Plastics Processes: Injection Moulding

Click on the screenshot above to view the "Injection Moulding" animation by Laszlo Lipot

An image showing the Flash animation logo is a link to a Flash animation.

Flash animations are embedded into the pages of all my D&T Modules but there are pictorial links to the animations on this web site so that devices that cannot play Flash animations will at least show a jpeg screenshot of the animation.

If your PC or personal digital assistant (PDA) can play Flash animations you may click on an image showing the Flash animation logo to view the animation in a new window.
(Your browser may require you to click "Allow Blocked Content" to view the animation). See info about viewing Flash animations.

Introduction

Injection moulding is a widely used process in manufacturing. It is a quick way of producing large numbers of identical components such as plastic trays and safety helmets.

Most thermoplastics can be injection moulded, including,

Nylon (PA)
Polycarbonate (PC)
Polypropylene (PP)
Polystyrene (GPPS)
Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS).

The injection moulding process

Polymer pellets are fed into the hopper of the injection moulding machine. The pellets pass to the heated barrel of the injection moulding machine where they melt. The feed screw rams the molten polymer into the mould under great pressure.

When the plastic component in the mould has cooled and solidified sufficiently, the mould is opened and the component is ejected.

CLEAPSS

Please refer to CLEAPSS, Model Risk Assessments for Design and Technology in Secondary Schools and Colleges, Part 1.058 COSHH Regulations.

Plastics Module Directory

Click here to view the PDF version of this resource.