2.1. Introduction to injection molding
Injection molding1 is one of the most important polymer processing methods for producing plastic and plastic composite parts. Injection molding of glass fiber reinforced composites2 has the capability of producing near net shape articles having exceptional physical and mechanical properties. The process typically employs a reciprocating single-screw extrusion machine, as shown schematically in Fig. 2.1. The machine is used for transporting, melting and pressurizing the fiber filled polymeric materials, which is fed into the machine in granular form. The polymer melts within the barrel by heat conduction through the barrel wall and via the dissipation of heat generated within the sheared polymer melt. During plastication, the melt accumulates in front of the screw, which is driven back against an adjustable pressure within the hydraulic system until a desired shot size (melt volume) is achieved. This is followed by injection where the screw pushes forward to force the polymer melt through a runner system and into the relatively cold empty cavity of the already closed mold. In order to compensate for any shrinkage caused by the cooling of the melt within the cavity, the melt in front of the screw is held under pressure so as to force more materials into the cavity. When the gate into the mold freezes, no more material can be supplied through the gate and the product cools down further without compensation for shrinkage. The mold temperature is regulated by water that circulates through channels to keep the mold cavity walls at a temperature between room temperature and the glass transition temperature (for amorphous polymers) or the melt temperature (for semi-crystalline polymers) of the polymeric materials. When the product is cooled to a state of sufficient rigidity, which in most cases occur when all regions of the part have cooled down to below glass transition temperature or melt temperature of the polymer, the mold opens and the product is ejected.3,4