How Voids Can Occur in Plastic Injection Molded Parts

How Voids can occur in Plastic Injection Molded Parts
An ideal injection molded part would be designed to have walls which are all a constant
thickness. Unfortunately not all injection molded parts are designed this way due to part function
requirements. It is important that part designers to be aware that all thick material sections of a part
are prone to either sink or voids. This article will review part design practices that should be avoided in
order to prevent the formation of voids and sink, as well as how material choice may affect the chances
for formation of voids during molding.
Voids commonly occur in thick material sections in injection molded parts when the molecules
on the outer skin of the part cool and solidify faster than the molecules internal to the part. If the part is
not able to shrink inward due to the outside skin being frozen, the molecules will instead be pulled
toward the surface of the part, creating in internal void.
The causes of void formations in plastic injection molded parts are generally due to thicker
material areas incorporated into the part design, as well as material molecular structure. Figure 1 below
illustrates a part designed with a core that steps down. This results in a very thick area in the part,
where voids can easily form. A quick and robust way to remedy this situation is to core the part as
shown in figure 2. This same practice is represented in figure 3 in a rectangular shape.
Figure 4 below depicts a typical scenario where two walls that come together with different wall
thicknesses create a large mass of material. This large mass of material can easily lead to either sink on
the top wall or a void in this area. The best way to avoid this situation is to ensure that the rib and
similar features are not greater than two-thirds the thickness of the main section of the molding. Also,
adding a taper to a thinner section of the rib can further reduce the formation of sink and voids.
Material selection of an injection molded part can also play a part in the probability for a void to
form. When a part is injection molded, shrinkage will always occur due to the density of the polymer
changing from the processing temperature to the ambient temperature. Designers should keep in mind
that semi-crystalline materials are considerably more prone to shrink than amorphous materials. This is
due to the fact that the molecules in crystalline material will arrange themselves in an orderly manner
once they are cooled below their transition temperature versus an amorphous material.The more shrink
that occurs in the part during the injection molding process the more prone the part is to the
development of voids; specifically in thick walled areas. The addition of fillers with a high l/d ratio,
specifically glass fibers, in any material can also increase the development of voids do to anisotropic
shrinkage or unequal shrinkage of material in the flow direction verses the across flow direction. Fillers
with low l/d values may help to prevent voids, as it acts as a physical barrier to thermoplastic shrink.
Yet, this is dependent on proper “wet-out” between the filler. Poor wet-out leads to voids along the
perimeter of the filler particle(s).
In conclusion, plastic part designers should carefully consider the risks involved when designing
parts that require thick wall sections, crystalline materials, or materials filled with glass fibers. In any of
these cases, the designer should work very closely with the intended molder for parts and the tool
builder to best determine the areas where voids could potentially form. Design modifications should be
considered in order to mitigate the potential for void formation, or the void-prone areas should be
moved to a section of the part where strength is not critical for the particular application.
References
1. Jones, Peter (2008). Mould Design Guide, Shawbury, United Kingdom: Smithers Rapra
Technology Limited.
2. Shoemaker, Jay (2006). Moldflow Design Guide. Munich, Germany: Hanser Publishers.
3. DSM Bright Science. Brighter Living (2011). Design. Retrieved October 4, 2011, from
http://www.dsm.com/en_US/html/dep/Shrinkage.htm
4. Protomold (2007). Designing for Moldability. Retrieved October 4, 2011, from
http://www.onlinetmd.com/FileUploads/file/PM_Design_Moldability.pdf
5. Santa Clara University Engineering Design Center (2006). Shrinkage and warpage. Retrieved
October 4, 2011, from
http://www.dc.engr.scu.edu/cmdoc/dg_doc/develop/process/physics/b3500001.htm

How Voids Can Occur in Plastic Injection Molded Parts

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

How Voids Can Occur in Plastic Injection Molded Parts

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

How Voids Can Occur in Plastic Injection Molded Parts

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

How Voids can occur in Plastic Injection Molded Parts

You might also like