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Mold Qualification Study

The purpose of this project was to qualify the use of polymethyl pentene pelletized resin using the Hinge Pyramid mold on the Sumitomo electric injection molding machine, for large scale manufacturing.

Mold Qualification Study

Description

A Moldflow Analysis, in addition to five studies, and 1st Article Inspection were conducted to certify these three inputs for the production and define ideal processing conditions. The Moldflow Analysis was conducted to predict processing parameters, flow characteristics, and defects that may occur during manufacturing. A Short Shot Study was performed to better understand how the material flows in the mold, the pressure needed to reach the end of fill and if the machine can generate this required pressure. A Fill Time Study was completed to determine the optimal injection speed and minimize changes in viscosity by observing the shear rate as a function of apparent viscosity. A Process Window Study was done to discover the processing range for these inputs based on two factors at a range of injection pressures. A Hold Time Study was implemented to learn the optimal hold time essential to preventing resin from leaking out of the gate. A Cooling Time Study was carried out to optimize the cycle time and reduce part-to-part variation to reduce overall costs and waste. Finally, a 1st Article Inspection was performed to quantify the part-to-part variation in the process using the optimized parameters and the automatic cycle mode. All these studies and analyses help provide valuable information for production, quality, and customer teams on using this resin, mold, and machine to make high-quality parts.



 

Collaborators

Juliana Covarrubias


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