SELF-EXTINGUISHING – The term applied to a flammable material that will cease burning when the source of heat is removed. Usually expressed in time elapsed.

MICA – Any of a group of mineral silicates crystallizing in monoclinic forms that readily separate into very thin leaves. Used as a filler for plastics molding materials.

REINFORCED MOLDING COMPOUND – A material reinforced with special fillers to meet specific requirements (glass, carbon, etc.)

ELECTRIC DISCHARGE MACHINING (EDM) – A metal working process applicable to mold construction in which controlled sparking is used to erode away the work piece.

PERFORM – A pill, tablet, or biscuit used in thermoset molding. Material measured by volume, the bulk factor of powder reduced by pressure all in the interest of efficiency and accuracy.

RESIN – Any of a class of solid or semi-solid organic products of natural or synthetic origin, generally of high molecular weight with no definite melting point. Most resins are polymers.

CAVITY – Depression in mold, which usually forms the outer surface of the molded part; depending on number of such depressions, molds are designated as a single cavity or multi-cavity.

CORE – (1) Male element in a die which produces a hole or recess in part. (2) Part of a complex mold that molds undercut parts. Cores are usually withdrawn to one side before the main sections of the mold opens. (Usually called Side Cores.) (3) A channel in a mold for circulation of a heat-transfer medium. Also called “Force.”

Valencia Plastics is your leading full-service injection molded plastics manufacturer. Our products are made with various materials, including urethane, polyurethane, nylon, acrylic, and polycarbonate. We offer a wide range of sizes from miniature items up to 7 lbs. large parts. We are ISO 9001:2015 compliant. Industries we serve include electrical, military, automotive, aerospace, and...

SHELF LIFE – An expression to describe the time a molding compound can be stored without losing any of its original physical or molding properties.

CURE – To change the physical properties of a material by chemical reaction, which may be condensation, polymerization, or vulcanization: usually accomplished by the action of heat and catalysts along with or in combination with or without pressure.

PLASTICIZER – A material incorporated in a plastic to increase its workability and its flexibility or distensibility normally used in thermoplastics.

MELT INDEX – The amount, in grams, of a thermoplastic resin which can be forced through a 0.0825 inch orifice when subjected to 2160 grams force in 10 minutes at 190°C.

PLASTICIZE – To soften a material and make it plastic or moldable, either by means of a plasticizer or the application of heat.

TAB GATED – A small removable tab of approximately the same thickness as the mold item, usually located perpendicular to the molded part. The tab is used as a site for edge gate location, usually on items with large flat areas.

BUBBLER – A device inserted into a mold cavity or core, which allows water to flow deep inside the hole into which it is inserted and to discharge through the open end of hole. Uniform cooling of the molds and of isolated mold sections can be achieved in this manner.

PROTOTYPE MOLD – A simplified mold construction often made from a light metal casting alloy or from an epoxy resin in order to obtain information for the final mold and/or part design.

ULTRASONIC INSERTION – The inserting of a metal insert into a thermoplastic part by the application of vibratory mechanical pressure at ultrasonic frequencies.

LAMINATED PLASTICS (Synthetic resin-bonded laminate, laminate) – A plastics material consisting of superimposed layers of a synthetic resin-impregnated or coated filler which have been bonded together, usually by means of heat and pressure, to form a single piece.

EMBOSSING – Techniques used to create depressions of a specific pattern in plastics film and sheeting. Such embossing in the form of surface patterns on molded part by the treatment of the mold surface by photoengraving or other process.

DISCOLORATION – Any change from the original color, often caused by overheating, light exposure irradiation or chemical attack.

CARBON BLACK – A black pigment produced by the incomplete burning of natural gas or oil. Widely used as a filler, particularly in the rubber industry due to its useful ultraviolet protective properties. It is also much used in molding compounds intended for outside weathering applications.

FLOW MARKS – Wavy surface appearance on a molded object caused by improper flow of the material into the mold. See SPLAY MARKS.

METERING SCREW – An extrusion screw which has a shallow constant depth and constant pitch section over, usually the last 3 to 4 flights.

WELDING – Joining thermoplastic pieces by one of several heat-softening processes: Butt fusion, spin welding, ultrasonic, and hot gas are several methods.

ANNEAL – (1) To heat a molded plastic article to a predetermined temperature and slowly cool it to relieve stresses. (2) To heat steel to a predetermined temperature above the critical range and slowly cool it, to relieve stresses and reduce harness. (Annealing of molded or machined parts may be done dry as in an oven or wet as in a heated tank of mineral oil.)

MOLD SEAM – A line formed by mold construction such as removable members in cavity, cam slides, etc. (Not to be confused with mold parting line).

Hi-Rel Plastics & Molding, Inc. offers injection molding for a variety of industries. We can process an almost infinite variety of thermoplastic resins, our prices are competitive, our delivery is on time, and we provide superior customer service. Value-added services include label application, assembly services, and custom packaging and shipping. Our team has the knowledge and expertise to...

MOLDING MATERIAL – Plastic material in varying stages of granulation often comprising resin, filler, pigments, plasticizers and other ingredients, ready for use in the molding operation. Also called “Molding Compound’ or ‘Powder.”

ORIENTATION – The alignment of the crystalline structure in polymeric materials so as to produce a highly uniform structure. Can be accomplished by cold drawing or stretching during fabrication.

PLASTICITY – A property of plastics which allows the material to be deformed continuously and permanently without rupture upon the application of a force that exceeds the yield value of the material.

ELASTICITY – That property of a material by virtue of which it tends to recover its original size and shape after deformation.

RUNNER SYSTEM – The term usually applied to all the material in the form of sprues, runners and gates which lead material from the nozzle of an injection machine or the pot of a transfer mold to the mold cavity.

COMPRESSION MOLD – A mold which is open when the material is introduced and which shapes the material by heat and by the pressure of closing.

On the outside of a part, side-actions create undercuts. The undercuts must be on the parting line or related to it. They must also be in the same plane as the parting line and perpendicular to the mold's opening direction.

SINK MARK – A depression or dimple on the surface of an injection molded part due to collapsing of the surface following local internal shrinkage after the gate seals. May also be caused by a short shot.

Proof of concept/testing: Rapid prototyping makes it easier to do real-world design testing and debugging. It also permits the manufacturing of new tooling that incorporates design modifications and upgrades in a timely and exact manner.

CORING – (Molded part design) — The removal of excess material from the cross section of a molded part to attain a more uniform wall thickness.

POLYMERIZATION – A chemical reaction in which the molecules of a monomer are linked together to form large molecules whose molecular weight is a multiple of that of the original substance. When two or more monomers are involved, the process is called copolymerization or heteropolymerization.

CAST – To form a “plastic” object by pouring a fluid monomer-polymer solution into an open mold where it finishes polymerizing.

MOLDING PRESSURE – The pressure applied directly or indirectly on the compound to allow the complete transformation to a solid dense part.

In cases where fast-tracking and early cost control are required, economic and quick rapid injection molding techniques can yield molds that are better suited to low-volume production runs. Engineers employ what's known as "rapid injection molding" when they need to make parts fast.

DISHED – Showing a symmetrical distortion of a flat or curved section of a plastic object so that as normally viewed it appears concave, or more concave than intended. See—WARP.

Thermoplastic molding is a manufacturing process that works to create fully functional parts by injecting plastic resin into a pre-made mold. Thermoplastic polymers are more widely used than thermosetting...

POLYMER – A high-molecular-weight organic compound, natural or synthetic, whose structure can be represented by a repeated small unit, the MER: e.g., polyethylene, rubber, cellulose. Synthetic polymers are formed by addition or condensation polymerization of monomers. If two or more monomers are involved, a copolymer is obtained. Some polymers are elastomers, some plastics.

Rapid injection molding is the technique of creating prototype, bridging, and short production run injection molds in a shorter time and at a lower cost than full production molds. Injection molds for long manufacturing runs are often exceedingly expensive and time-consuming. Read More…

DOMED – Showing a symmetrical distortion of a flat or curved section of a plastic object, so that, as normally viewed, it appears convex, or more convex than intended. See—WARP.

IMPACT STRENGTH – (1) The ability of a material to withstand shock loading. (2) The work done in fracturing, under shock loading, a specified test specimen in a specified manner. (3) Molded plastics are usually given a value on an izod scale. An Izod impact test is designed to determine the resistance of a plastics material to a shock loading, it involves the notching of a specimen, which is then placed in the jaws of the machine and struck with a weighted pendulum.

The overall method of rapid injection molding is very similar to that of normal injection molding; it is merely a speedier approach to the process in order to have a prototype dispatched sooner.

MOLDING SHRINKAGE – The difference in dimensions, expressed in inches per inch, between a molding and the mold cavity in which it was molded, both the mold and the molding being at normal room temperature when measured. Also called “Mold Shrinkage”, or “Shrinkage”, and “Contraction”.

FIBER – This term usually refers to thin fibers of glass which are used to reinforce both thermoplastic and thermosetting materials. One-inch long fibers are occasionally used, but the more commonly used fiber lengths are 1/2″ and 1/4″ or less.

ALLOY – Composite material made up by blending polymers or copolymers with other polymers or elastomers under selected conditions. e.g., styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer resins blended with butadiene-acrvlonitrile rubbers.

Competitive pricing: The quick tooling process' affordability significantly influences and benefits the clients' bottom line.

THERMOSET – A material that will undergo or has undergone a chemical reaction by the action of heat and pressure, catalysts, ultra-violet light, etc., leading to a relatively infusible state. Typical of the plastics in the thermosetting family are the aminos (melamine and urea), most polyesters, alkyds, epoxies, and phenolics.

A plastic gear is a toothed wheel made up of engineering plastic materials that work with others to alter the relation between the speed of an engine and the speed of the driven parts. The engineering plastic materials used in manufacturing plastic gears can be...

NOZZLE – The hollow cored metal nose screwed into the extrusion end of (a) the heating cylinder of an injection machine, or (b) a transfer chamber where this is a separate structure.

PREHEATING – The heating of a compound prior to molding or casting in order to facilitate the operation, reduce cycle, and improve product.

CYCLE – The complete repeating sequence of operations in a process or part of a process. In molding, the cycle time is the period or elapsed time between a certain point in one cycle and the same point in the next.

Thick walls are removed by coring out portions. A well-molded item performs the same functions. Unnecessary thickness can change the proportions of a product, impair its strength, and need post-process machining.

PURGING – Cleaning one color or type of material from the cylinder of an injection molding machine or extruder by forcing it out with the new color or material to be used in subsequent production. Purging materials are also available.

SINTERING – In forming articles from fusible powders (e.g. nylon), the process of holding the pressed-powder article at a temperature just below its melting point for about 1/2 hour. Particles are fused (sintered) together, but the mass as a whole does not melt.

VACUUM METALIZING – Process in which surfaces are thinly coated with metal by exposing them to the vapor of metal that has been evaporated under vacuum (one millionth of normal atmospheric pressure.)

TOLERANCE – A specified allowance for deviations in weighing, measuring, etc., or for deviations from the standard dimensions or weight.

DEFLASHING – Covers the range of finishing techniques used to remove the flash (excess, unwanted material) on a plastic molding such as filing, sanding, milling, tumbling, etc.

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TIE BARS – Bars which provide structural rigidity to the clamping mechanism of a press often used to guide platen movement.

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RETAINER PLATE – The plate on which demountable pieces, such as mold cavities, ejector pins, guide pins, and bushings are mounted during molding: usually drilled for water lines.

BURNED – Showing evidence of thermal decomposition through some discoloration, distortion or localized destruction of the surface of the plastic.

ELECTRONIC TREATING – A method of oxidizing a film of polyethylene to render it printable by passing the film between electrodes and subjecting it to a high voltage corona discharge.

COOLING CHANNELS – Channels or passageways located within the body of a mold through which a cooling medium can be circulated to control temperature on the mold surface. May also be used for heating a mold by circulating steam, hot oil or other heated fluid through channels as in molding of the thermosetting and some thermoplastic materials.

CENTER GATED MOLD – An injection or transfer mold wherein the cavity is filled with molding material through a sprue or gate directly into the center of the part.

REINFORCEMENT – A strong inert material bound into a plastic to improve its strength, stiffness, and impact resistance. Reinforcements are usually long fibers of glass, sisal, cotton, etc. — in woven or nonwoven form.

UNDERCUT – (a.) Having a protrusion or indentation that impedes withdrawal from a two-piece, rigid mold. Flexible materials can be ejected intact even with slight undercuts. (n.) Any such protrusion or indentation; depends also on design of mold.

As much as feasible, draft (slope the vertical walls) to make it easier to expel pieces without drag marks or ejector punch marks. Drafting allows designers to build deeper features when milling deep walls and avoids tool clatter and cosmetic faults. Use 1 degree of draft or more if space allows, and use 2 degrees or greater on core-cavity designs. A rough rule of thumb is one degree of draft for each of the first two inches of depth. From 2 to 4 inches in depth, either a 3-degree draft or a minimum thickness of 1/8 inch may be necessary.

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Plastic injection molding, or commonly referred to as injection molding, is a manufacturing process used in the mass fabrication of plastic parts. It involves an injection of molten plastic material into the mold where it cools and...

ROCKWELL HARDNESS – A common method of testing material for resistance to indentation in which a diamond or steel ball, under pressure, is used to pierce the test specimen.

Many of the products used daily are made possible by producers and suppliers of rubber and plastic. These substances are robust, adaptable, and capable of practically any shape required for various industrial purposes...

PERMANENT SET – The increase in length expressed in a percentage of the original length, by which an elastic material fails to return to original length after being stressed for a standard period of time.

RUBBER – An elastomer capable of rapid elastic recovery after being stretched to at least twice its length at temperatures from 0 to 150°F at any humidity.

Faster time to market: Fast manufacturing and precise tooling contribute to production efficiency, allowing for a faster time to market than alternative approaches.

CURING TEMPERATURE – Temperature at which a cast, molded or extruded product, a resin-impregnated reinforcing material, or adhesive etc., is subjected to curing.

SHOT CAPACITY – The maximum weight of material which a machine can produce from one forward motion of the plunger or screw.

Fast processing: Because prototype tooling produces rapid results, the time between development and production is kept to a minimum.

AUTOMATIC MOLD – A mold for injection, compression or transfer molding that repeatedly goes through the entire molding cycle, including ejection, without human assistance.

CREEP – The dimensional change with time of a material under load, following the initial instantaneous elastic deformation. Creep at room temperature is sometimes called “Cold Flow”.

COMPRESSION RATIO – In an extruder screw, the ratio of volume available in the first flight at the hopper to the last flight at the end of the screw.

SILK SCREEN PRINTING – This printing method, in its basic form, involves laying a pattern of an insoluble material, in outline, on a finely woven fabric, so that when ink is drawn across it, it is able to pass through the screen only in the desired areas. Also called “Screen Process Decorating”.

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CLAMPING FORCE – In injection molding and in transfer molding, the pressure which is applied to the mold to keep it closed, in opposition to the fluid pressure of the compressed molding material, within the mold cavity (cavities) and the runner system.

EXTRUSION – The compacting of a plastic material and the forcing of it through an orifice in more or less continuous fashion.

COOLING FIXTURE – Block of metal or wood holding the shape of a molded piece which is used to maintain the proper shape or dimensional accuracy of a molding after it is removed from the mold until it is cool enough to retain its shape without further appreciable distortion. Also called: ‘Shrink Fixture’.

FLASH – Extra plastic attached to a molding along the parting line; under most conditions it would be objectionable and must be removed before the parts are acceptable.

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ELASTOMER – A material which at room temperature stretches under low stress to at least twice its length and snaps back to the original length upon release of stress. See RUBBER.

PLASTIC – Natural and synthetic material and chemicals that can be transformed into a solid, as either or both heat and pressure is applied.

MOVABLE PLATEN – The moving platen of an injection or compression molding machine to which half of the mold is secured during operation. This platen is moved either by a hydraulic ram or a toggle mechanism.

PITCH – The distance from any point on the flight of a screw line to the corresponding point on an adjacent flight, measured parallel to the axis of the screw line or threading.

Because of their versatility and numerous physical qualities, thermoplastics are among the most often used materials in injection molding. As a result, they can be used in a wide range of industrial applications.

BLISTER – A raised area on the surface of a molding caused by the pressure of gases inside it on its incompletely hardened surface.

ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS CRACKING (ESC) – The susceptibility of a thermoplastic article to crack or craze formation under the influence of certain chemicals or aging, or weather and stress.

FOIL DECORATING – Molding paper, textile, or plastic foils printed with compatible inks directly into a plastic part so that the foil is visible below the surface of the part as integral decoration.

HOT/HEATED MANIFOLD MOLD – A thermoplastic injection mold wherein the portion of the mold that contains the runner system has its own heating elements that keep the molding material in a plastic state ready for injection into the cavities from which the manifold is insulated.

MOLD RELEASE – A lubricant used to coat a mold cavity to prevent the molded piece from sticking to it, and thus to facilitate its removal from the mold. Also called “Release Agent.”

SPRUE-BUSHING – A hardened steel insert in an injection mold which contains the tapered sprue hold and has a suitable seat for the nozzle of the injection cylinder.

Blow molding is a type of plastic forming process for creating hollow plastic products made from thermoplastic materials. The process involves heating and inflating a plastic tube known as a parison or preform. The parison...

PRESSURE FORMING – A thermoforming process wherein pressure is used to push the sheet to be formed against the mold surface as opposed to using a vacuum to suck the sheet flat against the mold.

BOSS – Projection on a plastic part designed to add strength, to facilitate alignment during assembly, to provide for fastenings, etc.

LAMINAR FLOW – Laminar flow of thermoplastic resins in a mold is accompanied by solidification of the layer in contact with the mold surface that acts as an insulating tube through which material flows to fill the remainder of the cavity. This type of flow is essential to duplication of the mold surface.

VERTICAL FLASH RING – The clearance between the core and the vertical wall of the cavity in a positive or semi-positive mold; also the ring of excess material which escapes from the cavity into this clearance space.

CONCENTRICITY – Relationship of all inside dimensions to all outside dimensions usually as with diameter expressed in thousandths of an inch TIR (Total Indicator Reading)

Instead of ribs, utilize core-cavity while drafting. Rather than having walls with a thick base, it gives consistent wall thicknesses. It also enables machine shops to grind molds with a better surface polish and provide higher-quality products more quickly.

SCREW PLASTICATING INJECTION MOLDING – A technique in which the plastic is converted from pellets to a viscose melt by means of an extruder screw which is an integral part of the molding machine. Machines are either single stage (in which plastication and injection are done in the same cylinder) or double stage in which the material is plasticated in one cylinder and then fed to a second for injection into a mold.

RAM – The press member that enters the cavity block and exerts pressure on the molding compound designated as the “top force” or “bottom force” by position in the assembly.

DIELECTRIC – Insulating material. In radio frequency preheating, dielectric may refer specifically to the material which is being heated.

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HOT-STAMPING – Engraving operation for marking plastics in which roll leaf is stamped with heated metal dies onto the face of the plastics.

As previously mentioned, the mold is designed with the ultimate product in mind, so it is critical that the customer receives a prototype as soon as possible to guarantee that the final product meets their expectations.

JETTING – Turbulent flow of resin from an undersized gate or thin section into a thicker mold section, as opposed to laminar flow of material progressing radially from a gate to the extremities of the cavity.

ENCAPSULATING – Enclosing an article (usually an electronic component or the like) in a closed envelope of plastic, by immersing the object in a casting resin and allowing the resin to polymerize or, if hot, to cool. See POTTING.

FLASH GATE – Usually a long gate extending from a runner which runs parallel to an edge of a molded part along the flash or parting line of the mold.

Urethane casting is the process of injecting polyurethane and additive resins into a soft mold usually made of silicone elastomer. The casting process is similar to injection molding; injection molding differs by using hard, metal molds...

STRIPPER-PLATE – A plate that strips a molded piece from core pins or core, the stripper-plate is set into operation by the opening of the mold.

EJECTOR RETURN PINS – Projections that push the ejector assembly back as the mold closes: also called Safety Pin, and Position Pushbacks.

DESTATICIZATION – Treating plastics materials to minimize their accumulation of static electricity, and subsequently the amount of dust picked up by the plastics because of such charges. See ANTISTATIC AGENTS.

PREMIX – A molding compound prepared prior to and apart from the molding operations and containing all components required for molding: resin, reinforcement fillers, catalysts, release agents, and other compounds.

INSERT – An integral part of a plastics molding consisting of metal or other material which may be molded into position or may be pressed into the molding after the molding is completed. Also a removable or interchangeable component of the mold.

As one of the Midwest’s oldest plastic molders, Koller-Craft has craftsmanship built into its name. We take pride in our quality injection molding work. Large to small parts, short to long runs. Excelling at product design, prototyping, close tolerance molding, insert molding & secondary services.

HEAT-DISTORTION POINT – The temperature at which a standard test bar deflects 0.010 in. under a stated load of either 66 or 264 psi.

Plastic overmolding is a manufacturing process that involves combining two or more plastic materials to create a single, unified part. The process enhances the functionality, durability, and aesthetics of plastic components by...

PLASTIC TOOLING – Tools e.g. dies, jigs, fixtures, etc., for the metal forming trades constructed of plastics, generally laminates or casting materials.

SIDE CORING OR SIDE DRAW PINS – Projections used to core a hole in a direction other than the line of closing of a mold, and which must be withdrawn before the part is ejected from the mold.

RECIPROCATING SCREW – A combination injection and plasticizing unit in which an extrusion device with a reciprocating screw is used to plasticize the material. Injection of material into a mold can take place by direct extrusion into the mold, or by reciprocating the screw as an injection plunger, or by a combination of the two. When the screw serves as an injection plunger, this unit acts as a holding, measuring, and injection chamber.

HOT-RUNNER MOLD – A thermoplastic injection mold in which the runners are insulated from the chilled cavities and remain hot so that the center of the runner never cools in normal cycle operation. Runners are not, as is the case usually, ejected with the molded pieces.

AGING – The change of a material with time under defined environmental conditions, leading to improvement or deterioration of properties.

SURFACE TREATING – Any method of treating a material so as to alter the surface and render it receptive to inks, paints, lacquers, and adhesives such as chemical, flame, and electronic treating.

OLEFINS – A group of unsaturated hydrocarbons of the general formula CnH2n, and named after the corresponding paraffins by the addition of “ene” or “ylene to the stem. Examples are ethylene and propylene.

COMPRESSION MOLDING – A technique of thermoset molding in which the molding compound (generally preheated) is placed in the heated open mold cavity, mold is closed, under pressure (usually in an hydraulic press) causing the material to flow and completely fill the cavity, pressure being held until the material has cured.

INJECTION MOLDING – A molding procedure whereby a heat-softened plastic material is forced from a cylinder into a cavity which gives the article the desired shape. Used with both thermoplastic and thermosetting materials.

SEGREGATION – A separation of components in a molded article usually denoted by wavy lines and color striations in thermoplastics. In thermosets, usually meaning segregation of resin and filler on surface.

DRY COLORING – Method commonly used by fabricators for coloring plastic by tumble blending uncolored particles of the plastic material with selected dyes and pigments.

PLUNGER – That part of a transfer or injection press that applies pressure on the unmelted plastic material to push it into the chamber, which in turn forces plastic melt at the front of the chamber out through the nozzle. See RAM.

Steel core pins can be used to make these holes in the mold. Steel pins are robust enough to withstand the stress of ejection while also being smooth enough to release the part cleanly and without draft. There should be no cosmetic influence on the finished product; if there is, it will be hidden inside the hole.

THERMOPLASTIC – (a.) Capable of being repeatedly softened by heat and hardened by cooling — (n.) A material that will repeatedly soften when heated and harden when cooled. Typical of the thermoplastic family are the styrene polymers and copolymers, acrylics, cellulosics, polyethylenes, polypropylene, vinyls, nylons, and the various fluorocarbon materials.

TENSILE STRENGTH – The pulling stress, in psi, required to break a given specimen. Area used in computing strength is usually the original, rather than the necked-down area.

Rapid injection molded components are used to create prototype parts for design analysis. While valuable in that regard, quick injection molded components are often not used as a finished product; instead, they might be used as a bridge to production, producing parts for production while the genuine production mold is being created.

DELAMINTATION – The splitting of a plastic material along the plane of its layers. Physical separation or loss of bond between laminate plies. See LAMINATE.

CRYSTALLINITY – A state of molecular structure in some resins which denotes uniformity and compactness of the molecular chains forming the polymer. Normally can be attributed to the formation of solid crystals having a definite geometric form.

SHORE HARDNESS – A method of determining the hardness of a plastic material using a scleroscope. This device consists of a small conical hammer fitted with a diamond point and acting in a glass tube. The hammer is made to strike the material under test and the degree of rebound is noted on a graduated scale. Generally the harder the material the greater will be the rebound.

BLEED – (1) To give up color when in contact with water or a solvent. (2) Undesired movement of certain materials in a plastic (e.g. plasticizers in vinyl) to the surface of the finished article or into an adjacent material. Also called “Migration”. (3) An escape passage at the parting line of a mold, like a vent but deeper, which allows material to escape or bleed out.

SPRUE LOCK OR PULLER – In injection molding, a portion of the plastic composition which is held in the cold slug well by an undercut; used to pull the sprue out of the bushing as the mold is opened. The sprue lock itself is pushed out of the mold by an ejector pin. When the undercut occurs on the cavity block retainer plate, this pin is called the Sprue Ejector Pin.

For 50 years, LTM Plastics has been a leading manufacturer of injection molded plastics. When working with LTM Plastics, our customers can be assured that they are getting high quality products at a competitive price. We pride ourselves on our team’s communication and collaboration with our customers to meet their needs.

TOGGLE ACTION – A mechanism which exerts pressure developed by the application of force on a knee joint. It is used as a method of closing presses and also serves to apply pressure at the same time.

STABILIZER – An ingredient used in the formulation of some plastics to assist in maintaining the physical and chemical properties of the compounded materials at their initial values throughout the processing and service life of the material.

BLOOM – A visible exudation or efflorescence on the surface of a plastic. Bloom can be caused by lubricant, plasticizer, etc.

UV STABALIZER (ULTRAVIOLET) – Any chemical compound which, when admixed with a thermoplastic resin, selectively absorbs UV rays.

FINISH – To complete the secondary work on a molded part so that it is ready for use. Operations such as filing, deflashing, buffing, drilling, tapping, degating are commonly called finishing operations. See SURFACE FINISH.

PLASTISOLS – Mixtures of vinyl resins and plasticizers which can be molded: cast, or converted to continuous films by the application of heat.

KIRKSITE – An alloy of aluminum and zinc used for the construction of blow molds; it imparts high degree of heat conductivity to the mold.

Polyurethane molding is the process of fabricating or manufacturing plastic parts by introducing a urethane polymer system into a tool or mold and allowing it to cure. Like any other type of plastic, the excellent processability...

The method still involves pumping molten plastic into a mold designed to fit the final product, then allowing it to cool, harden, and adopt the shape of the mold. Following the hardening and removal of the material from the mold, the product undergoes several secondary finishing operations to verify that all customer requirements are met.

CHROMIUM PLATING – An electrolytic process that deposits a hard film of chromium metal onto working surfaces of other metals where resistance to corrosion, abrasion and/or erosion is needed.

YIELD VALUE – (Yield Strength) The lowest stress at which a material undergoes plastic deformation. Below this stress, the material is elastic; above it, viscous.

THERMAL STRESS CRACKING (TSC) – Crazing and cracking of some thermoplastic resins which results from over-exposure to elevated temperatures.

POTTING – Similar to ENCAPSULATING, except that steps are taken to insure complete penetration of all the voids in the object before the resin polymerizes.

Abtec, Inc. is a manufacturer of injection molded thermoplastics for high-tech OEMs. Since 1981, we have provided quality injection molded plastics and engineering services to such industries as automotive, aerospace, dental, electronics, food handling, nuclear, reprographics and more. Our 21,000 square feet building operates 24-hours a day, 5 days a week. Contact us today!

ULTRASONIC SEALING OR BONDING – A sealing method in which sealing is accomplished through the application of vibratory mechanical pressure at ultrasonic frequencies (20 to 40 kc.). Electrical energy is converted to ultrasonic vibrations through the use of either a magnetostrictive or piezoelectric transducer. The vibratory pressures at the interface in the sealing area develop localized heat losses which melt the plastic surfaces affecting the seal.

STATIONARY PLATEN – The plate of an injection or compression molding machine to which the front plate of the mold is secured during operation. This platen does not move during normal operation.

EJECTOR PIN – Or ejector sleeve. A rod, pin or sleeve which pushes a molding off of a core or out of a cavity of a mold. It is attached to an ejector bar or plate which can be actuated by the ejector rod(s) of the press or by auxiliary hydraulic or air cylinders.

FAMILY MOLD – A multi-cavity mold wherein each of the cavities forms one of the component parts of the assembled finished object. The term often applied to molds wherein parts from different customers are grouped together in one mold for economy of production. Sometimes called “Combination Mold.”

NOTCH SENSITIVITY – The extent to which the sensitivity of a material to fracture is increased by the presence of a surface in homogeneity such as a notch, a sudden change in section, a crack, or a scratch. Low notch sensitivity is usually associated with ductile materials, and high notch sensitivity with brittle materials.

BLOW MOLDING – A method of fabrication of thermoplastic materials in which a parison (hollow tube) is forced into the shape of the mold cavity by internal air pressure. BLUEING OFF — The checking of the accuracy of mold cutoff surfaces by putting a thin coating of Prussian Blue on one-half and checking the blue transfer to the other half.

DWELL – A pause in the application of pressure to a mold made just before the mold is completely closed to allow the escape of gas from the molding material.

SUBMARINE GATE – A type of edge gate where the opening from the runner into the mold is located below the parting line or mold surface as opposed to conventional edge gating where the opening is machined into the surface of the mold. With submarine gates, the part is broken from the runner system on ejection from the mold.

ANTISTATIC AGENT – Agents which, when added to the molding material or applied on the surface of the molded object, make it less conducting (thus hindering the fixation of dust).

PLASTIC DEFORMATION – A change in dimensions of an object under load that is not recovered when the load is removed: opposed to elastic deformation.

SPIN WELDING – A process of fusing two objects together by forcing them together while one of the pair is spinning, until frictional heat melts the interface. Spinning is then stopped and pressure held until they are frozen together.

COLD SLUG – The first material to enter an injection mold. So called because in passing through the sprue orifice it is cooled below the effective molding temperature.

THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY – Ability of a material to conduct heat; physical constant for quantity of heat that passes through unit cube of a substance in unit of time when difference in temperature of two faces is 1°.

FILLER – An additive to resins for the purpose of improving physical properties (impact resistance, hardness, dimensional stability, etc.), or to reduce cost of resin.

Rotational molding, commonly referred to as "rotomolding", is a plastic casting technique used to produce hollow, seamless, and double-walled parts. It uses a hollow mold tool wherein the thermoplastic powdered resin is heated while being rotated and cooled to solidify...

HARDNESS – The resistance of a material to compression and indentation. Among the most important methods of testing this property are Brinell hardness, Rockwell hardness and Shore hardness.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC MOLDING MACHINE – A molding machine in which only part of the operation is controlled by the direct action of a human. The automatic part of the operation is controlled by the machine according to a predetermined program.