Initial Process Set-up

The task of initial set-up really starts at the single cavity trial stage. If the reader has arrived at this point with a production tool and without experience of a prototype single cavity tool then a difficult time may be forecast Whether the task involves single or multi-cavity tooling, setting up should follow the same broad principles. The steps are  

Plan for the material to be prepared to the correct strip profile for the injection machine. 

Establish an action plan for the trial. This should take the form of a simple factorial experiment varying stock temperature, cavity temperature and cure time, similar to that shown in Table 6.1. 

Experiment number Cavity temperature ( C) Cure time (s) Stock temperature i°C) 

Experimental design for three variables (example) Note The cure times are defined in terms of the minimum time to produce a component that is free from porosity.  

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