by keeping a high accuracy and replication quality. [source] Dynamic behavior of the flow field in a RIM machine mixing chamberAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 6 2009Ricardo J. Santos Abstract Dynamic behavior of the flow field in a Reaction Injection Molding, RIM, machine mixing chamber, having dimensions typically used in industrial machines, is studied from dynamic velocity data of Laser Doppler Anemometry, LDA, measurements and Computational Fluid Dynamics, CFD, simulations with a 2D model. This study is based on the spectral analysis of the dynamic flow field data. The typical frequencies, in the reactor flow field, are identified and its values are related to the identified flow structures. The differences between the typical frequencies from experiments and simulations are observed and justified on the basis of the 2D representation of a 3D cylindrical geometry. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009 [source] Biomimetic Polymer Nanostructures by Injection MoldingMACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS & ENGINEERING, Issue 1 2003Nikolaj Gadegaard Abstract The nanometer scale topography of self-assembling structural protein complexes in animals is believed to induce favorable cell responses. An important example of such nanostructured biological complexes is fibrillar collagen that possesses a cross-striation structure with a periodicity of 69 nm and a peak-to-valley distance of 4,6 nm. Bovine collagen type I was assembled into fibrillar structures in vitro and sedimented onto solid supports. Their structural motif was transferred into a nickel replica by physical vapor deposition of a small-grained metal layer followed by galvanic plating. The resulting inverted nickel structure was found to faithfully present most of the micrometer and nanometer scale topography of the biological original. This nickel replica was used as a die for the injection molding of a range of different thermoplastic polymers. Total injection molding cycle times were in the range of 30,45 seconds. One of the polymer materials investigated, polyethylene, displayed poor replication of the biological nanotopographical motif. However, the majority of the polymers showed very high replication fidelity as witnessed by their ability to replicate the cross-striation features of less than 5 nm height difference. The latter group of materials includes poly(propylene), poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(L -lactic acid), polycaprolactone, and a copolymer of cyclic and linear olefins (COC). This work suggests that the current limiting factor for the injection molding of nanometer scale topography in thermoplastic polymers lies with the grain size of the initial metal coating of the mold rather than the polymers themselves. [source] Optimization of cure kinetics parameter estimation for structural reaction injection molding/resin transfer moldingPOLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 6 2001Robert J. Duh A numerical method is proposed for polymer kinetic parameter estimation of either Structural Reaction Injection Molding (SRIM) or Resin Transfer Molding (RTM). The method simulates either radial flow or axial flow of reactive resins through a fiber preform inside a mold cavity. This method considers a non-isothermal environment with different inlet boundary conditions. Based on the molding conditions, this method can find the best values of chemical kinetic parameters by comparing the simulated temperature history and the experimental temperature history. Since the kinetic parameters are estimated with the real molding conditions, the simulations using these parameter values can have better agreement with molding data than those parameters which are obtained from idealized conditions such as Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC). The optimization approach was verified by estimating kinetics parameters for RTM data available in the literature. Temperatures predicted by the optimized kinetics parameters are compared with experimental data for two different molding conditions: injection of a thermally activated resin into a radial mold under constant pressure flow, and injection of a mix activated resin into a radial mold under constant volume. In both cases, the optimized kinetics parameters fit the temperature data well. [source] A full 3D finite element analysis of the powder injection molding filling process including slip phenomenaPOLYMER ENGINEERING & SCIENCE, Issue 1 2002C. J. Hwang A full 3D finite element analysis system has been developed to simulate a Powder Injection Molding (PIM) filling process for general three-dimensional parts. The most important features of the analysis system developed in this study are i) to incorporate the slip phenomena, the most notable rheological characteristics of PIM feedstock, into the finite element formulation based on a nonlinear penalty-like parameter and ii) to simulate the transient flow during the filling process with a predetermined finite element mesh with the help of a volume fill factor and a melt front smoothing scheme. The treatment of the nonlinear slip boundary condition was successfully validated via a steady state pipe flow. For the purpose of comparisons, not only the numerical simulations but also experimental short-shot experiments were performed with two 3D mold geometries using two typical materials of slip and no-slip cases. The good agreements between the numerical and experimental results indicate that the melt front tracking scheme successfully simulates the transient filling process. [source] A review of current developments in process and quality control for injection moldingADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2005Zhongbao Chen Abstract Injection molding is one of the most versatile and important manufacturing processes capable of mass-producing complicated plastic parts in net shape with excellent dimensional tolerance. Injection molding process and quality control has been an active research area for many years, as part quality and yield requirements become more stringent. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art research and development in injection molding control. It organizes prior studies into four categories, namely, process setup, machine control, process control, and quality control, and presents the distinction and connection of these different levels of control. This paper further reviews and compares the typical variables, models, and control methods that have been proposed and employed for those control tasks. Strictly speaking, real online quality control without human intervention has yet to be realized, primarily due to the lack of transducers for online, real time quality response measurement, and a robust model that correlates the control variables with quantitative quality measurements. Based on the research progress to date, this paper suggests that the different levels of control tasks have to be integrated into a multilevel quality control system, and that the quality sensor and the process and quality model are the two most important areas for further advancement in injection molding control. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 24: 165,182, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20046 [source] Minimizing the sinkmarks in injection-molded thermoplasticsADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2001Shih-Jung Liu Injection molding is one of the most important methods for the manufacture of plastic products; however, there are several unresolved problems that confound the overall success of this technique. Sinkmarks occurring on the surface of molded parts caused by inappropriate mold design and processing conditions is one problem. In this report, an L'18 orthogonal array design based on the Taguchi method was conducted to minimize the sinkmarks of injection-molded thermoplastic parts. The polymeric materials used were general-purpose polystyrene and low-density polyethylene. A plate cavity with various ribs was used for molding. Experiments were carried out on an 80-ton reciprocating injection-molding machine. After molding, the sinkmarks on the surface of molded parts were characterized by a profile meter. For the factors selected in the main experiments, the corner geometry and the width of the rib were found to be the principal factors affecting sinkmark formation in injection-molded thermoplastics. A rib of an undercut geometry and a small width produces parts with the least sinkmark. Experimental investigation of an injection-molding problem can help illuminate the formation mechanism of sinkmarks so that steps can be taken to optimize the surface quality of molded parts. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 20: 202,215, 2001 [source] Computer simulation of stress-induced crystallization in injection molded thermoplasticsPOLYMER ENGINEERING & SCIENCE, Issue 11 2001Jianxin Guo Injection molding of semicrystalline plastics was simulated with the proposed stress-induced crystallization model. A pseudo-concentration method was used to track the melt front advancement. Stress relaxation was considered using the WFL model. Simulations were carried out under different processing conditions to investigate the effect of processing parameters on the crystallinity of the final part. The simulation results reproduced most of the experimental results in the literature. Comparison is made between the slow-crystallizing polymer (PET) and fast-crystallizing polymer (PP) to demonstrate the effect of stress on the crystallization kinetics during the injection molding process for materials with different crystallization properties. The results show that for fast-crystallizing plastics, stress has little effect on the final crystallinity in the injection molded parts. [source] Impact properties and microhardness of double-gated glass-reinforced polypropylene injection moldingsPOLYMER ENGINEERING & SCIENCE, Issue 9 2009Matias Martinez Gamba Injection moldings with weld lines were produced in glass reinforced polypropylene grades differing in filler content using a two-gated hot runner injection mold. The skin-core microstructure developed during injection molding was qualitatively analyzed by means of optical and scanning electronic microscopy techniques. The load bearing capacity of the moldings was assessed by uniaxial tensile-impact and biaxial instrumented falling dart impact tests. Microhardness was also used to ascertain the possibility of using it as a simple nondestructive technique for characterizing glass fiber-reinforced injection moldings. The properties were monitored at various points to evaluate their variation at the bulk and the knit region. The biaxial impact test highlights the 10-fold reduction of the impact strength caused by the weld line. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers [source] Manufacturing of Net-Shape Reaction-Bonded Ceramic Microparts by Low-Pressure Injection Molding,ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 5 2009Nadja Schlechtriemen Reaction-bonded oxide ceramics based on intermetallic compounds are able to compensate the sintering shrinkage completely due to their high increase in volume caused by oxidation. Using low-pressure injection molding (LPIM) for shaping ceramics avoids needless materials loss and affords the manufacturing of complex formed structures. The combination of both, reaction-bonded ceramic and LPIM-processing, offers the manufacturing of ceramic microparts by keeping a high accuracy and replication quality. [source] Finite element and sensitivity analysis of thermally induced flow instabilitiesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 10 2010Jean-Serge Gigučre Abstract This paper presents a finite element algorithm for the simulation of thermo-hydrodynamic instabilities causing manufacturing defects in injection molding of plastic and metal powder. Mold-filling parameters determine the flow pattern during filling, which in turn influences the quality of the final part. Insufficiently, well-controlled operating conditions may generate inhomogeneities, empty spaces or unusable parts. An understanding of the flow behavior will enable manufacturers to reduce or even eliminate defects and improve their competitiveness. This work presents a rigorous study using numerical simulation and sensitivity analysis. The problem is modeled by the Navier,Stokes equations, the energy equation and a generalized Newtonian viscosity model. The solution algorithm is applied to a simple flow in a symmetrical gate geometry. This problem exhibits both symmetrical and non-symmetrical solutions depending on the values taken by flow parameters. Under particular combinations of operating conditions, the flow was stable and symmetric, while some other combinations leading to large thermally induced viscosity gradients produce unstable and asymmetric flow. Based on the numerical results, a stability chart of the flow was established, identifying the boundaries between regions of stable and unstable flow in terms of the Graetz number (ratio of thermal conduction time to the convection time scale) and B, a dimensionless ratio indicating the sensitivity of viscosity to temperature changes. Sensitivities with respect to flow parameters are then computed using the continuous sensitivity equations method. We demonstrate that sensitivities are able to detect the transition between the stable and unstable flow regimes and correctly indicate how parameters should change in order to increase the stability of the flow. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Numerical simulation of mold filling in injection molding using a three-dimensional finite volume approachINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 2 2001Rong-yeu Chang Abstract This work presents an implicit finite volume approach to simulate the three-dimensional mold filling problems encountered during the injection molding. The described numerical model deals with the three-dimensional isothermal flow of incompressible, high-viscous Newtonian fluids with moving interfaces. The collocated finite volume method and the SIMPLE segregated algorithm are used to discretize and solve the Navier,Stokes equation. In addition, a bounded compressive high-resolution differencing scheme is adopted to solve the advection equation to capture the interface on a Eulerian framework. This approach effectively solves the flow field in terms of CPU time and memory storage as well as the complicated three-dimensional melt front topology. Several two- and three-dimensional examples are presented to validate the presented approach and illustrate its capabilities. This method can more accurately predict the critical three-dimensional phenomena encountered during mold filling than the existing Hele,Shaw analysis model. The presented numerical approach has been proven to be a highly effective and flexible tool for simulating mold filling problems. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Texture Analysis and Finite Element Modeling of Operational Stresses in Ceramic Injection Molding Components for High-Pressure PumpsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2005Martin Wenzelburger Texturization of microstructures in ceramic components during injection of thermoplastic feedstocks into the mold is a well-known problem in ceramic injection molding (CIM) technology. The influences of textures on the mechanical properties of components with anisotropic properties, which depend on crystallite structure and orientation, usually involve weakening of the structure by the formation of separation planes and accumulation of stresses, which can lead to crack initiation and subcritical failure. A light optical texture analysis technique was developed for the analysis of thin section preparations from optically anisotropic ceramic materials. An internal Al2O3 gear rim for high-pressure gear pumps that is manufactured by CIM was chosen for the evaluation of this technique. Components were produced from thermoplastic ceramic feedstocks with different rheological behavior. Thin sections were prepared from the sintered parts. The texture was analyzed by polarized transmission light microscopy of the thin sections and colorimetric analysis of the crystal orientation. For the evaluation of the component properties, function, and lifetime, operating tests on a test bench were carried out as well as finite element (FE) simulation of the stress distribution in the components under operational load with regard to the texturization. The results were used for the localization of stress gradients and their comparison and correlation to the texturization. The functionality of this texture analysis method was proved by the tests, and it is expected to be a convenient novel method for the analysis and optimization of the parameters in CIM processes and the design of injection gate and mold. [source] Adaptive geometry and process optimization for injection molding using the kriging surrogate model trained by numerical simulationADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Yuehua Gao Abstract An adaptive optimization method based on the kriging surrogate model has been developed to intelligently determine the optimal geometric dimensions and processing parameters for minimizing warpage in injection-molded components. The kriging surrogate model is a statistics-based interpolated technique that provides the approximate functional relationship between warpage and factors that influence warpage. In this study, it is used to be first trained by,and later replaced,the full-fledged, time-consuming numerical simulation in the optimization process. Based on this surrogate model, an adaptive iteration scheme that takes into account the predicted uncertainty is performed to improve the accuracy of the surrogate model while finding the optimum solution. The optimization process starts with a small number of initial training sample points and then adds additional key points during iterations by evaluating the correlations among the candidate points. As an example of validation and application, optimization of geometric dimensions and processing parameters for a box-shape part with different and stepwise wall thicknesses has been performed. The results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed optimization method. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 27:1,16, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20116 [source] Adaptive multiobjective optimization of process conditions for injection molding using a Gaussian process approachADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2007Jian Zhou Abstract Selecting the proper process conditions for the injection-molding process is treated as a multiobjective optimization problem, where different objectives, such as minimizing the injection pressure, volumetric shrinkage/warpage, or cycle time, present trade-off behaviors. As such, various optima may exist in the objective space. This paper presents the development of an integrated simulation-based optimization system that incorporates the design of computer experiments, Gaussian process (GP) for regression, multiobjective genetic algorithm (MOGA), and levels of adjacency to adaptively and automatically search for the Pareto-optimal solutions for different objectives. Since the GP approach can provide both the predictions and the estimations of the predictions simultaneously, a nondominated sorting procedure on the predicted variances at each iteration step is performed to intelligently select extra samples that can be used as additional training samples to improve the GP surrogate models. At the same time, user-defined adjacency constraint percentages are employed for evaluating the convergence of iteration. The illustrative applications in this paper show that the proposed optimization system can help mold designers to efficiently and effectively identify optimal process conditions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 26:71,85, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20092 [source] Cavity pressure control during cooling in plastic injection moldingADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2006B. Pramujati Abstract Cavity pressure control during filling, packing, and cooling phases is imperative for maintaining product quality in injection molding process. This paper presents the design and implementation of a strategy to control cavity pressure profile during the cooling phase. In order to do this, a controlled variable parameter was defined to be the time constant , of the pressure profile. This parameter can be used effectively to control the shape of the cavity pressure over the cooling cycle. The coolant flow rate through the mold was used as the manipulated variable. A predictive control system was designed and implemented successfully to allow monitoring and control of , at several setpoints ,sp resulting in good and effective cavity pressure control. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 25:170,181, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20068 [source] Factors affecting the formation of fingering in water-assisted injection-molded thermoplasticsADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2006Shih-Jung Liu Abstract Water-assisted injection-molding technology has received extensive attention in recent years, due to the lightweight of plastic parts, relatively low-resin cost per part, faster cycle time, and flexibility in the design and manufacture. However, there are still some unsolved problems that confound the overall success of this technology. One of these is the water "fingering" phenomenon, in which the water bubbles penetrate outside designed water channels and form finger-shape branches. This study has investigated the effects of various processing parameters on the formation of fingering in water-assisted injection-molded thermoplastic parts. Both amorphous and semicrystalline polymers were used to mold the parts. The influence of water channel geometry, including aspect ratio and fillet geometry, on the fingering was also investigated. It was found that water-assisted injection-molded amorphous materials gave less fingering, while molded semicrystalline parts gave more fingering when compared to those molded by gas-assisted injection molding. For the water channels used in this study, the channels with a rib on the top produced parts with the least water fingering. Water fingering in molded parts decreases with the height-to-thickness ratio of the channels. The water pressure, water injection delay time and short-shot size were found to be the principal parameters affecting the formation of water fingering. In addition, a numerical simulation based on the transient heat conduction model was also carried out to help better explain the mechanism for the formation of fingering in water-assisted injection-molded thermoplastics. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 25: 98,108, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20062 [source] A generic controller for part surface temperature on a plastic injection molding machineADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2006R. Dubay A new approach for controlling part cooling in plastic injection molding is developed using a PI controller and coolant flow rate as the manipulated variable. The method uses an average part surface temperature within the mold as the setpoint parameter. A mechatronic control system was developed for providing variable coolant flow rates. The control strategy was simulated using plant models, implemented and tested on a 50-tonne plastic injection-molding machine with good closed loop responses. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 25: 1,12, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20053 [source] A review of current developments in process and quality control for injection moldingADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2005Zhongbao Chen Abstract Injection molding is one of the most versatile and important manufacturing processes capable of mass-producing complicated plastic parts in net shape with excellent dimensional tolerance. Injection molding process and quality control has been an active research area for many years, as part quality and yield requirements become more stringent. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art research and development in injection molding control. It organizes prior studies into four categories, namely, process setup, machine control, process control, and quality control, and presents the distinction and connection of these different levels of control. This paper further reviews and compares the typical variables, models, and control methods that have been proposed and employed for those control tasks. Strictly speaking, real online quality control without human intervention has yet to be realized, primarily due to the lack of transducers for online, real time quality response measurement, and a robust model that correlates the control variables with quantitative quality measurements. Based on the research progress to date, this paper suggests that the different levels of control tasks have to be integrated into a multilevel quality control system, and that the quality sensor and the process and quality model are the two most important areas for further advancement in injection molding control. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 24: 165,182, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20046 [source] Prediction of cooling time in injection molding by means of a simplified semianalytical equationADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2003D. M. Zarkadas Abstract A simplified semianalytical equation, used successfully in food freezing/chilling time prediction, is proposed as a potential simple alternative for cooling time prediction in injection molding of polymer parts, amorphous or semicrystalline. This equation is based on a convective boundary condition for the mold-part interface and requires information on the thermal contact resistance (TCR) or thermal contact conductance (TCC) at this interface, as well as information on the initial and final product temperatures, the mold surface temperature, and the thermal properties of the part. Eighty-five data points for four polymers, Polystyrene (PS), Polycarbonate (PC), Polypropylene (PP), and Polyethylene (PE) were generated with C-MOLDÔ, a commercial injection molding design software, and the performance of the proposed equation was tested. The % mean error and its standard deviation (SD) in cooling time prediction were, respectively, ,11.61 and 2.27 for PS, ,6.04 and 2.13 for PC, ,7.27 and 6.55 for PP, and ,8.88 and 2.93 for PE. It was also shown that the accuracy of the proposed equation is not affected significantly by the exact knowledge of the TCC, provided that the latter is not smaller than 1000,2000 W m,2 K,1. Since in this comparison all necessary temperatures were obtained from C-MOLDÔ, methods of using the proposed equation independently were tested. The use of the inlet melt temperature as the initial product temperature increased the % mean error by mostly 1.5% while its SD remained practically the same. By incorporating a literature based heat balance method in the proposed equation, it was possible to use it as a stand-alone predictor of polymer cooling time. The % mean error and its SD calculated this way were, respectively, ,9.44 and 0.97 for PS, ,9.44 and 0.83 for PC, ,14.22 and 5 for PP, and ,20.12 and 1.38 for PE. The proposed equation, at least in a preliminary stage, can be used successfully to predict the cooling time of the selected semicrystalline or amorphous polymers with the accuracy being higher for amorphous polymers. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 22: 188,208, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.10048 [source] Synergistic effects of carbon fillers on shielding effectiveness in conductive nylon 6,6- and polycarbonate-based resinsADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2003Quinton J. Krueger Abstract Electrically conductive resins can be made by adding electrically conductive fillers to typically insulating polymers. Resins with an electrical resistivity of approximately 100 , cm or less can be used for electromagnetic and radio frequency interference shielding applications. This research focused on performing compounding runs followed by injection molding and shielding effectiveness (SE) testing of carbon filled nylon 6,6- and polycarbonate-based resins. The three carbon fillers investigated included an electrically conductive carbon black, synthetic graphite particles, and a milled pitch-based carbon fiber. For each polymer, conductive resins were produced and tested that contained varying amounts of these single carbon fillers. In addition, combinations of fillers were investigated by conducting a full 23 factorial design and a complete replicate in each polymer. The objective of this study was to determine the effects and interactions of each filler on the SE properties of the conductive resins. Carbon black caused the largest increase in SE. Also, each single filler and each two filler interaction caused a statistically significant increase in SE. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 22: 96,111, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.10040 [source] Comparison of volatile emissions and structural changes of melt reprocessed polypropylene resinsADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2002Q. Xiang Abstract Polypropylene (PP), as a commodity recyclable thermoplastic, was studied in this research to evaluate the potential environmental impact resulting from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted during multiple melt reprocessing. Unstabilized PP (U-PP) and stabilized PP (S-PP) resins, simulating recycled materials prone to degradation, were evaluated for total VOC emissions generated during multiple melt reprocessing by injection molding and extrusion, respectively. Results show that the maximum amount of total VOCs from each cycle (up to six cycles for extrusion and up to ten for injection molding) did not significantly change, while the cumulative VOCs increased with increasing processing cycle for both materials. A good correlation between cumulative VOC increases and melt flow index increase for the U-PP and weight-average molecular weight Mw decrease for the S-PP were obtained. Reprocessing in all cases was accompanied by decreases in Mw and melt viscosity as a result of thermooxidative degradation. FTIR data considering increases in carbonyl content and degree of unsaturation suggest that at equivalent cycle numbers, degradation appears to be more severe for the extruded material in spite of the longer oxidative induction time of the "as received" pellets used in extrusion. The onset and type of structural changes are shown to depend on cycle number and reprocessing method. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 21: 235,242, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.10027 [source] Simulation of injection-compression molding process, Part 3: Effect of process conditions on part birefringenceADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2002Shia-Chung Chen Abstract Simulations of the injection-compression molding (ICM) process based on a Leonov viscoelastic fluid model has been employed to study the effects of processing conditions on the birefringence development and distribution in injection-compression molded parts. A numerical algorithm combined with a modified control-volume/finite-element method is developed to predict the melt front advancement and the distributions of pressure, temperature, and flow velocity dynamically during the injection melt-filling, compression melt-filling, and postfilling stages of the entire process. Part birefringence was then calculated from residual stresses following the thermal-mechanical history of the entire molding process. Simulations of a disk part under different process conditions including compression speed, switch time from injection to compression, compression stroke, packing pressure, and postfilling time were performed to understand their effects on birefringence variation. The simulated results were also compared with those required by conventional injection molding (CIM). It has been found that an ICM part shows a significant reduction of part birefringence near the gate area as compared with CIM parts. However, ICM parts exhibit higher birefringence values near the rim of the disk. The minimum birefringence occurs around the location where injection is switched over to compression. Although longer postfilling time and higher packing pressure result in higher birefringence values, their effects are not very significant. On the other hand, higher compression speed, larger compression stroke, and shorter switch time exhibit greater effects on the increase of part birefringence. Flow-induced residual stress is the major origin of birefringence formation in the present case. The simulated birefringence for both ICM and CIM parts show good coincidence with those obtained from measurements by using a digital photoelasticity technique. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 21: 177,187, 2002; Published online in Wiley Interscience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.10024 [source] Influence of processing conditions and part design on the gas-assisted injection molding processADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2001Nan-Shing Ong Gas-assisted injection molding has been developed to solve the problems that the conventional injection molding process is not able to. It is believed that the new process is able to produce final parts with higher quality at a more effective cost. Warpage and sink marks are reduced and there is material-savings to be reaped. This research aims to investigate some of the processing parameters that come with this new process. They include shot size, gas delay time, gas pressure, and melt temperature. The influence of part design is also looked into. Five designs were used in the research and compared. The responses evaluated include gas bubble length, residual wall thickness, bending strength, warpage, and fingering. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 20: 270,280, 2001 [source] Morphologies and mechanical properties of HDPE induced by small amount of high-molecular-weight polyolefin and shear stress produced by dynamic packing injection moldingJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 4 2008Zhanchun Chen Abstract To better understand the effect of a small amount of high-molecular-weight polyethylene (HMWPE) on the mechanical properties and crystal morphology under the shear stress field, the dynamic packing injection molding (DPIM) was used to prepare the oriented pure polyethylene and its blends with 4% HMWPE. The experiment substantiated that the further improvement of tensile strength along the flow direction (MD) of high-density polyethylene (HDPE)/HMWPE samples was achieved, whereas the tensile strength along the transverse direction (TD) still substantially exceeded that of conventional molding. Tensile strength in both flow and TDs were highly enhanced, with improvements from 23 to 76 MPa in MD and from 23 to 31 MPa in TD, besides the toughness was highly improved. So, the samples of HDPE/HMWPE transformed from high strength and brittleness to high strength and toughness. The obtained samples were characterized via SEM and TEM. For HDPE/HMWPE, the lamellae of the one shish-kebab in the oriented region may be stretched into other shish-kebab structures, and one lamella enjoys two shish or even more. This unique crystal morphology could lead to no yielding and necking phenomena in the stress,strain curves of HDPE/HMWPE samples by DPIM. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source] Melt mixing of carbon fibers and carbon nanotubes incorporated polyurethanesJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 1 2008Shahrul Azam Abdullah Abstract Polyurethane composites filled with carbon fibers (CF) and carbon nanotubes (CNT) were prepared by mixing and injection molding, and its mechanical as well as their thermal properties were investigated. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), and thermal conductivity tests were done, and the properties were evaluated as a function of the filler concentration. The storage modulus of the composites increased with fillers concentration, which also mean the increase of the stiffness, suggest a good adhesion between the polyurethane matrix and the fillers. Addition of more CF and CNT to the composites broadened and lowered the peak of tan , specifies that the polyurethane composite became more elastic because there is a good adhesion between the fillers and the matrix. The addition of carbon fillers improves the thermal stability of the polyurethane. The inclusions of CNT show a better thermal stability when compared with CF. The addition of carbon fillers also increased the thermal conductivity of the polyurethane composites. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source] Solid state structure and mechanical properties of melt mixed poly(trimethylene terephthalate)/polycarbonate blendsJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 6 2008I. González Abstract Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT)/poly (carbonate of bisphenol A) (PC) blends were obtained in the melt state by direct injection molding and also by extrusion followed by injection molding. The blends rich in PTT were monophasic, while the blends rich in PC were biphasic with the two components of the blends present in both phases. Both the monophasic and biphasic blends were partially miscibilized, and also partially reacted, as observed by FTIR. The extent of the reaction was greater in previously mixed blends. The observed synergism in the modulus of elasticity was attributed to the increased orientation of the blend components upon blending. Although decreases in elongation at break were observed and attributed to degradation of PTT, the blends were clearly ductile and compatible. This was a consequence of either their monophasic structure, or of the presence of the two components in the two phases of the blends. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source] Thermal properties of extruded/injection-molded poly(lactic acid) and biobased composites,,JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 2 2008Abdellatif A. Mohamed Abstract To determine the degree of compatibility between poly(lactic acid) and different biomaterials (fibers), poly(lactic acid) was compounded with sugar beet pulp and apple fibers. The fibers were added in 85 : 15 and 70 : 30 poly(lactic acid)/fiber ratios. The composites were blended by extrusion followed by injection molding. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis were used to analyze the extruded and extruded/injection-molded composites. After melting in sealed differential scanning calorimetry pans, the composites were cooled through immersion in liquid nitrogen and aged (stored) at room temperature for 0, 7, 15, and 30 days. After storage, the samples were heated from 25 to 180°C at 10°C/min. The neat poly(lactic acid) showed a glass-transition transition at 59°C with a change in heat capacity (,Cp) value of 0.464. The glass transition was followed by crystallization and melting transitions. The enthalpic relaxation of the poly(lactic acid) and composites steadily increased as a function of the storage time. Although the presence of fibers had little effect on the enthalpic relaxation, injection molding reduced the enthalpic relaxation. The crystallinity percentage of the unprocessed neat poly(lactic acid) dropped by 95% after extrusion and by 80% for the extruded/injection-molded composites. The degradation was performed in air and nitrogen environments. The degradation activation energy of neat poly(lactic acid) exhibited a significant drop in the nitrogen environment, although it increased in air. This meant that the poly(lactic acid) was more resistant to degradation in the presence of oxygen. Overall, injection molding appeared to reduce the activation energy for all the composites. Sugar beet pulp significantly reduced the activation energy in a nitrogen environment. In an air environment, both sugar beet pulp and apple fibers increased the activation energy. The enzymatic degradation of the composites showed a higher degradation rate for the extruded samples versus the extruded/injection-molded composites, whereas the apple composites exhibited higher weight loss. The thermogravimetric analysis data showed that the degradation of unprocessed and extruded neat poly(lactic acid) followed a one-step mechanism, whereas extruded/injection-molded composites showed two-step degradation. A higher fiber content resulted in up to three-step degradation mechanisms. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2008 [source] Rapid replication of nanostructures made with a polymer using simple injection moldingJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 1 2008C. K. Huang Abstract It is possible to fabricate nanostructures of 25.5 nm by replication using injection molding. In this study, a silicon calibration grating was used as a mold insert to replicate high-quality nanostructures with a simple custom-made injection machine. The replicated grating with 25.5-nm nanofeatures made with a polymer was of high quality when a high mold temperature was employed and the mold was evacuated. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source] Crystal form and orientation of isotactic polypropylene samples prepared by vibration-injection moldingJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 3 2007Jie Zhang Abstract A vibration,injection molding equipment was developed to prepare isotactic polypropylene injection samples to investigate their crystal form and orientation. Wide-angle X-ray scattering experiments (WAXD) were conducted in two modes: theta,theta mode and tube-fixed mode. Through vibration,injection molding, in additional to , form, , form, or , form can be obtained under different conditions. At high melt temperature (230), ,-PP can be induced and the core of the sample contains more ,-PP than the surface. At low melt temperature (190), ,-PP can be induced and the core and the surface of the sample contain approximate same proportion of ,-PP. Pole figures show that ,-PP of a static sample just orientates slightly along M direction, while that of vibration samples orientate much stronger. The orientation of the normal of (040), plane of the sample obtained at T = 230°C, f = 0.5 Hz, and Pv = 75MPa is preferred in M direction, and the orientation of the normal of (040), plane of the sample obtained at T = 190°C, f = 1.5 Hz, and Pv= 35 MPa is preferred in N direction. ,-PP and ,-PP do not show obvious orientation. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007 [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||