Drag material change in hot runner injection molding
(1. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering,
Central South University， Changsha 410083, P.R.China;
2. Institute of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University,
Changsha 410083, P.R.China)
Central South University， Changsha 410083, P.R.China;
2. Institute of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University,
Changsha 410083, P.R.China)
Abstract: Quick material change is often encountered for the different colors or kinds of polymer in hot runner injecting molding process. Time-costing and incompleteness of material change process often affects the quality and productivity of products. In the practical production, multi-injection or white material as the transition material is often adopted for quick material change. Based on the rheological behavior of the new and the previous plastic melt, the researches on the related problems were carried out. The concept of drag material change was originally presented. The physical and mathematical model on the simultaneous flow process of the new and the previous plastic melt in hot runner were built up, which can well explain the influence of the injection speed, pressure, viscosity difference, temperature and mold structure on the drag material change efficiency. When temperature in different position in the mold was increased and adjusted, the viscosity difference between the two kinds of melt can be controlled. Therefore the material change ability can be greatly improved during the whole material change process, getting rid of more and more difficult changing in the late stage.
Key words: injection molding; hot runner; drag material change process; mold design