Examples of Multi Component Mould Designs GB PDF

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Know-how Edition Processing Technology
Examples of multi-component mould designs
Examples of multi-component mould designs
1. Denition of multi-component injection moulding

Process technology Numerous processes have already been developed and successfully implemented for producing multi-coloured plastic parts. Such processes include printing, hot stamping, vacuum deposition, or coating, laser inscription, the in-mould laminating of printed lms as part of the IMD process, assembly of individually moulded parts of various colours, and last but not least multi-component injection moulding. All these processes are tried and tested. When deciding on the ideal production method it is important to carry out a comparison of the various options and the different procedures. This is particularly true when it comes to multi-component injection moulding. Multi-component injection moulding may offer a huge range of possibilities, but these can only be used to the full if there is due regard for the manufacturing process when the moulded part is being designed. What really matters in this respect, in addition to the machine equipment, is the mould, the moulds construction and the manner in which it functions, since not all parts can be produced according to the same mould concept. The following documentation therefore provides an overview of the various mould concepts implemented in the area of multi-component injection moulding. Multi-component injection moulding Multi-component injection moulding is a blanket term covering all those processes that involve treating and processing more than one plastic component. This makes it possible to introduce the melt into the cavity via one or more sprue systems inside the mould.
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Two of the processes that can be performed with a sprue system are the techniques of interval injection moulding and sandwich injection moulding, both of which entail the use of a special nozzle to combine the melt streams and deposit them in the conventional mould. The following document deals exclusively with processes that involve several sprue systems and with the special mould technology associated with these. A clear distinction is made in the document between multi-colour and multi-material injection moulding. Multi-colour injection moulding refers to cases where the same material is processed in a variety of colours and multi-material injection moulding to situations where different types of material are used. Multi-colour injection moulding Multi-colour injection moulding involves the production of parts that are made from different coloured plastics. The individual components are not merged, but are kept strictly separate. This means that visual effects can be created by combining areas of different colours or even transparent and optically conductive areas. As a result, the moulded parts are resistant to external inuences such as chemical, thermal and mechanical loads.
Illustration: Examples of multi-colour injection moulding
Multi-material injection moulding
Multi-component injection moulding does not just allow different colours of plastic to be combined, but also different types of plastic. That is why reference is also made to multi-material injection moulding or two component injection moulding. A large proportion of these two component applications are made up of what are known as hard-soft combinations. In the majority of cases, hard-soft combinations consist of a thermoplastic and a thermoplastic elastomer. Consequently, components can be produced, which, in addition to having a hard and abrasion-resistant basic body, also feature soft areas that are able to act as seals and shock absorbers, or can make the part more comfortable to hold (better handling). When combining different materials, attention should be paid to the adhesion properties of the raw materials, as well as to the differences in their shrinkage and thermal expansion properties and their processing temperatures. The adhesive strength which is attained in the interfacial areas may be produced by chemical bonding or mechanical anchoring (e.g. undercut shapes).
Hard-soft combinations
Adhesion
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Illustration: Examples of hard-soft combinations
Elastomer/LSR and thermoplastic combinations In addition to combining thermoplastics with TPEs, it is also possible to create hard-soft combinations from thermoplastics and elastomers such as NBR or liquid silicone rubber (LSR). However, heat separation inside the mould becomes a problem here, since higher temperatures are required for vulcanisation of the elastomers. Even the cold runner systems that are often used for processing LSR, and which prevent premature cross-linking of the material inside the sprue, must be thermally insulated from any hot runner systems that might be used for the thermoplastic components. Of course, with this procedure only those thermoplastics that can withstand the short-term high vulcanising temperatures of the elastomers can be used as the other material in the composite.
Illustration: Hard - soft compounds made from thermoplastics and liquid silicone rubber (LSR)
Assembly injection moulding
In addition to bonding materials in such a way as to make them practically inseparable, it is also possible to join together two incompatible materials to make one moulded part. Due to the geometry of the moulded part and the difference in the shrinkage properties and compatibility of the materials, two halves are created which are attached to one another in such a way that they can move. This means that when the moulded part leaves the mould it is already equipped with an integrated joint, which enables it to move. This dispenses with the need for a distinct assembly process at a later stage. Examples of applications include moveable air exit aps for vehicle interiors and action gures.
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2. Mould concepts for multi-component injection moulding

Along with the machine equipment, the mould, its construction and the manner in which it functions are of the utmost importance. In order to take full advantage of what multi-component technology has to offer, there must be due regard for production when the moulded parts are being designed. It is therefore necessary for part designers to work closely together with mould engineers, since not all parts can be produced using the same mould concept. Mould concepts In principle there are two different types of mould concept. The rst involves transferring the pre-moulded part to another cavity by means of a rotary movement, by hand or by using a robotics system, so that it may then be encapsulated by the second component. This entails switching from one mould cavity to another. The second concept involves the use of internal movements inside the mould to free up space for the next set of components, i.e. only one cavity is used. Rotary moulds The rst process step to be performed when using rotary moulds is the initial production of a pre-moulded part in one of the cavities. Subsequently, during the next step, the part is manoeuvred into the required position by transferring it into a second cavity by means of a rotary movement of 180, so that it can be encapsulated by the second component.
The advantage of using rotary moulds is that pre-moulded parts can be produced at the same time that parts are encapsulated by the second component. Depending on the geometry of the part, the following different design systems are available for performing the rotary movement, whereby either the entire mould half or individual parts of the mould are rotated: Rotation of a stripper plate Rotation of a platen by means of an ejector movement Rotation of an insert Rotation of the moveable mould half Rotation of a central platen
Far more is expected of rotary moulds in terms of precision than of moulds used to produce plastic parts of just one colour, because they must be spot on.
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Altering the mould using an internal movement inside the mould By shifting the cores or sliders inside the mould as part of the composite injection moulding process, hollow spaces can rst of all be closed off and subsequently reopened (see illustration).
The mould can be congured in the following ways: Lifting and lowering movements Sliding movements The advantage offered by this process is that parts can be produced without the need for intermediate opening of the mould and without further transport of the pre-moulded part. However, production is performed in a strict sequence, whereas with rotary moulds simultaneous operations are possible. Transfer by hand or robotic system As an alternative to the rotary movement, the pre-moulded part can also be transferred from the rst cavity to a second one ready for the nal injection stage, either by using conventional means (i.e. by hand) or a robotic system. Transfer is extremely advantageous when working with cross-linking materials such as liquid silicones (LSR), because the mould can be divided into two distinct halves, each of which is completely thermally insulated from the other. Simultaneous direct injection Another variation is the direct simultaneous injection of two components into a single cavity, without having to alter the mould. However, the inevitable consequence of using this process is an uneven dividing line between the two materials with the result that it is only used for parts whose ultimate visual appearance is not of prime concern.
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3. Examples of multi-component mould designs

3.1. Rotary moulds With multi-component injection moulding the pre-moulded parts are generally transferred by means of a rotary movement as described previously. All of the processes - multiple injections, transport of the pre-moulded part, ejection of the nished parts and demoulding of the sprues - are performed automatically as part of the machine cycle. Consequently, the mould has an extremely important part to play here, because it comprises the entire process. As described previously, where multi-colour technology is used, the pre-moulded part is generally transported by means of a rotary movement. This may be performed on an alternating or on a continuous basis and may include rotation of the entire mould half or the rotation of one index platen only. Since the installation of an appropriate rotary drive mechanism in the mould is both time and cost intensive, indexing units have been developed which are mounted in a xed position on the moveable machine mounting platen and which may be utilised universally for different moulds.
3.1.1 The ARBURG indexing unit
Illustration: ARBURG indexing unit designed to be mounted on the moveable mould platen
Indexing units that are geared towards specic machines are a worthwhile accessory for multi-colour injection moulding and enable the costs associated with the mould to be reduced considerably. Since the cost of a machine-related indexing unit is only marginally higher than that for a drive directly integrated into the mould, the investment usually starts paying off from as soon as the second mould. There are generally no technical restrictions on the functionality of the moulds.
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Hydraulic drive
The drive for the indexing unit consists of a hydraulic motor, which is connected and programmed via the core pull control. Pneumatic and temperature connections for the mould are guided through the centre shaft. Indexing units with a servo-electric drive permit much quicker movements compared to hydraulic indexing units. These movements can also be carried out independently of the hydraulic axes of the machine. An additional advantage of the electric drive is that the nal position can be reached with the utmost accuracy without the need for any nal mechanical stop dogs. All the movement sequences and angles of rotation can be programmed directly via the control system and saved together with the mould record.
Electric indexing unit
Illustration: Indexing unit with servo-electric drive
Construction and functioning of the indexing unit The following illustrations show an indexing unit for rotating the entire moveable mould half by 180 or 120. It consists of a rotating inner platen and a xed backing platen which is screwed onto to the mounting platen of the machine. Roller bearings are used to hold the rotating inner platen to its outside diameter, so that it cannot tip forwards. It is driven by an externally located hydraulic motor and the nal positions are marked by mechanical positive stops. The cooling water supply for up to four separate temperature control circuits is connected to the side of the xed platen and is supplied internally to the mould via the centre spindle. Accordingly, the bores for the cooling system must be central to ensure that the mould can be connected. What is more, once the nal positions have been reached, the moulds ejection system can be connected to or disconnected from the machines hydraulic ejector system so that the moulds full functionality is ensured. In addition to performing the ejector movement, it is also possible to perform a lifting or lowering movement inside the mould by means of a stop dog.
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Construction and functioning of indexing units

7 3
11
8 4 6 10
5 9 Indexing unit for alternate rotation of the moveable mould half by 180 1 13 2 3 12 4 Axial bearings of the rotating platen (plain bearings) Stop ring and stop dog Rotating platen drive Cooling connections (up to 4 cooling circuits) Switch and control cam for nal position and 2nd speed Bore for ejector pin Radial bearings of the rotating platen Radial bearings of the cooling shaft Axial bearings of the rotating platen ( roller bearings)
5 6 7
10 Bores for lifting and lowering move ments 11 Mould centring system 12 Stop ring 13 Sliding stop dog connected to hydraulic cylinder
Indexing unit for rotating in one direction by 120 or 180

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Rotation of a single insert
For moulds on which only one insert or platen is to be rotated, the indexing unit can be modied using a special kit so that only one of the moulds spindles is operated. In addition, the indexing units cooling shaft is replaced by the drive bushing (2). An additional platen (3) is mounted onto the ange (4), so that the rotating platen (1) is free to revolve on the inside and will only operate the drive bushing (2). A thermostat block (5), which is connected to the shaft of the mould enables the temperature of the rotating platen or the rotating insert to be moderated. So that the rotating insert or rotating platen can be moved backwards and forwards before rotation, the thermostat block (5) is connected to the machines hydraulic ejector. This enables the start time and the stroke movement for the rotating insert to be programmed precisely via the ejector control system. If an ejector system is still required for the mould, then this must be achieved by means of another core pull.
Illustration: Adaptation of an indexing unit

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3.1.2 Rotation of a stripper plate
With this mould concept, a pre-moulded part is produced in the rst injection direction at the same time that a second component is moulded onto the pre-moulded part from the previous cycle in the second injection direction. Once the holding pressure time and the cooling time have elapsed, the mould is opened. The pre-moulded part and the nished part remain attached to the mould core and are removed from the side that is xed. The tunnel gate connecting with the pre-moulded part and nished part is detached. The mould moves upwards and the central spindle that is connected to the rotating platen is pushed forwards by the machines hydraulic ejector system. By means of this process the mould cores are removed from the pre-moulded and the nished parts. An external attachment on the pre-moulded part ensures that it can come free from the core, but still remains inside the rotating platen. The nished parts and the sprue for the premoulded and nished parts are now free to drop out of the mould. The central spindle rotates the rotating platen by 180. The rotation can be performed using a rack-and-pinion device actuated by a hydraulic cylinder or using an indexing unit with a hydraulic motor. If the sprues or the nished part have not yet dropped out of the mould of their own accord, then this will happen as a result of the centrifugal force generated during rotation. Once the rotation has been performed, only the pre-moulded part will be left inside the mould. The rotating platen is withdrawn again by the hydraulic ejector. The second stations core enters the pre-moulded part and lifts it up. Following the close mould operation, it is possible to resume work with both injection units. Some typical applications involving the rotation of a stripper plate are the production of multi-coloured keyboard elements or switches, whereby abrasion-resistant lettering is incorporated into the component.
The process
Illustration: Examples of applications involving rotation of a stripper plate
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Example 3.1.2: Rotation of a stripper plate
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3.1.3 Rotation of a platen by means of an ejector movement It is not always possible to work with a rotating platen that also acts as a stripper plate. So that the advantages of a rotating platen may be enjoyed (simpler mould construction), this mould concept also allows the part to be removed from the mould using an ejector system. In this case the injection moulding machine must be equipped with an additional core pull. The process Up until the point where the mould is opened, the procedure is identical to that of the system described above. Once the mould opening operation has been performed, the nished part is rst of all ejected by means of an ejector system. The ejector system is operated inside the mould using additional hydraulic cylinders. The rotating platen is connected to the machines hydraulic ejector and this prevents it from lifting up as the part is being ejected. The remainder of the process is the same as for example 3.1.2, i.e. advancing the hydraulic ejector, rotating the rotating platen, retracting the hydraulic ejector and closing the mould.
Illustration: Examples of applications involving rotation of a platen by means of an ejector movement

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Example 3.1.3: Rotation of a platen by means of an ejector movement
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3.1.4 Rotation of an insert
Both the mould concept and the process involved here are identical to those for examples 3.1.2 and 3.1.3. However, in this instance it is not a platen that is rotated, but a single insert inside the mould. As the illustrations show, both the insert and the ejector system can be designed in many different ways.
Illustration: Rotation of an insert
These rst three mould concepts are all used when the mould contours on the moveable and on the xed mould halves have to be swapped over for the second injection stage. Nevertheless, by using lifting and lowering movements, in certain cases it is even possible to change the mould contour for moulds whose moveable mould half is rotated. In such an event, the stamp or inserts must be raised and lowered. These movements inside the moveable mould half can either be driven hydraulically or pneumatically, or mechanically via the indexing unit.
Illustration: Examples of applications involving rotation of an insert

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Example 3.1.4: Rotation of an insert
Figure A
Figure B Design variant: Stripper plate moved by means of a core pull
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3.1.5 Rotation of the moveable mould half In this design the ejector side consists of two identical mould halves. As a result, two ejector systems are also required. As a rule, the premoulded part remains on the core of the moveable mould half and is then rotated by 180 into the second station on the nozzle side, where it is encapsulated by the second component.
Illustration: Examples of applications involving rotation of the moveable mould half
Once the mould has been opened, the nished part is ejected by the ejector system associated with the second injection shot. The ejector system is actuated by an ejector cross, which is connected to the machines hydraulic ejector. If the moulds ejector plates are retracted into the nal position or are actuated a number of times, it is possible to connect the moulds ejector system to the ejector of the ejector cross (see gure B). When the rotational operation is performed, the moulds ejector pins enter a groove in the indexing units rear platen. The moulds ejector pin is connected to the ejection tie bar of the ejector cross in the ejector station.
Illustration: Ejector coupling

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Example 3.1.5: Rotation of the moveable mould half
Figure A
Figure B
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3.1.6 Rotation of the moveable mould half where two sprue systems are used If sprue systems are used (during the rst and second injection shot) in connection with the rotation of the moveable mould half, then the sprues for the rst and second shot must be ejected along with the nished parts. This can be performed using two ejector plates, which are stacked on top of one another. The ejector pins of the sprue distributor are grouped together on the front plate that goes all the way through. The ejector pins of the part are grouped together on the divided rear ejector plates. Both ejector plates can be actuated separately via three ejector pins using the ejector cross on the machine (gure B).
Illustration: Examples of applications involving rotation of the moveable mould half
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Example 3.1.6: Rotation of the moveable mould half
Figure A
Figure B
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3.1.7 Rotation of the moveable mould half along with movement of stamps or inserts In the case of certain applications recesses must be created through the movement of stamps or inserts. The easiest way to perform these movements is again through the use of an indexing unit. Undercut shapes Undercut shapes for mechanical anchoring of the second component can be made available by moving stamps or inserts. This becomes necessary if the two materials to be used in the composite are not conducive to the forming of a chemical bond.
Illustration: Making undercut shapes available through movement of the stamp
Moulded parts bearing symbols or characters which are of a different colour There is a specic type of problem associated with the production of parts that bear characters or symbols of a different colour. Many characters and symbols such as A, B and O, for example, contain one or more islands. These enclosed areas cannot all be injection moulded individually, but must somehow be combined with the area outside them.
Illustration: Switch elements bearing symbols of different colours

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The gure displayed below shows the most commonly used method for lling in the enclosed areas. First, a basic body (pre-moulded part) is moulded in the colour to be used for the characters (1). The lettering on this must be embossed. There also have to be recesses underneath the characters so that the islands can be lled in with the plastic of the other colour during the nal injection stage (2). Access to these recesses is achieved by encapsulation with the second component by moving a stamp.
Illustration: Fashioning of the moulded part in cases where there are enclosed areas
In the case of symbols that are to be illuminated from behind, as is necessary for switches for the automotive industry for example, the connection between the islands and the external contour must be severed when the parts are ejected (see illustration).
Illustration: Fashioning of the moulded part in the case of backlit switches
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The easiest way to move stamps or inserts is to use an indexing unit. Two platens containing the stamps or inserts are lowered into the rst station. Depending on the part this can also be performed in reverse. In order that these lifting and lowering movements may be performed two bores for each of the mould halves are drilled into the indexing unit. At the station where the inserts or stamps are raised, two pins on the rear platen of the indexing unit are inserted into the bores so that they are level with the platens surface. There are no such pins in the other station. The platen can be lowered by means of return pins. The pins in the mould can be sunk into the empty blind holes. During subsequent ejection of the nished parts (gure B) the platen must be raised along with them. It is only then that the moveable mould half can be rotated. The advantage of using rotating platen systems (examples 3.1.23.1.4) is that no additional mechanism is required inside the mould. The stamps or inserts are simply switched over.
Illustration: Example application involving a hard-soft combination handle plate
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Example 3.1.7: Movement of stamps or inserts
Figure A
Figure B
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3.1.8 Rotation of a central platen (staged mould) In the case of certain applications the mould can be constructed as a staged mould. Pre-injection is performed at one stage, with the second part being added at the second stage to produce the nished moulded part. Transfer from the pre-injection station to the nal injection station is achieved by rotating the intermediate platen. The advantage of this concept is that it allows the entire surface of the mould to be exploited. By contrast, in the case of rotary moulds only half of the moulds surface is available, because it has to be divided into areas for the pre-injection and nal injection stages. This type of rotary system also offers advantages with regard to parts that feature widely differing areas of buoyancy, e.g. casing components with an injection moulded seal all the way round. In a case such as this, the part can be moulded centrally so that no asymmetrical buoyancy forces come into play inside the machine. An additional advantage of this system is the reduction it brings in the injection moulding machines clamping force. However, the ip plate system can only be used to a limited extent. This procedure is not suited to situations where mould contours on both sides must be switched. A large number of two-component parts remain on the core on the ejector side during rotation and are ejected from this side. Where components of this kind are concerned, the ip plate must be equipped with two ejector systems, which makes the moulds highly complex and therefore too expensive.
Illustration: Example of an application involving a staged mould
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Example 3.1.8: Rotation of a central platen (staged mould)
Figure A
Figure B
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3.1.9 Rotary moulds for three-component injection moulding As a rule, three-component parts are produced using two or threestation moulds. Two-station mould Where a two-station mould is used, at station 1 the pre-moulded part is produced using two injection units, which both inject simultaneously. The pre-moulded part is transferred to station 2 by rotating the moveable mould platen by 180. The nished moulded part is then produced by encapsulating the pre-moulded part with the third component. Following opening of the mould, the nished part is ejected along with the sprues.
Three-station mould
Where a three-station mould is used, at station 1 a pre-moulded part is produced using the rst injection unit. By rotating the moveable mould platen by 120 the second component can be added at station 2. An additional rotation of 120 transfers the two-component part to station 3, where the nal stage is performed by encapsulating it with the third component. Following opening of the mould, the nished part is again ejected along with the sprues.
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3.1.10 Rotary moulds for four-component injection moulding Two-station mould A two-station mould can be constructed in a similar manner to that described for a three-component mould. In the rst process step, the pre-moulded parts are produced by the simultaneous injection of three components. The entire mould half then rotates by 180 to the second position. Here, the fourth component is injected around the pre-moulded parts to form the nished parts.
Four-station mould
A four-station mould can be used to produce multi-layer plastic parts, for example. The application of regranulated material and resistive layers which hinder the diffusion of oxygen is possible in a simple manner. The illustration depicts the step-by-step build-up of a four-layer moulded part. The innermost layer is produced at the rst station. The mould then cycles by 90 one station further. There, the second component is injected around the rst. The mould half then rotates on to the third station, and nally to the fourth station for the nal production step. Once here, the outer protective layer, or the visible layer of the moulded part, is injected onto the part. After expiration of the cooling period, the nished multi layer part may be demoulded from the cavity. In the actual cycle, each time the mould is opened a completed moulded part is produced.
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3.1.11 Assembly injection moulding using rotary moulds In the case of certain applications, components that have to be joined together after injection moulding can be injection moulded separately using a two-component machine and subsequently assembled inside the mould. These kinds of assembly tasks can be performed by means of twostation rotary moulds, for example. One possible mould concept for assembly injection moulding is illustrated below. This is based on the example of a cable bushing to which an internal seal is to be added.
Illustration: Example application involving a cable bushing with seal to be internally mounted
The process
First of all, each of the two individual components are simultaneously injection moulded at the relevant station. Then, once the mould has been opened, the rst component is transferred to the second station by rotating the insert and is then positioned over the core of the second component. Assembly of the seal and cable bushing is achieved through the movement of a stamp via a core pull. The advantage of assembly injection moulding is that it obviates the need for any additional joining techniques and secondary production operations. Under normal conditions very expensive automation solutions would be required in order to assemble the parts efciently following the injection moulding process.
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Example 3.1.11: Assembly injection moulding
1. Process step Components 1 and 2 injection moulded
2. Process step Mould opened
3. Process step Insert advanced (using hydraulic ejector)
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4. Process step Insert rotated (indexing unit)
5. Process step Insert retracted (using hydraulic ejector) Assembly process via core pull
Assembly process in detail: A sleeve operated by the core pull is used to join the sealing ring and cable bushing together
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6. Process step Insert advanced (using hydraulic ejector) Part is stripped
7. Process step Insert rotated Ejector retracted Mould closed
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3.2 Altering the mould using internal movements inside the mould
During a process referred to as composite injection moulding, hollow areas in the mould are rst closed and later reopened by using sliding cores or inserts. For the production of a part consisting of two components, the rst element of the piece is injected in an initial injection step, after which a second hollow area is opened by pulling a seal slide. Finally, the second component is injected against the rst, whereby the completed piece is produced and can be removed from the mould in its nal form. Another option is to change the mould contour through internal sliding movements inside the mould, following the rst injection shot (see gure B). A particular advantage of composite injection moulding is that production can be carried out in one mould without intermediate opening of the machine and without further transport of the pre-moulded part. However, production is performed in a strict sequence, whereas with rotary moulds simultaneous operations are possible. With regard to the machine, where moulds with internal sliding movements are used, it is necessary to have a sufcient number of freely programmable core pulls. In relation to this, particular attention should be paid to achieving continuous safety monitoring of the movements to avoid disruptions to production. Composite injection moulding may be employed for two or more components, whereby the complexity of the mould rises signicantly with the number of the components. As in all multi-component processes, the chemical and thermal compatibility of the melts as well as other similar process factors must be observed in the selection of materials.
Illustration: Examples of applications involving composite injection moulding
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Example 3.2: Lifting and lowering movements (composite injection moulding)
Figure A
Figure B
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3.3 Transfer by hand or robotic system

In addition to the rotation and composite injection moulding options described, multi-component parts can also be produced by means of mould transfer. This process involves the production of the premoulded part at a preliminary station, which, following opening of the mould, is then transferred to another cavity or another mould using a robotic system or the conventional method (by hand). This means that the moulds can be kept simple, since no rotary movements or internal movements have to be performed. On the one hand it is possible to operate two different machines and therefore two separate moulds at the same time. On the other hand, using a two-component machine, it is also possible to transfer the pre-moulded part inside the mould from one mould half to the other. The pre-requisite for using a two-component machine is that the cycle times for producing the components concerned must be comparable so as to ensure economical use of the two cavities. Example application Rollers with a running surface made from TPE which totally envelops the outer ring can be transported inside a rotary mould, but only at greater cost. In this case, the most economically viable method of production is to transfer the rst injection shot to a second mould contour by hand or using a robotic system (gure A). The main advantages of staged moulds (such as doubling the number of cavities or bringing about a reduction in the machine clamping forces) provide the other alternative of transferring from one stage to another (see gure B).
Illustration: Example application involving roller
Of course, transfer can also be used for other parts that can be relocated to the second mould contour. However, in the case of parts with exacting tolerances or ones that are especially sensitive, it often makes better sense to leave the pre-moulded part on the core and to rotate the moveable mould halves.
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Example 3.3: Transfer from the 1st station to the 2nd by hand or using a robotic system
Figure A
Figure B
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4. Summary
Nowadays, thanks to the ongoing further development of machine and in particular of mould technology, a multitude of product specic solutions involving multi-component technology are possible. These often involve the use of fully automatic rotary moulds of various designs. However, by way of alternative, other techniques such as transfer or insert technologies are also being developed, so that as many application areas as possible are catered for. This often obviates the need for additional joining techniques or secondary operations. The already highly advanced technology makes it possible to achieve robust and efcient large-scale production, whilst maintaining consistently high quality. A special feature of multi-component technology is that it often makes it possible to realise products with tailor-made properties and to provide customer-specic solutions to problems in an efcient manner. It is often possible to create components with highly resistant bonds and multi-functional properties. The multi-component processes are also opening the way for new design possibilities as far as components are concerned and for new methods of reducing production costs. In future, we can therefore expect multi-component technology to play an even greater role. In particular, there is still a long way to go before the potential of hard-soft combinations is fully realised, which continues to promise a multitude of interesting possibilities in terms of component design. Similarly, there is no doubt that a considerable number of functional components can be produced more efciently using assembly injection moulding as opposed to joining techniques. Within this eld, the latest trends are aimed in particular at exploiting the shrinkage behaviour of a material, in order to achieve targeted separation of the components. Another eld to watch in the future is the production of integrated circuits by combining plastics that can be metallised with those that cannot. Although there is no doubt that multi-component technology can now be considered as one of the well-established specialist processes of injection moulding, the complexity of the individual processes should not be underestimated. It is often the problems associated with the ner details that dictate which specic process is to be used. For this reason, close collaboration should always be sought between the production facility, the mould manufacturer and the machine manufacturer throughout all the stages of a project. This close collaboration should start as early as the planning phase so as to eliminate fundamental errors that cannot be easily removed at a later date and to ensure a maximum degree of harmony between all the components.
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ARBURG Headquarters Germany: ARBURG GmbH + Co KG Postfach 11 09 72286 Lossburg Tel.: +49 (0) 74 46 33-0 Fax: +49 (0) 74 46 33 33 65 http://www.arburg.com e-mail: contact@arburg.com
Great Britain: ARBURG Ltd. Tachbrook Park Drive Warwick CV34 6 RH Tel.: +44 (0) 1926 457 000 Fax: +44 (0) 1926 457 020 e-mail: uk@arburg.com Hungary: ARBURG Hungria Kft. Labdarug u. 19. 1047, Budapest Tel.: +36 (1) 399 80 10 Fax: +36 (1) 370 52 62 e-mail: hungary@arburg.com Italy: ARBURG SRL Via G. di Vittorio 31 B 20068 Peschiera Borromeo MI Tel.: +3902553799.1 Fax: +390255302206 e-mail: italy@arburg.com Netherlands: ARBURG B.V. Postbus 55 2150 AB Nieuw-Vennep Tel.: +31 (0) 252 62 93 00 Fax: +31 (0) 252 67 58 39 e-mail: netherlands@arburg.com Poland: ARBURG Polska Sp. z o.o. ul. Polna 33 05-816 Opacz k. Warszawy Tel.: +48 (0) 22 723 86 50 Fax: +48 (0) 22 723 82 97 e-mail: poland@arburg.com Spain: ARBURG S.A. Avda. del Caal, 32 La Poveda 28500 Arganda del Rey (Madrid) Tel.: +34 (91) 870 29 29 Fax: +34 (91) 871 50 21 e-mail: spain@arburg.com
Switzerland: ARBURG AG Sdstrasse 15 3110 Mnsingen Tel.: +41 (0) 31 724 23 23 Fax: +41 (0) 31 724 23 73 e-mail: switzerland@arburg.com Turkey: ARBURG Plastik Enjeksiyon Makinalari Sanayi ve Ticaret Ltd. ti. Bak r ve Pirin San. Sit. Leylak Cd. No.15 34900 Bykekmece / stanbul Tel.: +90 (0) 212 875 41 11 Fax: +90 (0) 212 875 41 13 e-mail: turkey@arburg.com
Malaysia: ARBURG Sdn Bhd No. 35, Jalan PJS 11/24 Bandar Sunway Industrial Park 46150 Petaling Jaya Selangor Darul Ehsan Tel.: +60 (0) 3 5636 6213 Fax: +60 (0) 3 5636 6215 e-mail: malaysia@arburg.com Singapore: ARBURG PTE LTD. 16 Ayer Rajah Crescent # 01-01 Tempco Technominium Singapore 139965 Tel.: +65 (67) 78 83 18 Fax: +65 (67) 78 87 18 e-mail: singapore@arburg.com Thailand: ARBURG (Thailand) Co., Ltd. No. 1 Soi Sukhumvit 62 Yak 1 Sukhumvit Road, Bangjak Phrakhanong, Bangkok 10260 Tel.: +66 (0) 2331 9860 Fax: +66 (0) 2331 9861 e-mail: thailand@arburg.com
Europe
Belgium: ARBURG N.V. Ambachtelijke Zone "De Vunt" 9 3220 Holsbeek Tel.: +32 (0) 16 44 12 90 Fax: +32 (0) 16 44 84 72 e-mail: belgium@arburg.com Czech Republic: ARBURG spol. s r.o. ernovick 40 61800 Brno Tel.: +420 (0) 548 422 471 Fax: +420 (0) 548 422 481 e-mail: czech@arburg.com Denmark: ARBURG A/S Stamholmen 193 D 2650 Hvidovre Tel.: +45 36 77 63 99 Fax: +45 36 77 19 99 e-mail: denmark@arburg.com France: ARBURG S.A.S. Z.I. "Fosse la Barbire" 1, rue Louis Saillant 93605 Aulnay-sous-Bois Tel.: +33 (0) 1 48 65 15 07 Fax: +33 (0) 1 48 65 13 54 e-mail: france@arburg.com
Asia
PR China: ARBURG (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. No. 58 Hu Qing Ping Highway Shanghai 201105 P.R. China Tel.: +86 (0)21 6268 2211 Fax: +86 (0)21 6268 9210 e-mail: shanghai@arburg.com Hong Kong: ARBURG (HK) Ltd. Suite 1403, Cityplaza One 1111 King's Road, Taikoo Shing Hong Kong Tel.: +852 28 86 30 07 Fax: +852 28 85 96 13 e-mail: hongkong@arburg.com Indonesia: ARBURG Indonesia (Rep. Ofce) K H Hasyim Ashari Roxy Mas Ofce Center Blok E 11 No. 25 Jakarta 11450 Tel.: +62 (0) 21 631 2235 Fax: +62 (0) 21 631 7587 e-mail: indonesia@arburg.com
America
Brazil: ARBURG Ltda. Rua Missionrios, 292 - Sto. Amaro CEP 04729-000 So Paulo - SP Tel.: +55 (11) 5643-7007 Fax: +55 (11) 5641-4094 e-mail: brasil@arburg.com USA: ARBURG, Inc. 125 Rockwell Road Newington, CT 06111 Tel.: +1 (860) 667 65 00 Fax: +1 (860) 667 65 22 e-mail: usa@arburg.com
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