Injection Molding

BALANCING RUNNER SYSTEMS

Figure 1: Two naturally balanced (symmetric) runner systems and one

counter-example.

Figure 2: An artificially balanced runner system.

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 Injection Molding
CONSEQUENCE OF IMBALANCED
RUNNER SYSTEMS

Figure 3: Need to overpack 1 and 6 to fill 3 and 4.

Figure 4: Short shots in a telephone-handle molding die.

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 Injection Molding
INCOMPRESSIBLE CONTINUITY
EQUATION FOR LIQUIDS
Cartesian coordinates: x, y, z
dVx dVy dVz
+ + =0
dx dy dz
Cylindrical coordinates: r, θ, z
1 d 1 dvθ dvz
(rvr ) + + =0
r dr r dθ dz
Spherical coordinates: r, θ, φ
1 d 2 1 d 1 dvφ
2
(r vr ) + (vθ sin θ) + =0
r dr r sin θ dθ r sin θ dφ
~ · ~v = 0
All are simply ∇

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 Injection Molding
Example: use Hagen-Poiseuille Law to balance the runners

8µLQ
Hagen-Poiseuille Law: ∆P =
πR4
Suppose: RAB = RBC = RCD = RDG ≡ R

What size do we make RBE and RCF to balance the pressures at E, F

and G?

Flow is split 6 ways: QAB ≡ Q

2
QBC = Q
3
1
QCD = Q
3
1
QBE = QCF = QDG = Q
6
All lengths are equal, define K ≡ 8µL/π

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 Injection Molding
Pressure drops are additive:

KQBC KQCD KQDG

∆PBG = 4
+ 4
+ 4
RBC RCD RDG
2KQ KQ KQ
= + +
3R4 3R4 6R4
7KQ
=
6R4

KQBC KQCF
∆PBF = 4
+ 4
RBC RCF
2 KQ KQ
= 4
+ 4
3 R 6RCF

1 1
First Result: ∆PBG = ∆PBF ⇒ 4
=
6RCF 2R4
R
RCF = = 0.76R
31/4
KQ
∆PBE = 4
6RBE
1 7
Second Result: ∆PBE = ∆PBG ⇒ 4
=
6RBE 6R4
R
RBE = = 0.61R
71/4

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 Injection Molding
EXTREME EXAMPLE OF RUNNER
BALANCING

Figure 5: Family mold (pair of dishwasher detergent holding set).

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 Injection Molding
CONVENTIONAL INJECTION MOLDING

Figure 6: Discard or regrind.

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 Injection Molding
INJECTION MOLDING DEFECTS
Weld lines

Figure 7: Cold flow fronts recombine to make a visible line that can be
mechanically weak.

Voids, Sink Marks, Shrinkage

Figure 8: Use of ribs instead of a solid section. Solid section (left) and thin
section (right). 10% shrink can be expected.

Thick sections cool after gate freezes.

Sticking - Injection pressure too high (overpack).

Warping - Insufficient cooling before ejection.

Burning - Extrusion temperature too high. Shear heating.

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 Injection Molding
MATERIAL AND INJECTION PRESSURE

FROZEN LAYER IN FOUNTAIN FLOW

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 Injection Molding
HOT-RUNNER SYSTEMS

More expensive mold

Potential degradation problems
Eliminates regrind
Automatic detachment

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