Torsten’s Training Tip: Deformation Behavior and Reversing PVT Curves
Plastic part designers have an abundance of polymer materials to choose from, ranging from commodity to technical or engineered polymers. Selecting the optimal material for each design is key to a successful molding project. Polymer materials must be heated to their melt temperature ranges to be injection molded. Polymer strength, stiffness, and deformation behavior are […]
Torsten’s Training Tips: Warpage Due to Fiber Orientation
Fiber orientation plays a significant role in the shrinkage and warpage of a molded part. Let’s look at why. Fiber -filled composite plastic materials will induce anisotropic mechanical properties. Fiber reinforced parts have directional mechanical properties that are stronger in the direction (or parallel) to the flow and weaker transverse (or perpendicular) to the flow. […]
Industry 4.0 Meets Learning 4.0
We don’t want to just revolutionize the training industry; we want “evolutionize” your way of learning. Everyone has heard the maxim “time is money” and nowhere is that truer than with training. Consider the time your employees are attending off-site or on-site training, away from their desks or the molding floor, and not productive in […]
Torsten’s Training Tips: Understanding Shrinkage and Warpage Behaviors
Minimizing volumetric shrinkages and reducing part warpage are important considerations when designing injection molded parts. By understanding the interaction of part and mold designs, polymer material, and the molding process, preventative measures can be designed into the molding system to minimize shrinkage and warpage. Polymer materials naturally expand when they are heated and shrink as […]
Torsten’s Training Tips: PVT
The Pressure-Volume-Temperature (or PVT) relationship of different materials is a calculation of the compressibility of material during the packing and cooling phase. Since this affects a parts’ shrinkage and warpage after ejection, having a clear understanding of PVT is essential for success. Polymer material shrinkage inside a mold must be compensated for with packing and […]
Torsten’s Training Tips: Mold Design — Pin-Point Gates
Gate placement is an important aspect of mold design to achieve optimal part quality. Let’s look at some advantages and disadvantages to using pin-point (pinpoint) gates in mold design. Because gate placement options are often limited by design restrictions and other part-related constraints, understanding and utilizing industry best-practices can be helpful in achieving the desired […]
Torsten’s Training Tips: Packing Pressure Profiles (Amorphous and Semi-Crystalline Materials)
One of the key steps in the injection molding process is the packing and holding phase, sometimes also referred to as the compensation phase. During the packing phase material is continuously “packed” into a cavity, thereby compensating for the shrinkage that occurs due to material cooling inside the mold. To optimize a packing profile, it […]
Torsten’s Training Tips: Nozzle Tip Designs
Molding high quality parts is dependent on many factors, including skillful part and mold design, an understanding of polymer material behavior, and an optimized process. The three common nozzle tip designs found in the injection molding industry are general purpose, reverse taper, and free flow. Nozzle tip design and size will impact mold filling, process […]
New Processing Lessons: Cooling and Packing
We are excited to announce our latest lessons in the Processing category. There are six brand new lessons focused on the Cooling and Packing phase. These lessons continue to build on our foundational level of injection molding training. Filling Phase Lessons Include: Lesson 1 – Packing Pressure Profiles: Amorphous Materials This lesson reviews the internal […]
Torsten’s Training Tips: Ejector Pin Sub-Gates
Gate design and placement are key factors in mold design. Because parts often need to be molded without surface marks or gate vestige, certain gate styles are more appropriate than others. Although many gate systems will leave behind a witness mark, selecting a gate that can be hidden inside the ejector pin with an automatically […]
