Molding Defects

The following pages will describe the various types of problem that we have experienced in the molding of ABS.

Product design, material selection, and molding conditions

The following problems either occur individually or in combination.

Click on one of the following items for more details about the corresponding problem.

 Silver streaks

 Short shot
 Jetting
 Flow marks
 Color streaks
 Weld lines
 Flash
 Delamination
 Stringiness
 Sink marks

 Warping or twisting

1. Molding Defects: Silver Streaks

Gaseous components in the plastic appear at the molding surface and collapse.
 Click on any of the following photographs for the corresponding causes and
countermeasures.

Cause Appearance

Insufficient drying

Inclusion of air
 Degradation

2. Molding Defects: Short Shot or Short Mold

The term "short shot" or "short mold" is used to refer to a phenomenon where plastic being injection molded does
not reach certain portions of the inside of the die before solidifying.

Some of the typical factors affecting this type of problem are as follows:
- Fluidity and viscosity characteristics of the plastic
- Die design (i.e., gate design, bushing construction for ribs and bosses, the presence of venting, etc.)
- Direct carving design - Molding conditions
- Molding machine performance

Condition

Location On surfaces Ribs and bosses Corners and tips

Cause Generation of gas Material thickness and gas volume Plastic viscosity

Short Shot Checkpoints

Die design
- Uneven thickness
- Rib and boss design
- Gate design
- Cooling
Screw
- back-flow prevention ring
- Unstable supply

Insufficient plastic fluidity (i.e., viscosity is high): Checkpoints and countermeasures

 Die temperature : Increase within the range for removability
Note that as the molding cycle becomes longer as a result of this, care must be taken with regard to
cylinder residence time. * Refer to the molding condition sheet
 Screw failure : Replace the back-flow prevention ring
Note that this is applicable to situations where there is disparity in the degree of cushioning during
injection or back flow.
 Unstable supply
- Lower the temperature at the rear of the cylinder. If plastic at the hopper opening is bridging
- Increase the cooling water volume at the hopper opening : If plastic at the hopper opening is bridging
- Correct the back pressure : Insufficient or excess back pressure.
 Injection speed : Increase the injection speed.
If no change in the filling time is noticed after setting of a high injection rate, there is a possibility that the
performance of the molding machine is insufficient or that there is excessive pressure loss in the sprues,
runners, and gates; accordingly, separate evaluation and modification of the molding machine's
performance will be needed. * Refer to the molding condition sheet
 Injection output : a Raise the injection output
If the problem persists even after setting of a high pressure, it is highly probable that the same factors as
described in the above items are at work.
 Plastic temperature : Raise the temperature within the service range.
* Refer to the molding condition sheet

 Grade change : Switch to a grade with better fluidity. * Alternative grade search

Die design: Checkpoints and countermeasures

Uneven thickness (if both thin and thick walled sections are present within the same
cavity)
Standardize the wall thickness in each cavity. Note that this can result in sink marks on the
top of ribs and bosses, and therefore, special care must be taken in this regard.

Rib and boss design (if constantly occurring in specific ribs and bosses)
Use shaped-section bushings and ensure smooth extraction of gas from the extremities of
dead-end sections.

Hesitance (if flow patterns and gate layouts are defective) a

Modify the gate design (i.e., method, dimensions, locations, and quantity)
 Defective cooling design (if the distribution of die temperatures is non-uniform)
Review the adjustment of temperature (i.e., the cooling design) and the performance of the
die's temperature regulator.

3. Molding Defects: Jetting

The term "jetting" is used to

describe the phenomenon where
plastic passing through a gate does
not adhere and where flow patterns
are formed on the surface of the
molded product.

In more specific terms, plastic at a

relatively low temperature is
injected from the nozzle during the
initial stage of molding, upon
coming into contact with the mold
wall, this plastic becomes highly
viscous and swirling takes place;
furthermore, as hotter plastic is
continually injected into the die, the
original material is pushed deeper
into the die and leaves flow marks.

Low-speed injection molds

High-speed injection molds

Causes : When the plastic temperature is low, the

viscosity of the molten material is high, and this
become higher in the case of plastic which has
been injected into the die; consequently, the
resistance to flow is large and jetting occurs.
When the die temperature is low, the material
injected into it will be rapidly cooled, and the
corresponding increase in viscosity leads to the
occurrence of this problem.
When gates are small, the speed of plastic
injected into the cavity will be relatively fast,
and this leads to the occurrence of jetting in
many cases.
 Gate sectional area x flow speed = Fixed injection amount

Counter Molding conditions

measure - Increase the temperature of the plastic to
s: lower its viscosity.
- In the case of amorphous plastics, the ideal
temperature of the die is between 20deg.C and
30deg.C lower than the plastic's thermal
deformation temperature.
- It is also beneficial to reduce the injection
speed.

Dies
- It is advantageous to increase the sectional
area of the gates so that the speed of the
material passing through the gates becomes
slower.

4. Molding Defects: Flow Marks

The term "flow mark" is used to describe the phenomenon where a striped pattern is formed around the gates
when plastic has flowed through the die.

In this, plastic which has been cooled by sprues and runners is further cooled in the cavity and filling occurs
at high viscosity. Consequently, plastic in contact with the mold surface is pressurized in a semi-solidified
condition and stripes perpendicular to the flow direction are formed on the surface of the molded product.

Uneven thickness type Record type Staggered type

5. Molding Defects: Color Streaks

The phenomenon of color streaking is characterized by localized changes in the color of a

molded component or by streaking.
 Examples of variation from the original color
 This type of problem is principally caused by poor thermal stability of the coloring
Causes : agent. Furthermore, it occurs more easily in locations such as welds, ribs, and the
like which are likely to induce shear flow.
 Switch to a coloring agent with good thermal stability.

Countermeasures:
 In terms of molding conditions, it is desirable for the plastic and die temperature to
be high, and for the speed of flow to be low (i.e., hot-slow molding).

Example of a streaking pattern in a molded product

  Poor distribution of coloring agent. (The quality of coloring-agent distribution can
Cause : be evaluated by using a compressing molding machine to manufacture thin
sheeting.)
 Cleaning effect of plastic deposited within the molding machine (or cylinder).
 Improve the quality of distribution during compounding.
Countermeasures:  Fully clean the inside of the cylinders. (We recommend our own UMG Clean ™ for
this purpose.)
 Check the screw head, back-flow prevention rings, and other similar items for
defects.

 Change the molding machine.

6. Molding Defects: Weld Lines

The term "weld line" is used to describe the narrow V-shaped line that occurs at the point
where two different flow fronts meet.

This phenomenon is guaranteed to occur whenever using inserts, lattices, or multi-point gates,
and there is no theoretical means for its elimination; accordingly, its effect must be
minimized or the resulting marks must be moved from a decorative face to a side face. To the
untrained eye, a weld line may seem to be a crack. In terms of product specifications, the
presence of weld lines in areas of stress concentrations may lead to strength problems, and
therefore, countermeasures should be implemented in advance.

Weld lines disappear when the angle of meeting is 120deg. or more.

Cause : Weld line factors

Shape of molded component
- Holes (i.e., lattices, round holes, square holes)
- Differences in material thickness (or uneven thickness)
Plastic
- Fluidity (or viscosity)
Die
- Die temperature
- Gates (number and location)
- Gas vents (method and location)
- Cooling ducts (and die temperature distribution)
Molding machine
- Performance (precision and response)
- Injection and plasticization
Countermeasures: Shaping conditions used to minimize weld lines
 -Plastic temperature a High
-Die temperature a High
-Injection speed a Low
*Although weld lines will become less obvious when the speed is increased
(i.e., the depth is minimized), there is a tendency for their length to increase.
-Holding pressure a High
* Marks are made less noticeable using the compression effect of the weld's V-notch.

Verification: Die temperature which is most effective in minimizing weld lines

Normal molding
Die temperature: 40deg.C High-speed heat and cool molding
Weld section (central) Die temperature: 100deg.C
Width: Approximately 10 mm Weld section (central)
Depth: Approximately 120 mm Not visible with the naked eye

7. Molding Defects: Flash (fins or spew)

The terms "flash", "fins", and "spew" are used to refer to excess molding material that penetrates
into mold gaps (i.e., between parting faces, slide push-out faces, and inserts, etc.) in a molten state.

Normal Flash

Molding  Causes
machine : - Insufficient mold clamping pressure in the molding machine.
- Aging of the die.
  Countermeasures
- If there is insufficient clamping pressure, estimate the correct pressure using the
following equation and choose an appropriate molding machine.

Die clamping pressure = Projected surface area x die-internal effective injection pressure /
1,000 kg

In the case of ABS, a rough value for 400 kg/cm2 can be used in this calculation for the
die-internal effective injection pressure
Die :  Causes
- Insufficient mold clamping pressure.
- Insufficient precision at the die's mating faces
- The molded product is arranged in a cantilever-type setup as a result of die design.

 Countermeasures
- Switch to a suitable molding machine.
- If the problem is related to mating faces, a joint examination must be carried out with the
die machining company.
Material :  Causes
- Plastic has low viscosity.

 Countermeasures
- If the problem is related to the plastic's viscosity, either lower the temperature of the
plastic or switch to a grade with higher flowability.

8. Molding Defects: Delamination

The term "delamination" is used to refer to a condition where a thin micaceous layer develops on
the molded product and then becomes separated. In severe cases, this will extend over the entire
molding and give the impression that its skin is peeling away.
 Layer peeling caused by fracture (right) as a result of PS inclusion
Although peeling may be identified immediately after molding, it is usually detected as a result of
cracking of the product.

Cause 1 Inclusion of a plastic which has poor compatibility with ABS (i.e., PP or PS, etc.)
Countermeasure Carry out cleaning.
- Inside the cylinder
- Inside the hopper
- Inside the air feed lines
- Inside the dryer
Cause 2 When the die and plastic temperatures are extremely low, the difference in temperatures
between the outer walls and the fluid layer results in the development of a thin hard coating
which then peels.
Countermeasure Standardize the resin temperatures.
- Raise the temperature of the resin
- Raise the temperature of the die

9. Molding Defects: Stringiness

The term "stringiness" is used to refer to a phenomenon where string-line sections

of plastic which are formed upon opening of the die adhere to the inside of the die
and are transferred to the product during the next shot, resulting in string-line
unevenness on the surface of the molded component.
 Plastic string after transfer to the molded
Thin plastic string formed at the tip of a sprue
component
Cause : This problem is principally caused by high nozzle temperatures.

Countermeasures: - Lower the nozzle temperature; alternatively, make combined use of pull-back and
cylinder repetition.
- Strings can be forced to break by increasing the speed of die opening, however, care
must be taken as this can result in reduced die service lives for certain die designs
(i.e., slides, etc.).
- Use a string-prevent ring (commercially available).

10. Molding Defects: Sink Marks (or shrink marks)

Sink marks or shrink marks are hollows or indentations that occur on the outer surfaces of molded
components.

Whether or not sink marks are treated as a problem depends on the required
quality of appearance.
For example, this would not be acceptable for external molding components
which must be highly attractive in nature. It is often the case that the decision on
whether or not to treat this phenomenon as a defect depends on product quality
issues.
 Sink mark behavior depends on the volumetric shrinkage of the plastic (i.e., the isothermal PVT
characteristic) and the chronological history of all locations within the injection molding process is
important. In specific terms, this phenomenon occurs during the transition from the molten condition upon
injection to the solid condition upon dwelling and cooling.

Molten plastic that has been injected into the die begins to cool and solidify from the die surface. As the
plastic continues to cool and harden from the outside (i.e., during dwell and cooling), certain injection
settings such as the dwell pressure and time make it impossible to compensate for changes in volume of the
plastic (i.e., volumetric shrinkage) resulting from the PVT characteristic. In these cases, the plastic at the
surface of the die can be drawn towards the inside of the molding when volumetric shrinkage occurs in the
molten plastic still present at the interior, and this results in the cosmetic defect referred to as sink marks.

Alternatively, when the outer layer of the molded component has sufficient strength to resist the pull of
volumetric shrinkage, voids will be generated at the interior, and in certain cases, this will not be manifested
as an appearance-related problem. Furthermore, if latent causes exist in the shape of the product (i.e., bosses,
ribs, thick sections, uneven thickness, etc.) or in the construction of the die (i.e., cooling duct design, die
material, cooling agent, etc.), it will be impossible to eliminate sink mark problems unless advance
countermeasures are implemented at the product design and die design stages.

Localized sink marks (effect of rear surface shape and flow tips)

Factor Cause Countermeasure

Removal of material,
Material thickness Thick or uneven (thin) standardizing
Product thickness, thickening
Gate position and Inadequate (design Addition of gates,
method restrictions) modification of method
Molding Resin temperature High (or low) Reduce (or increase)
conditions /
Die temperature High (or low) Reduce (or increase)
 Injection speed High (or low) Reduce (or increase)
VP switching Fast Slower position
Dwelling pressure Low Increase
Dwelling time Short Lengthen
Low (measurement
Back pressure Increase
disparity)
Temperature increase
Screw speed Reduce
due to rotation
Molding
machine Increase (excess is
performance Insufficient, disparity
unacceptable)
Amount of cushioning
Replace with normal
Mechanical back-flow
component
Measurement Insufficient Increase
Insufficient (presence
Die clamping pressure Increase
of flash)
Nozzle holes Small cross section Increase
Sprues Small cross section Increase
Runners Small cross section Increase
Gates Small cross section Increase
Insufficient
(temperature Increase, standardize
Die disparity)
Cooling circuit Unsuitable method
Change method
(i.e., efficiency)
Small flow volume /
Improve efficiency
high pressure loss
Usage of material with
Insufficient cooling
Die material good thermal
ability
conductivity

Sink marks on entire molded component

 Factor Cause Countermeasure
Material thickness Thick or uneven (thin) Use suitable thickness
Product Gate position and Inadequate (design Addition of gates,
method restrictions) modification of method
Resin temperature High (or low) Reduce (or increase)
Die temperature High (or low) Reduce (or increase)
Injection speed High (or low) Reduce (or increase)
VP switching Fast Slower position
Dwelling pressure Low Increase
Dwelling time Short Lengthen
Molding Low (measurement
conditions / Back pressure disparity)
Increase
Molding
machine Temperature increase
performance Screw speed due to rotation
Reduce

Increase (excess is
Insufficient, disparity
unacceptable)
Amount of cushioning
Replace with normal
Mechanical back-flow
component
Measurement Insufficient Increase
Insufficient (presence
Die clamping pressure Increase
of flash)
Nozzle holes Small cross section Increase
Sprues Small cross section Increase
Runners Small cross section Increase
Gates Small cross section Increase

Die Insufficient
(temperature Increase, standardize
disparity)
Cooling circuit Unsuitable method
Change method
(i.e., efficiency)
Small flow volume /
Improve efficiency
high pressure loss
Usage of material with
Insufficient cooling
Die material good thermal
ability
conductivity

11. Molding Defects: Warping or Twisting

"Warping" is a term used to describe the deformation which occurs when there are differences in the degree of
shrinkage at different locations within the molded component.
 Factors influencing warping are as follows:

 Differences in shrinkage and cooling time as dependent on the differences in both surface contraction
and component thickness which result from differences in die temperature distribution.

 Residual stress resulting from molecular orientation. In fiber-reinforced materials, there are large
differences in the degree of shrinkage in the flow direction and the perpendicular direction, and for this
reason, special consideration must be given to gate design (i.e., quantity and location) at the die design
stage.

For example, if the degrees (or rates) of shrinkage at the various points in a molded component are
theoretically identical, this will simply lead to the generation of small, similar-looking cavities, and
regardless of the size of the material's shrinkage rate, there will be no occurrence of warping.
Nevertheless, a complex mix of the above-mentioned factors will exist during actual molding, and after
release of die clamping pressure and removal, the internal strain will try to fall to the minimum level
(i.e., to reduce energy to the minimum), thus resulting in the occurrence of molded-component
warping. Furthermore, consideration must also be given to insufficient cooling of the molded
component and to deformation as a result of defective push-out mechanisms when dies are being
designed.

Warping and Twisting Checkpoints

Molding conditions
- Injection pressure
- Dwelling pressure
- Dwelling time
- Cooling time
 Causes
Molded component shape
Areas with non-uniform distribution are included.
Distribution of wall thickness
Insufficient structural stiffness The structural stiffness of ribs and the like is insufficient. Ribs can actually
contribute to warping, and therefore, a detailed examination of thickness and
height factors must be undertaken.
Die
Cooling circuit Die temperature distribution is non-uniform, the cooling circuit is too long
(i.e., large temperature difference between in and out points), control is
inadequate, or the cooling method is not suitable.
Die material Low thermal conductivity (i.e., low cooling efficiency)
Gate and runner Non-uniform distribution of pressure in the dwelling process due to an
insufficient number of gates or poor positioning
Push-out mechanism Poor push-out balance or excessive ejection load with respect to the pin
surface area
Parting Insufficient polishing in the core extraction direction, inadequate extraction
angle
Molding machine and accessories
Insufficient die clamping force Inability to setup suitable clamping conditions (i.e., pressure and time)
Die temperature regulator Flow volume of cooling agent is insufficient (i.e., Reynolds number is not
large enough for turbulent flow), insufficient performance in terms of die
thermal capacity.
Molding conditions
Resin temperature Pressure transmissibility drops when the viscosity is high; consequently,
uniformity in the degree of shrinkage is not possible in the dwelling process.
Die temperature When excessively low, the viscosity increases and the pressure
transmissibility drops; consequently, uniformity in the degree of shrinkage
is not possible in the dwelling process. Crystallization (or solidification)
takes place before directional or stress relaxation can take place, and
anisotropical residual stress remain.
Injection pressure Either too high or low (i.e., flow length in excess of the plastic's flow
characteristic)
Dwelling pressure Either too high or low (Over-packing in the vicinity of the gates, or back-
flow as a result of poor gate sealing)
Dwelling time Either too long or short (Over-packing in the vicinity of the gates, or back-
flow as a result of poor gate sealing)
Cooling time Too short (dependence of material strength on temperature)