Specific Process Knowledge/Back-end processing/Polymer Injection Molder: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 09:50, 26 January 2024

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Polymer injection molding

The Polymer Injection Molder is no more an open access tool has been moved to DTU Construct

Injection molding machine in the basement under the cleanroom

The injection molder at DTU Nanolab is an Engel Victory Tech 80/45 which is a hydraulic machine with single motor. The machine is also equipped with a robot which can pick up finished samples and place them on a conveyor belt. See the table below for key capabilities of this machine. The user manual, user APV, technical information and contact information can be found in LabManager:

Polymer injection molding Info on LabManager (Click 'Documents' tab to go to documents).

Equipment performance

The polymer injection molding machine at DTU Nanolab is a hydraulic system with the following capabilities:

Parameter		Value
General	Tools	Flat disc, Disc with Luer connectors, Microscope slide
General	Clamping force	Up to 450 kN
Processing temperatures	Mold temperature	~15°C to 140°C
Processing temperatures	Heating cylinder	Absolute max: 350°C
Molding parameters	Injection speed	Up to 53 cm³/s
	Injection pressure	Up to 2200 bar
	Process types	Constant or variable mold temperature

Polymers

At DTU Nanolab the following polymers are used routinely:

Topas 5013L-10
Topas 8007S-04
PP
PMMA

Topas polymers are supplied by Nanolab. All other polymers are purchased by the users themselves. All polymers (and each individual grade of each polymer) must be approved for use at DTU Nanolab. If you would like to use a new polymer or a new grade of a certain polymer, please fill out the application form which can be found in LabManager by going to the 'Documents' tab of the 'Info' page for the Polymer Injection Molding machine. You can also click this direct link: New_polymer_application.dotx.

When the polymer has been approved you will receive labels which must be used to label your polymer. All polymers left in the injection molding room must be marked with this official DTU Nanolab label. Polymers not labelled appropriately may be thrown out at any time.

The easiest way to get an overview of polymers and processes used on the polymer injection molding machine is to go to LabManager and consult the Process Log for the injection molding machine. If you would like use a non-Nanolab polymer for a test, please contact the owner of the polymer and ask if you can have a sample. A complete list of all polymers in use at DTU Nanolab and who owns them can be found in LabManager on the Info page for the polymer injection molding machine on the 'Documents' tab. You can also click this direct link: Approved_polymers_list.pdf.

Process parameters and optimization

There are no standard injection molding processes because it varies significantly how users prefer to optimize their process and how they prioritize parameters such as polymer type, replication fidelity, dimensional accuracy, optical properties, residual stress and cycle time. However, browsing through the Process Log it's usually not a problem to find a program made for the polymer and tool at hand which can be used as a starting point.

The injection moulding cycle consists of the steps outlined below. Click on each step to get a description of the most important process parameters for each step:

Advanced process parameter optimization and features

This LabAdviser page is just a quick overview of the most important parameters and features. For a full description of parameters and machine features, please refer to the full operating manual from Engel. It can be found in LabManager under Equipment Info -> Polymer Injection Molding -> Documents -> Technical Documents -> EN-VC_Standard_dtu or by clicking this direct link: EN-VC_Standard_dtu.pdf. Please note that this manual refers to a slightly larger machine and some features that are not all available on DTU Nanolab's machine, but all general guidelines and descriptions of the user interface are valid.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Feedback to this page''': '''[mailto:danchipsupport@danchip.dtu.dk?Subject=Feed%20back%20from%20page%20http://labadviser.danchip.dtu.dk/index.php/Specific_Process_Knowledge/Back-end_processing/Polymer_Injection_Molder click here]'''
+'''Feedback to this page''': '''[mailto:wetchemistry@nanolab.dtu.dk?Subject=Feed%20back%20from%20page%20http://labadviser.nanolab.dtu.dk/index.php/Specific_Process_Knowledge/Back-end_processing/Polymer_Injection_Molder click here]'''
 == Polymer injection molding ==
+'''The Polymer Injection Molder is no more an open access tool has been moved to DTU Construct'''
 [[image:Imm.jpg|200x200px|right|thumb|Injection molding machine in the basement under the cleanroom]]
-The injection molder at Danchip is an Engel Victory Tech 80/45. It is a hydraulic machine capable of up to 450 kN of clamping force.
+The injection molder at DTU Nanolab is an Engel Victory Tech 80/45 which is a hydraulic machine with single motor. The machine is also equipped with a robot which can pick up finished samples and place them on a conveyor belt. See the table below for key capabilities of this machine. '''The user manual, user APV, technical information and contact information can be found in LabManager:'''
-'''The user manual, user APV, technical information and contact information can be found in LabManager:'''
-<!-- remember to remove the type of documents that are not present -->
-<!-- give the link to the equipment info page in LabManager: -->
-[http://labmanager.danchip.dtu.dk/function.php?module=Machine&view=view&mach=278 Polymer injection molding Info on LabManager]
-== Process information ==
-There are no standard processes on the injection molder, since the type of process chosen and process parameters will depend on which polymer that will be used and what type of pattern that is to be replicated during the molding process.
-At Danchip the following polymers are used routinely:
-Topas 5013L-10<br>
+[http://www.labmanager.dtu.dk/function.php?module=Machine&view=view&mach=278 Polymer injection molding Info on LabManager] (Click 'Documents' tab to go to documents).
-Topas 8007S-04
-Some other polymers are used occasionally, such as Polypropylene and Polystyrene. Other polymers can be used after approval and small batches of other polymers are available. Please ask Danchip for details.
+==Equipment performance==
-Generally two different types of processes are run at Danchip: Constant temperature processes and variotherm processes. An overview of these two processes are given in the table below.
+The polymer injection molding machine at DTU Nanolab is a hydraulic system with the following capabilities:
-==Equipment performance and process related parameters==
 {| border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"
@@ Line 33: / Line 20: @@
 |style="background:WhiteSmoke; color:black"|<b>Value</b>
 |-
-!style="background:silver; color:black" align="center" valign="center" rowspan="2"|Processing temperatures
+!style="background:silver; color:black" align="center" valign="center" rowspan="2"|General
-|style="background:LightGrey; color:black"|Mold
+|style="background:LightGrey; color:black"|Tools
 |style="background:WhiteSmoke; color:black"|
-Up to 160*C
+Flat disc, Disc with Luer connectors, Microscope slide
 |-
-|style="background:LightGrey; color:black"|Barrel
+|style="background:LightGrey; color:black"|Clamping force
 |style="background:WhiteSmoke; color:black"|
-Absolute max: 350*C
+Up to 450 kN
 |-
 !style="background:silver; color:black" align="center" valign="center" rowspan="2"|Processing temperatures
-|style="background:LightGrey; color:black"|Temperature
+|style="background:LightGrey; color:black"|Mold temperature
 |style="background:WhiteSmoke; color:black"|
-Up to 160*C
+~15°C to 140°C
 |-
-|style="background:LightGrey; color:black"|Barrel
+|style="background:LightGrey; color:black"|Heating cylinder
 |style="background:WhiteSmoke; color:black"|
-Absolute max: 350*C
+Absolute max: 350°C
 |-
 !style="background:silver; color:black" align="center" valign="center" rowspan="3"|Molding parameters
 |style="background:LightGrey; color:black"|Injection speed
 |style="background:WhiteSmoke; color:black"|
-Up to 53 cm3/s
+Up to 53 cm<sup>3</sup>/s
 |-
 | style="background:LightGrey; color:black"|Injection pressure
@@ Line 62: / Line 49: @@
 Up to 2200 bar
 |-
-| style="background:LightGrey; color:black"|Switch-over point
+| style="background:LightGrey; color:black"|Process types
 |style="background:WhiteSmoke; color:black"|
-Time, pressure, volumen or external signal
+Constant or variable mold temperature
 |}
 <br clear="all" />
+== Polymers ==
+At DTU Nanolab the following polymers are used routinely:
+*Topas 5013L-10<br>
+*Topas 8007S-04<br>
+*PP<br>
+*PMMA<br>
+Topas polymers are supplied by Nanolab. All other polymers are purchased by the users themselves. All polymers (and each individual grade of each polymer) must be approved for use at DTU Nanolab. If you would like to use a new polymer or a new grade of a certain polymer, please fill out the application form which can be found in LabManager by going to the 'Documents' tab of the 'Info' page for the Polymer Injection Molding machine. You can also click this direct link: [http://labmanager.dtu.dk/view_binary.php?fileId=2857 New_polymer_application.dotx].
+When the polymer has been approved you will receive labels which must be used to label your polymer. All polymers left in the injection molding room must be marked with this official DTU Nanolab label. '''Polymers not labelled appropriately may be thrown out at any time'''.
+The easiest way to get an overview of polymers and processes used on the polymer injection molding machine is to go to LabManager and consult the [http://labmanager.dtu.dk/function.php?module=Processlog&view=editlog&machid=278 Process Log for the injection molding machine]. If you would like use a non-Nanolab polymer for a test, please contact the owner of the polymer and ask if you can have a sample. A complete list of all polymers in use at DTU Nanolab and who owns them can be found in LabManager on the Info page for the polymer injection molding machine on the 'Documents' tab. You can also click this direct link: [http://labmanager.dtu.dk/view_binary.php?fileId=3723 Approved_polymers_list.pdf].
+==Process parameters and optimization==
+There are no standard injection molding processes because it varies significantly how users prefer to optimize their process and how they prioritize parameters such as polymer type, replication fidelity, dimensional accuracy, optical properties, residual stress and cycle time. However, browsing through the [http://labmanager.dtu.dk/function.php?module=Processlog&view=editlog&machid=278 Process Log] it's usually not a problem to find a program made for the polymer and tool at hand which can be used as a starting point.
+The injection moulding cycle consists of the steps outlined below. Click on each step to get a description of the most important process parameters for each step:
+#[[/MoldTemp|Mold heating setup]]<br>
+#[[/MoldClose|Closing mold]]<br>
+#[[/Injection|Injection]]<br>
+#[[/SwitchOver|Switch-over type]]<br>
+#[[/AfterPressure|After (holding) pressure]]<br>
+#[[/Cooling|Cooling]]<br>
+#[[/Dosing|Dosing (plastizising)]]<br>
+#[[/Demolding|Demolding]]<br>
+#[[/Eject|Ejection]]<br>
+#[[/Robot|Robot sample pickup]]<br>
+#[[/Nozzle|Nozzle settings]]
+#[[/Process|Process overview]]
+==Advanced process parameter optimization and features==
+This LabAdviser page is just a quick overview of the most important parameters and features. For a full description of parameters and machine features, please refer to the full operating manual from Engel. It can be found in LabManager under Equipment Info -> Polymer Injection Molding -> Documents -> Technical Documents -> EN-VC_Standard_dtu or by clicking this direct link: [http://labmanager.dtu.dk/view_binary.php?fileId=4388 EN-VC_Standard_dtu.pdf]. Please note that this manual refers to a slightly larger machine and some features that are not all available on DTU Nanolab's machine, but all general guidelines and descriptions of the user interface are valid.