The recyclability of ABS makes it a perfect material for use in reusable applications. Recycling plants can easily shred the plastic parts and mix them up with fresh ABS to use for new parts production.

Designing the parts before the injection molding process makes it possible to determine if producing the part is actually possible. Here are some general principles that work with ABS parts design:

When are thermosetting plastics the right idea? The most common applications for injection-molded thermoset plastics include using cases where the parts must endure high temperatures, repeated exposure to corrosive agents, or other tough conditions. Components for medical devices or in hospital usage often use thermosets due to the intensive disinfection procedures they undergo. The automotive industry also continues to consume a large number of thermosets for high-heat applications. With the appropriate molding technology, though, thermosets open a vast world of possibilities.

Therefore, specialized hardware is necessary for injection molding with thermosets. These units are typically more expensive and apply unique procedures, such as internal screw thermoregulation, to keep the plastics from attaining their crosslinking temperature until they enter the mold. It is, therefore, possible to take advantage of the benefits of injection molding while using thermoset materials.

ABS injection molding is a process that seems pretty easy to achieve. However, its technicalities that only experts understand. This is why it is important to outsource your ABS molding to companies that actually understand the practical principles of the manufacturing process.

It is advisable to keep the backpressure of the ABS injection molding process as low as possible to prevent wear. The acceptable pressure is usually around 5 bar.

The properties the plastic possesses include chemical resistance, hardness, and heat resistance contributed by acrylonitrile. Other properties include impact resistance and toughness (bestowed by butadiene) and strength and gloss contributed by styrene. Despite its wide range of features, it is relatively one of the cheapest plastics to purchase. Also, it is one of the easiest plastics to use in injection molding due to its ease of processability.

The mold is quite vital in determining how the finished ABS product will turn out. Hence, the design of the mold and its gate is quite important in the process. The thickness of the ABS mold ranges between 0.025 – 0.05mm, while the gate length is set at less than 1mm. Also, the diameter of the channel through which the molten ABS flows is set at 3mm, while the vent hole width ranges from 4 – 6mm. Finally, the mold temperature used is always around a range of 60 – 65°C.

Some ABS grades tend to stick to the mold screw after removing the part. So the best way to clean this up is to wait a little bit for the residue to wear off, then clean the compartments of the injection molding machine thoroughly using polystyrene.

After treating the material, the next step is to prepare the ABS molding machine for work. This will involve setting the parameters such as the compression ratio, clamping force, and injection molding pressure. The typical values for these parameters include a compression ratio greater than 2, a clamping force ranging from 4700 to 62000 tonnes per square meter (t/m²), and an injection molding pressure greater than 1500 bar.

If you’re trying to produce some parts using injection molding, it is only right you find out about the cost of the whole process before going ahead. To estimate the costs involved, you need to factor in different costs. Examples of the various costs involved include:

While ABS parts usually have high tensile strength, they can’t withstand heavy loads for long periods because of their poor fatigue resistance. The ABS plastic part might degrade easily if constantly exposed to high-stress environments.

The costs here are responsible for the remuneration of the personnel carrying out the tasks and for the setup and maintenance of the machines. Examples of parameters factored in here include:

When trying to start an ABS injection molding batch, a few factors must be in place. These factors are vital to having successfully molded parts. They include:

The injection molding speed depends on the grade of the ABS plastic and the finished product requirements. For example, flame-resistant ABS plastics can only use slow injection molding speeds. Also, products that require precision surface finishing could require multi-stage, high injection molding speeds.

Before using a piece of ABS plastic for manufacturing, it needs proper drying. The drying temperature used is within the range of 80 – 85°C done for 2 – 4 hours. Another drying method involves using a drying hopper with a temperature of 80°C. However, the latter process only lasts for 1 – 2 hours.

ABS plastic has uses in different industries due to various reasons. Due to its ease of molding, the low cost of production, and resistance to physical and chemical changes, this polymer has become a manufacturer’s favorite. Here are some examples of industries where ABS plastic parts have found use:

Injection molding is a common manufacturing process with different variants depending on the raw material used. One of such variants of the process is the ABS injection molding process. Just as the name implies, the raw material for this injection molding variant is ABS plastic.

Working with thermoset plastics provides more versatility and additional options for solving unique engineering problems. At Reliant Plastics, we offer expertise and years of experience as plastic manufacturers to support clients in diverse industries seeking a reliable solution for thermoset and thermoplastic manufacturing. To further explore the details and logistics of injection molding with thermosets and how they may benefit for your project, send us an inquiry today.

ABS stands for Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene. This plastic material comprises three monomers that make up its name. Each of these monomers contributes its properties to the polymer plastic to give it a wide range of properties.

This section highlights the various steps manufacturers must follow during the ABS plastic molding process. They include:

Other activities carried out during ABS molding processes include decorated moldings using laser marking or hot stamping, ultrasonic welding, etc.

At WayKen, with advanced manufacturing technologies and resources, we can provide our customers with professional rapid prototyping services ., including CNC machining, rapid injection molding, vacuum casting, etc. So, get a quote today, and you can be sure to get high-quality injection molded parts at a competitive price.

Working with an injection molding machine with good temperature control is essential as this process still requires a lot of heat. For example, when the ABS parts in production contain a high level of gloss, the temperature used in production is higher than normal. However, it is important to note that the higher the temperature used for the injection process, the shorter the exposure time should be.

You’ll most likely outsource your production to companies with the necessary equipment. These companies will charge you a separate fee for the equipment used. However, if you plan to get the equipment, you’ll have to dole a sum within the $50,000 – $200,000 range. Apart from buying the equipment, you’ll also have to maintain the equipment, which could cost you a fortune. The cost-effective option will be to outsource the production.

ABS plastic has some hygroscopic properties (it can absorb moisture from the air) and also absorb water around it. However, the presence of water in any molded ABS plastic could cause structural defects in the plastic. Hence, ensuring the ABS plastic used is properly dried is essential. There are two parameter types for drying the plastic: either dry at 80 – 95°C for 3 – 4 hours or use a dry hopper at 80°C for 1 – 2 hours.

Controlling the temperature is crucial during ABS injection molding as overheating the plastic could lead to thermal degradation. This thermal degradation is due to the chemical bonds in the plastic breaking, which could cause brown granules on the finished part.

However, there are many applications that call for a hardier, more robust type of plastic that can withstand challenging environments. In these cases, thermosetting plastics are the material of choice. Once these plastics undergo treatment at high heat and cool again, the polymers they consist of undergo a process called “cross-linking.” The result is a permanent plastic matrix that can’t be altered. Naturally, working with such materials presents a new set of challenges. Can you effectively use thermosetting plastics with injection molding hardware?

The answer is “yes,” but with some caveats. The typical injection molding machine based around the screw auger is not suitable for thermoset plastics due to the nature of the materials. If plastic manufacturers use thermoset plastics in the wrong equipment, it could potentially ruin the entire molding machine as the plastic could set up and crosslink inside the actual augering mechanism.

This is the cost of buying the material (in this case, ABS). You’ll be able to find the material for a cost ranging from $1 to $5 per kg.

To prevent the out-gassing that comes from the flame-retardant ABS plastic absorbing moisture, you need to ensure the material is fully dried. Also, you need to ensure good temperature and residence time control during the injection molding process to prevent thermal degradation of the ABS plastic.

When most people think about injection molding, particularly when designing new components, they imagine the typical process in which hot, molten plastic is injected under pressure into the empty cavity of a mold. Once the plastic cools, it’s ready for removal and the next stage of production. These are thermoplastics, which easily melt under high temperatures and are easy to recycle.

The injection molding temperature used for a particular ABS injection molding process depends on the quality/grade of ABS used. Listed below are examples of some grades of ABS plastic commonly used in ABS plastic molding and the optimum injection molding temperature used:

One of ABS plastic’s major shortcomings is its poor sunlight performance. The material tends to degrade upon constant exposure to sunlight. However, part manufacturers enhance its performance in sunlight by adding additives to the ABS plastic during molding.

ABS is harmless and non-toxic. This is one of many reasons it is a popular plastic material in manufacturing. However, it is not encouraged to use in medical implants.

Despite its acclaimed strength and toughness, this strong plastic isn’t so impervious to UV light. Hence it has limited outdoor use. However, part manufacturers have found ways to manipulate the properties of this plastic to withstand UV light by using various additives and fillers such as acrylic, glass, and stainless steel fibers. These additives alter the properties of the plastic and further enhance its uses for various applications.

Due to the processability of ABS, it is the most suitable material to use in making complex parts. Its processability makes it easy to reproduce complex and functional parts using the plastic. Apart from the parts being accurately produced, they still maintain functional integrity even when used in extreme conditions, thanks to the hardness of the plastic.

This is also known as the tooling costs. This drives up the cost of the ABS injection molding process. There are three different methods used in making injection molds. They include CNC machining, 3D printing, and electrical discharge machining (EDM). These methods can range as low as $100 for low-volume simple 3D-printed molds. The price could also go as high as $100,000 for huge production runs or molds with complex designs.

The residence time is the time it takes for a plastic pellet to move from the injection molding barrel to the injection mold. For ABS plastics, the residence time is usually between 5 – 6 minutes at a temperature lower than 265°C. However, for flame-retardants grade ABS plastic, the residence time is shorter, and the temperature is way lower.

There are many reasons why ABS injection molding is one of the most popular forms of plastic molding. Some of the advantages include:

ABS molded parts are suitable for use in applications that require supporting heavy loads because of their high tensile strength. Their ability to withstand heavy mechanical impacts makes this plastic a good budget option for high tension applications.

With nearly a century of progress in injection molding, these technologies are fully mature and capable of a great amount of manufacturing tasks. Today, the world consumes a massive amount of plastic annually, and plastics form the backbone of many industries as the primary material of choice. However, not all injection molding processes are the same, just as all the materials in use are not homogeneous.

These properties and potential for manipulation make ABS the most widely used polymer in the injection molding process. Want to find out how this plastic is used for manufacturing various finished products? Then, the next section is a must-read.