Here are the key steps and components involved in the injection molding process:
Material Feeding: Plastic granules (resin) are fed into the injection molding machine's hopper. The machine typically has a heated barrel and a screw system to melt and mix the plastic.
Injection Unit: The plastic material is heated and mixed inside the barrel using a reciprocating screw. The screw's movement forward pushes the molten plastic towards the nozzle.
Mold Clamping: The mold, which consists of two halves (the cavity and the core), is clamped shut by the machine's clamping unit. The clamping force ensures that the mold remains closed during injection to prevent any plastic leakage.
Injection: Once the mold is securely closed, the molten plastic is injected into the mold cavity through the nozzle under high pressure. The plastic fills the cavity and takes the shape of the final product.
Cooling: After the injection phase, the plastic inside the mold is allowed to cool and solidify, taking the form of the desired part.
Mold Opening: Once the plastic has cooled sufficiently, the clamping unit opens the mold, separating the two halves.
Ejection: The finished part is ejected from the mold using ejector pins or other ejection mechanisms.
Repeat: The cycle then repeats for the production of the next part.
Standard Injection Molding Machines can vary in size and complexity, depending on the requirements of the specific application. Some machines are fully automated, while others require manual intervention for certain tasks. Additionally, the process parameters such as temperature, pressure, and cooling time can be adjusted based on the type of plastic material and the complexity of the part being manufactured.
