Everything you need to know about Acrylic injection Molding

What is Acrylic Injection Molding?

PMMA, also known as Acrylic or organic galss, is widely used in Plastic Injection Molding process. It is an environment friendly and 100% recyclable material. The clear thermoplastic homopolymer is often used as a more resistant alternative to glass. Acrylic is the most common type of clear, moldable plastic available to the general public, and it can be used from anything to windows and picture frames to fake nails and paint.

In vehicles, PMMA sheets are used in windows of cars, interior and exterior panels, motorcycle windshields, instrument covers, spoilers, fenders, and other ancillaries.It facilitates the benefit of design customization for car manufacturers, owing to its exceptional formability, pleasant acoustic properties, and excellent surface hardness.

The automotive industry has been witnessing growth, in terms of, both, investments and production, especially in countries in the Asia-Pacific region, such as India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.Moreover, regions, such as North America and Europe, have been investing in innovation and development of cars, mainly by using efficient and environment friendly materials. These practices are expected to drive the demand for PMMA, especially from the automotive industry, during the forecast period.

PMMA  product

The fluidity of PMMA is poorer than that of PS, ABS and its melt viscosity is rather sensitive to the change of temperature. In molding, it changes the melt viscosity mainly from the injection temperature. PMMA is an amorphous polymer, the melt temperature is above 160 Celsius degree and the decomposition temperature can reach 270 Celsius degree.

1. Processing of plastic
   PMMA has a certain degree of water absorption of 0.3-0.4%. The injection molding moisture must be less than 0.1%. Typically, it is 0.04%. The presence of moisture makes the melt bubbles, gas lines, and low transparency. So it should be dried. Dying temperature is 80-90 Celsius degree and drying time is 3 hours or above. In some cases, the utilization of recycled materials can reach 100%. The actual quantity depends on the requirements on quality. Usually, it can reach 30%, you should make sure there is no pollution of recycled materials, or it will influence the transparency and the nature of the finished products.
2. Selection of injection molding machine
   PMMA doesn’t have special requirements for the injection molding machine. Due to the great melt viscosity, it requires the grooves deeper and nozzle hole a larger diameter. If need higher strength requirements of products, you should use a larger aspect ratio of the screw to implement low-temperature plastics. In addition, PMMA must use drying hopper to store material.
3. Design of mold and gate
   Mold temperature can be 60 -80 Celsius degree, The diameter of the sprue should match up with the internal taper. The optimum angle is 5 to 7, if the products of injecting molding are 4mm or more, the angle should be 7, the diameter of the mainstream channel is 8 to 10 mm, the overall length of the gate should not exceed 50 mm.

For the products with wall thickness less than 4mm, the diameter of the flow channel should be 6-8mm. For the wall thickness is more than 4mm, the diameter of the flow channel should be 8-12mm. Depth of gon, fan-shaped and tabs-shaped gate should be 0.7 to 0.9t(t is the wall thickness of product), the diameter of pin gate should be 0.8to 2mm; The product with lower viscosity should choose the smaller size. The common venting hole’s depth is 0.05 to 0.07mm, width is 6mm, the stripping slope 30′-1, cavity portions are between 35′-1 and 30.

1. Melt temperature
   You can use air injection method to measure temperature ranging from 210-270 Celsius degree, which depends on the information provided by the supplier.
2. Injection temperature
   You can use rapid injection to avoid generating a high degree of internal stress. It’s suitable to use multi-level injection, such as slow – fast – slow, etc. When injecting the thick parts, you should use the slow speed.
3. Dwell time
   If the temperature is 260 Celsius degree, the dwell time is within 10 minutes. If the temperature is 270 Celsius degree, the dwell time is within 8 minutes.

HS MOLD has a range of injection molding machines from 50 Tonnage to 650 Tonnage for Acrylic or PMMA injection molding service. Each year we produce millions of Acrylic plastic molded parts for our oversea customers. If you are looking for transparent injection molding service or any other customer molding service or wonder about Acrylic, pls contect us by email or add my whatsapp:+86-15625110455