This document summarizes the design and fabrication of a control system for a small, vertical injection molding machine. The control system was designed to regulate two key parameters: the pressure of the pneumatic cylinder for injection and the temperature of the heating chamber. Design work included 3D modeling software. The fabricated machine was then tested successfully, demonstrating injection of material into a mold and achieving the project's objectives of designing and building a functional, portable vertical injection molding machine with a custom control system.
1. ABSTRACT
Metal injection molding (MIM) is a metal working process by which metal powder is mixed with the binder material to form a mixture known as feedstock that will be injected by
plastic processing equipment through a process known as injection mold forming. There is two common injection molding machine used in industry which are vertical and
horizontal type of molding machine. There are also different sizes of the machine. The small injection molding machine usually been used to inject small product that will be
used for testing. Control system is main important part in every modern machine operation. Without control system a machine cannot operate smoothly. Control systems consist
of important parameter that will be consider when operating the machine. In this project, a simple new design of the control system has been designed and fabricated for the
injection molding machine for the metal powder. Two parameters should be controlled were the pressure for the pneumatic cylinder and temperature for heating element that has
been placed around the heating chamber. The study has been made at the earlier stage of the project in order to identify the problem statement that can be related to the project.
Then designing was done by using 3D modeling software. After designed, the fabricating process was undergo using standard manufacturing process such as drilling, grinding,
bending, cutting and many more. After the assembly process and testing been done, the machine was successfully been operated and the injection process was taken place
after the machine operated. This conclude that the project was successfully been designed and fabricated based on the problem statement that been stated and the objectives of
the project was successfully achieved.
Keywords: Metal Injection Molding, Control system, Injection, Molding, Design, Fabricate, Machine
INTRODUCTION
Small injection molding machine has been develop and its
innovation always been renewed to meet with the new
technology and demand. The small injection molding
machine usually been used to inject small product that
will be used for testing.
In order to study about the small injection molding
machine, the design project has been selected to fabricate
the machine that can functionally operate.
This main purpose for this part is to design the functional
control system for the vertical injection molding machine
OBJECTIVE
1.To design and fabricate complete functional portable
vertical injection molding machine.
2.To design the functional control system for the vertical
injection molding machine.
3.To indicate the type of pneumatic cylinder use that will
be connected with plunger for the injection process.
METHODOLOGY
START
Gathering Information
1. Research about vertical
Injection Molding Machine
and Pneumatic System.
1. Design the new product
2. Analyze the existing design of
the vertical injection Molding
machine
Literature Review
Generate the Idea and Design
selection
Product realization
FINISH
Design
Testing
DESIGN AND MODELLING
TC4S Controller
Wiring system for temperature controller
Pneumatic cylinder
Pneumatic System
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Design of the mold that been
injected
Complete MachineController Box
Mold Flow
Mold Flow 1 2 3 4
Time (s) 0.32 4.68 1.07 2.03
Pressure (Mpa) 1 0.3 0.8 0.6
Temperature
(C)
240 240 220 200
CONCLUSION
As the conclusion, the objectives of this project which are, to design and fabricate complete functional
portable vertical injection molding machine, to design the functional control system for the vertical injection
molding machine and lastly to indicate the type of pneumatic cylinder use that will be connected with plunger
for the injection process was successfully achieve. The product was successfully injected into the mold by
using the new machine that has been designed and fabricated.
The two important parameters were identified in the studied and fabrication process of the project. The
parameters are pressure of the injection process and heating chamber temperature. Not enough pressure
causes the mold not to be fully filled due to material crystallizations that taken placed because of the longer
time taken for injection process. While different temperature cause the different of time taken for the mold to
be filled.
® MOHD LUTHFI JAN 2015
MOHD LUTHFI BIN SHAHABUDIN
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Mechanical (EM220)
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
2011505047
Advisor: SAHRIL KUSHAIRI
Commercial Vertical Injection Molding
Machine