INJECTION MOLDING:

It is a manufacturing technique for making parts from plastic material. Molten plastic is injected at high pressure into a mold, which is the inverse of the desired shape. The mold is made by a moldmaker from metal, usually either steel or aluminum, and precision-machined to form the features of the desired part. Injection molding is very widely used for manufacturing a variety of parts, from the smallest component to entire body panels of cars.

INJECTION PROCESS:

Heated plastic is forced under pressure into a mould cavity; it is then clamped together and solidifies into the shape of the mould creating the part.

The PC/ABS granules are poured into the Feed hopper, this is pretty much a large open bottom container, which feeds the granules down to the screw. The screw is turned by hydraulic motor that turns the screw feeding the granules up the screw's grooves. The screw travel limit switches set the distance the screw moves. As the PC/ABS granules move up the grooves of the screw, heaters on either side of the screw heat the granules to high temperatures changing their state from solid to liquid plastic.

The hydraulic system uses pumps and oil from the oil tank to close up the male and female mould parts that run along the tie bar, then the liquid PC/ABS is injected into the mould. Since the moulds are clamp shut by the hydraulics the heated plastic is forced under the pressure to take the shape of the mould. The water-cooling channels then cool the mould and the heated plastic solidifies into the part.

Note: PC/ABS stands for amorphous polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer blend.