Plastic Part Design
Plastic Part Design
Plastic Part Design
net
Steven cheng
TOPWORKS PLASTIC MOLD
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corners since it encourages pressure drops better designs. Multiple smaller ribs, or a
and dead pressure flow areas. If nonuniform single large yet thin rib, are more effective
section thickness is used, and thin part than one large, thick rib. This can be
sections feed thicker sections, the pressure demonstrated by calculating the stiffening
will drop in the thicker section. That may effects of each option. In the case of thinner
mean that the part is not sufficiently filled. rib sections, molding and part problems are
On top of this, the thin section could cut, and the part gains additional impact
become over-packed when trying to fill the resistance because molded-in stresses in
thicker section. these areas are lowered.
Designers will, therefore, need to transition
and core out thick sections, to make the part
thickness as uniform as it can be. Not only
does this reduce these internal sinks and
voids, but it also makes the part stronger,
and saves on wasted materials.
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be marked for drilling later in a secondary good idea to situate bosses behind the
operation. If countersunk bind holes are nonvisible surface of a part. Should bosses
needed, lA of the section thickness should or ribs not be designed correctly, then this
be retained. This will allow the material flow can lead to weld-line, void, and sink
to minimize the weld-line formation problems in the parts. Whether the boss is
opposite the hole. Where blind holes are open or blind, they will still require radii, and
concerned, the minimum thickness of the need to have a uniform wall thickness
bottom should be at least ]/6 diameter. With throughout. To ensure this, without
reinforced materials, the part’s weld-line compromising on strength, the boss may be
strength can be calculated by using the strengthened and supported through
parent resin,s strength. additional ribs.
The reason for this is that reinforcements
such as glass fibers will not flow over the
weld-line to link with the opposing melt
front. Even when using an external flow tab,
reinforcement interflow is unlikely until the
fronts are suitably far away from any
obstruction. In the case of some part
designs, the weld-lines may well be highly
visible. For instance, using colors or
reinforced materials means noticeable
surface variations will occur as the knit line.
To increase weld-line strength, the melt
temperature of the resin may be raised, or
the mold itself heated. There are usually The final dimensions of the boss will largely
more issues with weld-line strength when be determined by the type of fastener used
using amorphous resins since they have a within it. Material suppliers will be able to
lower softening temperature and higher recommend the optimum boss design for
melt viscosity. Crystalline resins,which have their own respective material. This design is
a sharper melting point , may cool and based around the insert or screw type
freeze off faster, leading to a weak weld-line required for the attachment, as well as its
joint. Using flow tabs with sufficient venting, necessary holding strength.
increased melt temperature, localized cavity There are, however, other methods of boss
heating, and hotter mold temperatures can design. These require through holes in order
limit these weld-line effects, and thereby to cut surface effects, while also increasing
improve joint strength. the strength of the boss and weld-line. This
technique is quite similar to the one used for
⚫ Bosses blind holes, allowing the material to flow
Bosses act as the assembly point for mating around and through the bottom section of
parts. As such, they will need to be designed the boss. The base of the boss can then be
with a good strength of attachment in mind, drilled out in an additional operation, which
but at the same time, not cause any will complete the part’s requirements. That
problems with the part’s surface or being said, it is essential that part designers
appearance. To help prevent the latter, it’s a keep the molding, assembly function, and
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insert location, and cuts down dramatically 0.6 inches into the mold cavity to
on the stress on the boss. give a superior seal off and prevent
On the other hand, the reasons for using resin contamination to threads.
molded-in inserts are a bit more 3. Below the insert, the thickness
complicated. While they are cheaper and should be at least 1/6 of the insert
have the advantage of being permanent, diameter to add weld-line strength.
there are still factors which need to be 4. Toughened grades of materials,
considered before they are chosen. The with higher elongations, will lower
following problems may occur when using the risk of boss stress cracking.
molded-in inserts: 5. Inserts must be clean and free of oil
1. Loading the inserts by hand will or grease.
necessarily disrupt the molding 6. With high-shrinkage resins, the
cycle. While the use of robots will inserts should be preheated to
prolong the cycle, it will at least even lower part shrinkage and improve
it out. weld-line strength.
2. Inserts can become unattached or 7. A thorough end-use test should be
float, which will damage the mold. carried out, it could test the part
3. Degreasing and preheating is through temperature ranges and
required to cut down on boss stress. stress and vibration loading, to
4. Salvaging rejected parts with inserts check for any problems with the
is much more expensive. selected assembly method.
5. In order to avoid flash in the
threaded areas, a tight shutoff is ⚫ Tolerances:
needed at the insert mold face. A high degree of accuracy in molded parts
The weld-line strength around the inserts is is expensive to achieve. On small tolerances
also something that needs to be considered. as close as -0.002 in. On large pieces,
Boss inserts for molding should be designed tolerances of about 土 0.001 to 0.002 in. per
around the existing criteria for keeping in. are obtainable. Tolerances closer than
weld-line formation to a minimum and actually mandatory should not be specified;
avoiding lines that are too visible. When as specified accuracy increases, cost
using reinforced resins, the weld-line increases disproportionately.
strength might only be 60% of the
unreinforced resin due to a weak bonding ⚫ General principle
along the knit line. However, the boss
strength at the mold line can be boosted by Though it is difficult to generalize about
putting a rib at the weld-line junction. By design factors for injection, compression
using multiple ribs, one can add additional and transfer moldings, the following design
rigidity and strength. The following factors rules should be considered:
should also be considered when using 1. Use sufficient draft on long thin
inserts: shapes to permit their withdrawal
1. Avoid sharp corners, and include an from the mold.
undercut to increase pullout 2. Minimize coring. When cores are
strength. used they should be easy to
2. The insert should protrude at least withdraw.
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