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Lesson 7: Thermal Pins

Designing thermally optimized molds becomes more challenging as part designs become more complex. There are various cooling design strategies, from using drilled coolant circuits or baffles and bubblers, to selecting mold steels or thermal pins. In this lesson we will focus on thermal pins as a cooling strategy to optimize thermal behavior inside a mold.

This lesson covers: what thermal pins are and when they should be used in mold designs; mold temperature distribution differences between copper inserts and thermal pins; and how mold temperature distribution impacts packing, clamp tonnages, and warpage.

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Thermal Pins

Learn the basics of mold design and how various design elements impact a molded part. Build your own Circle of Knowledge lesson by lesson. 

Goals of Mold Design: Cooling (Level 1): 

  • Learn why the cooling phase of a molding cycle is the logical phase to optimize
  • Gain an understanding of the various type of cooling options to remove heat from a mold
  • Analyze real-life simulations and learn to determine optimal outcomes

Section Description: 

Injection molding is a process of heat exchange – the heat that goes into a mold must also be removed. Understanding the thermal behavior of polymers and the pathway of heat inside a mold is important for designing and processing a successful molding project.

Explanations, simulations, cause and effect analyses, and the uses of various design features are covered in this section. Understanding these design features is important because they influence the moldability, function, appearance, and quality of a part.

Recommended For: Entry Level Personnel, All Personnel

Length: Lessons are approximately 15-20 minutes long each

The Kruse Training platform delivers knowledge and expertise developed over two decades in the plastic injection molding industry. Now companies and individuals can access a state-of-the-art online training program, suited for all levels of knowledge.