Amidst the evolving global markets and shorter product life cycles, mold design faces escalating challenges, and mold side action emerges as a strategic solution, especially when dealing with intricate part geometries or challenging undercuts. Understanding these scenarios forms the foundation for harnessing the full potential of mold-side action.
This article delves into the intricacies of side action in injection molding, lateral mold movement, and off-center mold motion, empowering mold makers, designers, molders, and manufacturers with the knowledge to make informed decisions.
As industry demands evolve, the ability to seamlessly implement mold-side action becomes an invaluable skill set. But don’t worry; we’re here to simplify the complexities for you, providing actionable insights to enhance precision molding capabilities. So, without further ado, let’s explore!
A Brief Overview of Injection Mold Side Actions
Injection mold side actions, often termed inserts or features, play a pivotal role in overcoming the limitations of traditional molding techniques. These additions to the mold enable the creation of undercut geometries, which are essential for intricate part designs.
Unlike straight-pull molds that operate by separating the mold halves, side actions facilitate the molding of features perpendicular to the main parting line.
Incorporating side action injection molding introduces versatility to part geometries, offering designers greater flexibility in shaping their products. However, it’s important to note that while these side actions expand design possibilities, they come with additional costs. Hence, it is important to carefully consider this to better weigh the benefits against production expenses.
Choosing the Right Side Action for Your Injection Mold Based on Their Types
When side actions are unavoidable, it is crucial to understand which type of side action is recommended for your part, as each impacts your tooling costs differently. The following table describes the different types and their use cases.
| Type of Side Action | Description | Use Case |
| Slide | Collapses into place via a cam, creating external undercut features on the part’s exterior. Withdraws as the tool opens. | External features are not formed with the main core and cavity. |
| Lifter | Similar to slides, lifters create and release internal undercut features. Activated by a cam during tool closure and retracted during tool opening. | Internal tabs or overhanging features. |
| Hand-loaded Core | Manually placed features molded around and removed from the part, replaced in each cycle. A cost-effective alternative for prototype and low-volume tooling. Adaptable to different part configurations in one tool. | Used for low-volume tooling where automated slides and lifters might be expensive. |
| Unscrewing Action | Automated screwing machines or manually turning screws are used to create screw or threaded features. They make sure that the screws are carefully twisted and untwisted during the process. This is important to maintain a consistent production of threads. When producing a small number of screws, it might be more cost-effective to do it manually by hand. | Essential for threaded features, especially in consistent, higher-volume production. |
| Collapsible Core | Mechanisms that release a circular undercut feature similar to a lifter. Allows collapsing inward for part ejection clearance. | It is ideal for features with circular undercuts or large internal threads. Ensures smooth part ejection. |
Understanding Mold Side Action: A Practical Guide
Perfect Fit Actions – Cam Pin Method
When considering mold side action, the commonly used cam pin method employs an angled pin to move the core during injection, aiming for a perfect fit when the mold is closed. However, the compressible nature of steel poses challenges.
Even with a perfect fit, plastic pressure during injection can lead to flex, side loading, and compression, causing issues like flash. Understanding the engineering relationships between stress and strain on cores is crucial, and the “FLEA” formula helps calculate core deflection for a given force.
Compression Ruins the Fit
While the cam pin method is intrinsic to the mold, providing unlimited speed has drawbacks. It’s complex to manufacture, usually requires a one-off design, and can result in compression-related issues. Using hydraulic cylinders with heel blocks may improve some aspects but react similarly during injection, compressing the core.
Compression Fit Actions – Cylinder Only Method
Introducing the cylinder-only method involves using a hydraulic cylinder to position and hold the core during injection. The key is ensuring the force from the cylinder exceeds the force on the slide due to plastic pressure. However, hydraulic pressure fluctuations can impact its effectiveness.
Emerging Modular Systems
In mold production evolution, modular systems are gaining ground. They offer cost-effective methods for producing, maintaining, and controlling molds. Modular mold base and cam pin systems provide advantages similar to traditional methods but with added efficiency and reduced production time.
Modular Core Compression Side-Action Systems
The most advanced among modular systems, the core compression side-action system combines hydraulic actuation with a force intensifier to pre-compress the core before, during, and after injection.
This unique system provides zero mold side movement during injection, ensuring precise molding. The force applied is independent of hydraulic pressure once set, offering a more compact and efficient solution than traditional methods.
Key Consideration Before Implementing Mold Side Action
For precision mold side action, make sure to implement the following steps before beginning the injection molding production process:
- Evaluate Mold Requirements: Assess your mold design and part geometry to determine the need for side actions, considering factors like undercuts.
- Select the Right Method: Choose between traditional methods like the cam pin system or explore emerging modular systems based on your production needs and budget.
- Understand Material Dynamics: Recognize the impact of material properties and injection forces on core deflection, emphasizing the importance of steel’s compressible nature.
- Consider Hydraulic Solutions: If opting for hydraulic solutions, carefully analyze the hydraulic cylinder-only method and the emerging modular core compression side-action system.
- Consult with Manufacturers: Engage with professional manufacturers like Prototool for modular systems, understanding their sizing, application, and specific product details for optimal implementation.
Step-by-Step Guide for Implementing Mold Side Action
Once you understand and implement the pre-production steps for precise mold side action, it’s time for you to begin the production process. Here’s what you should consider to ensure an error-free mold side action implementation during production:
Starting Strong: Begin With the Application
Embarking on the journey of incorporating mold side action begins with a thorough understanding of the application. Questions surrounding quality requirements, permissible core mold side movement, and material specifics pave the way for informed decision-making.
Whether it’s a medical implant or a robust waste container, comprehending the intricacies of the process sets the stage for a well-informed design.
Quick Design Selection: A Blueprint for Success
Navigating the myriad of side-action design options necessitates a strategic approach. Considering factors like part tolerances, material injection pressures, and core strokes, a quick design selection process emerges.
If flash tolerance is critical, cam pin methods come to the forefront. A careful review becomes imperative for applications teetering on the edge, while core compression methods stand as guardians against flash zones, ensuring impeccable mold performance.
Operational Efficiency: Balancing Act of Operation and Space
Efficiency in operation and space utilization is a pivotal consideration. The need to move cores with the mold closed, optimal daylight for core opening, and the desire for a compact press size all contribute to this delicate balancing act.
Whether cores align with the parting line or deviate at an angle, the choice between cam pins and core compression systems hinges on these operational nuances.
Mitigating Risks: A Calculated Approach
Risk management takes center stage in the mold side action playbook. Evaluating the repercussions of customer dissatisfaction, mold modifications, or material changes becomes crucial.
While smaller cam pin actions may allow for easier modifications, larger cores and complex molds demand a meticulous upfront design effort. Core compression/zero mold side movement systems emerge as stalwarts, preventing problems and offering advantages in design simplification.
Creative Problem Solving: Thinking Beyond Conventions
Creative problem-solving remains the cornerstone of effective side-action applications, even with a structured approach. Mold design goes beyond shaping parts; it involves cost-effective strategies like smaller bases, modular systems for rapid builds, and simplified layouts.
Thinking ‘outside the box’ becomes the designer’s mandate for optimizing technology and refining problem-solving approaches.
Simplified Recommendations: Choosing Wisely for Optimal Results
As we distill the wealth of information, certain recommendations crystallize. Perfect fit/backup cam pin systems find their niche in low-tolerance parts and short strokes, offering simplicity and speed.
On the other hand, compression fit/zero movement cylinders or modular core compression side-action systems take the lead in high-quality part requirements, off-parting line cores, and scenarios demanding reduced mold base dimensions.
Conclusion
The landscape of Mold side action in injection molding is evolving rapidly, demanding a departure from conventional approaches.
By navigating the intricacies of application, design selection, operational considerations, risk mitigation, and embracing creative problem-solving, professional manufacturers like Prototool can unlock the true potential of side actions in CNC machining processes.
The customized pins and blocks era has yielded a new paradigm where adaptability and precision reign supreme.
