5/10/2016

DesignTip:3KeyElementstoConsiderWhenDesigningInjectionMoldedPartswithRapidOvermolding

3KeyElementstoConsider
WhenDesigningInjection
MoldedPartswith
RapidOvermolding
Rapidovermoldingenables
engineerstoprototypeovermolded
partsusingendusematerialsinas
fastas15days

Injectionmoldingisacommonandcosteffectivemethodfor
manufacturingparts.Itswidelyusedforeverythingfrommedicaldevices
andchildrenstoystohouseholdappliancesandautomobileparts,
producingpartsthatarebothstrongandlight,inmanycasesreplacing
machinedorcastmetalproducts.
Sometimes,however,injection
moldedplasticpartsneedalittle
help.Lowimpactorvibration
resistance,slipperysurfaces,
poorergonomics,andcosmetic
concernsarejustafewofthe
reasonswhyasecondmolded
partisoftenaddedasagrip,
handle,cover,orsleeve.

ProtoLabsrapidovermoldingprocess
Somemanufacturerschooseto
canbeusedtoaddasecondmolded
assemblethesetwodifferent
part,suchasagrip,handle,orcover,
moldedcomponentstogether
toanexistingpart,asseeninthis
withglue,screws,oran
sample.
interferencefit,butthistakes
timeandcostsmoney,andmay
leadtolessthandesirableresults.Fortunately,theprocessofrapid
overmoldingoffersanalternativesolution.

Thisdesigntipexploresthreeimportantelementsofrapidovermolding:

Bonding
Materials
Principles

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DesignTip:3KeyElementstoConsiderWhenDesigningInjectionMoldedPartswithRapidOvermolding

WhatisRapidOvermolding?
Thisprocessusesamechanicalorchemicalbond(andoftentimesboth)to
permanentlymarrytwopartstogether.Thissidestepsassemblyhassles,
simplifiesproductdesign,andcanimprovethecharacteristicsofmany
injectionmoldedparts.

AtProtoLabs,itworksbyplacingapreviouslymoldedpartthesubstrate
backintothepressandinjectingasecondplasticorliquidsiliconerubber
(LSR)over,into,andaroundtheoriginalpart.Thetwoshotprocess
requiresapairofmoldsoneforthesubstrate,andoneforthecomplete,
overmoldedproduct.Italsoneedsahumantotendthemachine,loading
substratepartsandunloadingcompletedproducts,aprocessknownas
pickandplaceovermolding.

Whatsnext?Beforeembarkingonanyovermoldingdesignproject,
severaldesignconsiderationsshouldbeexploredfirst:
Bonding.Astrongbondbetweenthetwomaterialsiscritical
toovermolding.
Materials.Substrateandovermoldmaterialsshouldbephysically,
chemically,andthermallycompatible.
Principles.Theprinciplesofmoldabilityapplyequallytoovermolding,
withafewadditionalconsiderationstokeepinmind.

Bonding
Letsstartwithbonding.Inaperfectlyovermoldedpart,theoverlayis
impossibletoremove,andwilltearbeforeseparatingfromthesubstrate,
oreventakesomeoftheunderlyingmaterialwithit.Thethermoplastics
TPUandTPC,forexample,formastrongchemicalbondwithABS,
polycarbonate,andPBTValox(atypeofpolybutylene).SantopreneTPV,
atoughbutflexiblevulcanizatewidelyusedinweatherseal,foodservice,
andwireandcableapplications,ismorerestrictive,readilybondingto
polypropylenebutlittleelse.

Achievingahighlevelchemicalbondisntalwayspossible,though,nor
evennecessaryinmanycases.Consideramoldedelectronicshousing
coverwithanovermoldedgasketmadeofasoftsealingmaterial.Oncethe
coverislockedinplace,thegaskethasnowheretogo.Allthatsneededis
enoughbondtoholdthegaskettothesubstratesoitcantfalloutorbe
misplacedduringassembly.Thisisanexcellentapplicationfor
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DesignTip:3KeyElementstoConsiderWhenDesigningInjectionMoldedPartswithRapidOvermolding

overmolding,bytheway,sinceiteliminatestheneedforastampedpaper
orrubbergasketthatmustthenbemanuallygluedinplace.

Inmostcases,werecommendamechanicalinterlocktoaugmentoreven
replaceachemicalbond.Thiscanbeachievedbyplacinganundercutin
thesubstratepart,oraseriesofreversetaperedorcounterboredholes
intowhichtheovermoldingmaterialcanflow,assuringanofailmechanism
inallbutthemostdemandingapplications.Ifyoureunsurehowtoadd
thesefeaturestoyourpartdesign,contactoneofourapplication
specialistsat877.479.3680orcustomerservice@protolabs.com.

MaximizingMaterialChoices
Therearemanyreasonsto
overmold.Oneofthemost
commonisimproveaproducts
gripwhileretainingitsphysical
strengththehandleona
powertool,forexample,ora
nonslipgripforasurgical
instrument.Inthiscase,TPU
overABSisanexcellentchoice.
Aestheticsandproduct
Amechanicalinterlockasshownhere
brandingarealsoreadily
isstronglyrecommendedifbonding
achievedwithovermoldinga
iscriticaltoyourapplication.Thiscan
sportsfranchisemightusethe
augmentorevenreplaceachemical
teamcolorsintwopiece
bond.
overmoldedmouthguardsfor
itsplayers,whileawellknown
tractormanufacturercoulddressupitsridinglawnmowerswithgreenand
yellowovermoldedcowlings.

LSRisanotherpopularinjectionmoldingmaterial.Itoffersexcellenttensile
andtearstrength,ishydrophobic(repelswater),flexible,bacteriaandUV
lightresistant,andbiocompatible.AbouttheonlydownsidetoLSRat
leastinanovermoldingsituation&mdshisitsrelativelyhighmolding
temperatureof350degreesF(177C),hotenoughtosoftensubstrate
materialssuchasABS,polyethylene,andothers.Fortunately,
polybutyleneterephthalate(PBT)andglassfillednylonholdupjustfine.

AtProtoLabs,weoffermorethan100engineeringgradethermoplastic
andliquidsiliconerubbermaterials,anddozensofcolorants.

FollowingtheRules(Principles)
Overmoldingreadsfromthesameplaybookastraditionalinjectionmolding
processes,withafewadditionalidiosyncrasies:

Properdraftangles,uniformwallthickness,andsmoothtransition
linesmustbemaintainedinbothparts.
Thethicknessoftheovermoldmaterialshouldbelessthanorequalto
thatofthesubstratebelowit.
Themeltingtemperatureoftheovermoldingmaterialshouldbeless
thanthatofthesubstrate(asinourLSRexample).
Ifchemicalbondingisntpractical,dontdespair.Mechanicalinterlocks
areagreatwaytoholditalltogether,andshouldbeused
whereverpossible.
Texturingofthesubstrateworkpiecemayhelpwithadhesion.
Texturingoftheovermoldedpartmayprovideabettergripandmore
attractivesurface.
Thesurfaceoftheovermoldedpartshouldbeevenwithorslightly
belowanyadjacentsubstratesurfaces.

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DesignTip:3KeyElementstoConsiderWhenDesigningInjectionMoldedPartswithRapidOvermolding

Overmoldingisagreatwaytoimproveyourproductsphysicalattributesor
enhanceitsappearance.Aswithourotherinjectionmoldingservices,we
producecosteffectivetoolingwithproductionquantitiesof25to10,000or
moreinabout15days.Ifyourelookingtomakemillionsofparts,rapid
overmoldingisalsoagreatwaytotestprototypesforbondingandmaterial
compatibilitypriortoinvestmentintwoshotproductionmolds,ortoserve
asbridgetoolsuntilthosemoldsareready.

Becauserapidovermoldingismorecomplexthanstandardinjection
molding,theupfronttoolingcostsmightbeslightlyhigherthanthesumof
twomoldedandassembledcomponents.Anyadditionalinvestmentis
quicklyabsorbed,however,bytheeliminationofsecondaryassembly
costs,aswellasahigherquality,moredurableproduct.

Asalways,feelfreetocontactuswithanyquestions,at877.479.3680
orcustomerservice@protolabs.com.Togetyournextdesignproject
startedtoday,simplyuploada3DCADmodelatprotolabs.comforan
interactivequotewithinhours.

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