Injection molding fine tuning

Advances in simulation technology have led to several attempts to link the results of simulation to the injection-molding machine. One of the difficulties in doing this is that injection-molding machines have characteristics that are not easily accounted for in simulation. For example, the ability of the machine to respond to a desired change in process conditions is not known nor is the performance of the flow check valve. Nevertheless, simulation can be used to get somewhere near an optimum set of process conditions. The setup can then be fine-tuned to optimum performance. 

In melt intercalation, the polymer and layered silicate mixture is annealed above the Jg in either static or flow conditions. Modified layered silicates are usually employed to promote intercalation. The polymer chains spread from the molten mass into the silicate galleries to form either intercalated or delaminated hybrids according to the degree of penetration. The critical factor that determines which type is obtained is probably linked to thermodynamic factors. This method is environmentally benign due to the absence of organic solvents. Furthermore, it is compatible with current industrial processes such as extrusion and injection molding. However, very careful attention has to be paid to finely tune the processing conditions to increase the compatibility of the clay layer surfaces with the polymer matrix. 

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