A Study on the Jetting Phenomena in Injection Molding Process

사출성형 공정에서 젯팅 현상에 관한 고찰

Surface defects in injection molded parts are due to the unsteady flow of polymer melt which are related to the geometries of cavity and gate, the operational conditions of injection and the rheological properties of polymer. In this study we have examined jetting phenomena in injection molding process for three kinds of PCs which have different molecular weight and structure, PBT and PC/ABS alloy with several injection speeds. We have used various cavity shapes that are tensile, flexural and impact test specimens with various gate and cavity thicknesses. Through this study we have observed that the formation of surface defect associated with jetting during filling stage in injection molding is strongly related to die swell. This means that the jetting is strongly affected by the elastic property rather than the viscous property in viscoelastic characteristics of molten polymer. Large die swell would eliminate jetting however, the retardation of die swell would stimulate jetting. In the point of mold design, reducing the thickness ratio of cavity to gate can reduce or eliminate jetting and associated surface defects regardless of magnitude of elastic property. It also enlarges process window that can produce steady flow of polymer melt in injection molding.