Here at UNSW we have 2 CR Clarke desktop injection moulders great for learning, testing and experimenting with the process!

Undercuts refer to part features that cannot be manufactured with a simple 2-part mould because material is in the way while the mould opens or during the ejection of the part. Avoiding undercuts all together is usually the best options as they add cost, complexity and maintenance requirements to the mould.

When the interior of a part solidifies before its surface, a small recess in an otherwise flat surface may appear, called a sink mark.

When 2 flows meet, small hair-like discolorations may develop. These knit lines affect the parts aesthetics, but also they generally decrease the strength of the part.

Draft angle is a taper applied to the vertical walls of the component to be moulded to assist with releasing the part. Walls without draft angle may become stuck in the mould and will have drag marks on their surface.

Injection moulding typically produces parts with tolerances of +/- 0.25mm. Tighter tolerances can be possible in certain situations but increase the cost of manufacture dramatically.

Redesigning the part to remove undercuts or moving the part line can be possible solutions to make the design more feasible.

If you are looking to stretch your program budgets further and reduce the number of manufacturing processes, then our P3 prototype injection molding solution is right for you!

Trapped air in the mold can inhibit the flow of the material during injection, resulting in an incomplete part. Good design can improve the flowability of the melted plastic.

When even the maximum recommended wall thickness is not enough to meet the functional requirements of a part, ribs can be used to improve the strength and stiffness of a part.

Injection moulding is a manufacturing process that melts, injects and sets plastic into a metal mould. The plastics used by injection molding processes are relatively cheap and can be used to achieve a wide variety of properties, so injection molding is popular for creating many packaging and consumer products, like LEGO!

PTI Production Prototype (P3), a capability referred to at PTI as P3, is a central element in our company. This proprietary prototype injection molding solution gives our customers a competitive edge in the market. Our innovative alternative to rapid prototyping and rapid injection molding delivers the benefits of a bridge tool.

For interior edges, use a radius of at least 0.5 x the wall thickness. For exterior edges add a radius equal to the interior radius plus the wall thickness to ensure constant thickness everywhere. This can also help to stop stress concentrating in the sharp corners which can cause weaker parts.

Commercially, injection moulding offers a flexible, consistent and cost-effective process of manufacturing that allows for rapid production of parts in a range of materials. Once the process has been set up and tested, machines can produce thousands of items per hour and once the mould is created (which is the most expensive element) the cost of production per component is relatively low.

Thick sections can lead to various issues such as warping and sinking. Reducing the maximum thickness of the design can be achieved by making the thicker sections hollow is essential. To improve the strength of these sections, ribs can be used to create structures that are of equal strength and stiffness but with reduced wall thickness and weight.

If sections of different thicknesses are required, make the transition as smooth as possible using a chamfer or fillet. This will allow the material to flow more evenly through the mould.

The uniform wall thickness limitations also applies to edges and corners; the transition must be as smooth as possible to ensure good material flow through the mould.

When certain sections cool (and as a result shrink) faster than others, then the part can permanently bend due to internal stresses.

When adding text choose embossed text over engraved text as it is more economical when creating the mould. Raising the text 0.5mm above the part surface will ensure the letters are easy to read.

The outer diameter of the boss should be 2x the nominal diameter of the screw or insert and its inner diameter equal to the diameter of the core of the screw.

As the plastic shrinks, it applies pressure on the mold. During ejection, the walls of the part will slide and scrape against the mold, which can result to drag marks.

To avoid warping and sink marks on the part as the melted material cools down it is important to have uniform wall thicknesses and avoid thick sections if possible.

Bosses consist of cylindrical projections with holes designed to receive screws and other fasteners and assembly hardware, they are very common in injection moulded parts as they are used as points of attachment or assembly.

When designing ribs, use a thickness equal to 0.5 x the main thickness, define a height smaller than 3 x the rib thickness and use a base fillet with a radius greater than 1/4 x the rib thickness. Also make sure to add draft angle!

When you buy a traditional prototype, you are only getting a prototype, and there are several steps to complete before you’ll have an approved, saleable product. With P3 from PTI, the same tool that provides the prototype for testing and design verification can be used for the initial production run. In some low volume scenarios, the one tool is often used for the entire production volumes.