Mold design is a basic but important part in injection molding, regardless of the size and position of the gate, the size of the shear edge, flow assist, cooling and ejector technology, all affect the final mold injection results. It is no exaggeration to say that mold design has a significant impact on the cost-effectiveness and quality of molded parts and your products.
The mold design is started with a 2d layout, basic information will be drawn out, such as mold size, gating type, parting line, ejection way, cavities layout, mechanical design, accessories used, steel of each component used, etc. 3D design in detail and NC programming will follow after the 2d design is approved by the customer. Depends on the complexity, a complete mold design would need 3-7 days. Some of the complex molds require mold flow analysis or several updates as per feedback from the customer; it could take much more time.
There are many other design issues that must be considered in the design of the molds. Firstly, the mold must allow the molten plastic to flow easily into all of the cavities. Equally important is the removal of the solidified part from the mold, so a draft angle must be applied to the mold walls.
The design of the mold must also accommodate any complex features on the part, such as undercuts or threads, which will require additional mold pieces. Most of these devices slide into the part cavity through the side of the mold and are therefore known as slides or side-actions.
The most common type of side-action is a side-core which enables an external undercut to be molded. Other devices enter through the end of the mold along the parting direction, such as internal core lifters, which can form an internal undercut. To mold threads into the part, an unscrewing device is needed, which can rotate out of the mold after the threads have been formed.
Building a high-quality mold is the core focus of molding manufacturers. HooHA have 10 highly experienced mold designers, who have significant experience in resin characteristics, and mold structure.
Before we start a design, our designer will run a Mold Flow Analysis, This analysis is reviewed by the designer, together with a tool shop and injection molding shop. This avoids potential manufacturing issues and provides an opportunity for troubleshooting.
The collaboration of our departments provides a strong guarantee that we can provide high-quality mold in a short lead-time.