In-mold pressures

With the pressures in the mixing head at between 1,500 to 3,000 psi (10.3 to 20.6 MPa), the in-mold pressures are significantly lower than in many of the other molding processes. When comparing a typical RIM in-mold pressure of 50 to 150 psi (0.4 to 1.1 MPa) with the 5000 to 30,000 psi (34.5 to 206.7 MPa) required for thermoplastic injection molding (Chapter 4), it becomes apparent why RIM is particularly suitable for larger parts. Automotive bumpers are routinely produced on RIM presses with 100 to 150 tons of clamping force, while comparable injection molded parts require presses of 3500 tons or more. 

Since the in-mold pressures in RIM are generally relatively low [50 to 150 psi (0.4 to 1.1 MPa)] a variety of tooling constructions have been used. These include machined steel or aluminum, cast aluminum or kirksite, sprayed metal or electroplated shells, and reinforced or aluminum filled epoxy (Chapter 17). With mold pressures usually below 100 psi (0.7 MPa), mold-clamp-pressure requirements can accordingly be low when compared to injection and compression molding. 

Stresses in the part, either from an external source or as the result of frozen-in molding pressures. 

D. Kazmer at. al, A review of in-mold pressure and temperature instrumentation. Conference proceedings of SPE ANTEC 2005, pp. 3300-3304 (2005)... 

More complex shapes can be made by cold isostatic pressing (CIP). CIP uses deformable mbber molds of the required shape to contain the powder. The appHcation of isostatic pressure to the mold suspended in a pressure transfer media, such as oil, compacts the powder. CIP is not as easily automated as uniaxial pressing, but has found wide appHcation in the preparation of more complex shapes such as spark plug insulators (26). 

Liquid-Injection Molding. In Hquid-injection mol ding (LIM), monomers and oligomers are injected into a mold cavity where a rapid polymerization takes place to produce a thermoset article. Advantages of these processes are low cost, low pressure requirement, and flexibiHty in mold configuration. Conventional systems, such as isocyanate with polyol, release Htfle or no volatiles. The generation of substantial volatiles in the mold is obviously undesirable and has represented a significant obstacle to the development of a phenoHc-based LIM system. A phenoHc LIM system based on an... 

Because of low injection pressure, some cost savings are possible in mold and press constmction. Mol ding cycles are somewhat longer than for injection molding. The part must be cooled in the mold long enough to be able to resist swelling from internal gas pressure. In stmctural foam parts there is almost a total absence of sink marks, even in the case of unequal section thickness. Stmctural foam has replaced wood, concrete, sohd plastics, and metals in a variety of appHcations. 

Molding and injection Compression ratio Compression molding pressure (lbf/in. ) Compression molding temperature (°C) Injection molding pressure (Ibf/in. ) Injection molding temperature (°C) Molding qualities Mold (linear) shrinkage (in./in.) Specific volume (Ib )... 

Insulation formed by slurry casting or heat curing under pressure in molds in a number of insulation types. Most common moldings are preformed bends, valve boxes and flange covers. 

In [332] it was noted that the strength of samples cut out at different locations of an article made from filled thermoplastics by pressure molding may differ widely — which is due to the non uniform orientation of the polymer at different locations of the mold. The very high strength parameters of composites with PMF in molded specimens are obviously also due to orientation effects, while for standard mixed samples of similar composition (that is, a matrix which, apart from the filler, contains some superhigh molecular polyethylene imitating the PMF coats) the... 

The operating pressures and shear rates in the extrusion process are considerably lower than they are in molding. As it exits the die, but not necessarily when it leaves the process, the material is in an essentially stress-free condition. Depending on the wall thickness of the material and the particular material, there is orientation of the plastic to a greater or lesser controllable degree. Thin walls produce higher orientation in materials such as PP, that is a highly crystalline polyolefin, and which orients much more than materials such as PVC. 

The basics observed in molded products are always the same only the extent of the features varies depending on the process variables, material properties, and cavity contour. That is the inherent hydrodynamic skin-core structure characteristic of all IM products. However, the ratio of skin thickness to core thickness will vary basically with process conditions and material characteristics, flow rate, and melt-mold temperature difference. These inherent features have given rise to an increase in novel commercial products and applications via coinjection, gas-assisted, low pressure, fusible-core, in-mold decorating, etc. 

A major difference between extrusion and IM is that the extruder processes plastics at a lower pressure and operates continuously. Its pressure usually ranges from 1.4 to 10.4 MPa (200 to 1,500 psi) and could go to 34.5 or 69 MPa (5,000 or possibly 10,000 psi). In IM, pressures go from 14 to 210 MPa (2,000 to 30,000 psi). However, the most important difference is that the IM melt is not continuous it experiences repeatable abrupt changes when the melt is forced into a mold cavity. With these significant differences, it is actually easier to theorize about the extrusion melt behavior as many more controls are required in IM. 

TSs has experienced an extremely low total growth rate, whereas TPs have expanded at an unbelievably high rate. Regardless of the present situation, CM and TM are still important, particularly in the production of certain low-cost products as well as heat-resistant and dimensionally precise products. CM and TM are classified as high-pressure processes, requiring 13.8-69 MPa (2,000 to 10,000 psi) molding pressures. Some TSs, however, require only lower pressures of down to 345 kPa (50 psi) or even just contact (zero pressure). 

In addition to material variables, as reviewed in Chapter 6, there are a number of factors in equipment hardware and controls that cause processing variabilities. They include factors such as accuracy of machining component products, method and degree of accuracy during the assembly of component products, temperature and pressure control capability particularly when interrelated with time and heat transfer uniformity in metal components such as those used in molds and dies. 

Bushko, W. C., et al., Estimates for Material Shrinkage in Molded Parts Caused by Time Varying Cavity Pressure, SPE-ANTEC1997. 

Figure 7 The effect of chamber pressure on the rate of primary drying, (a) 0.18 M methylprednisolone sodium succinate 2 mL in molded vials (2.54 cm2), shelf temperature +45°C. (Smoothed data from Ref. 6.) (b) Dobutamine hydrochloride and mannitol (4% w/w in water), 12 mL in tubing vials (5.7 cm2) and shelf surface temperature +10°C. (MJ Pikal. Unpublished data.) (Modified from Ref. 1.)... 

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