The Flow Behavior of Core Material and Breakthrough Phenomenon in Sandwich Injection Molding

Abstract

Abstract The processing variables that control the occurrence of breakthrough phenomenon in sandwich injection molding were investigated. Particular attention was paid to the conditions that would yield an optimum sandwich molded part. The effects of variation of core volume ratio that would yield optimum core shot size, injection speed and the skin/core viscosity ratio were examined. The flow morphology at the various stages of flow was also explored. The study was conducted with a bar-flow mold mounted on a twin-barrel injection machine fitted with a common nozzle. It was noted that the core material flow distance depends on the core cylinder screw metering position (core shot size). At the stage at which the core material completely penetrated through the skin material (breakthrough), four distinct regions of flow could be identified. The flow distance of the core material is controlled by the injection speed of the core material while the injection speed of the skin material is of little significance. In order to increase the flow distance of the core material, it is effective to increase the core material injection speed albeit limited by an optimum value of screw metering position. It was found that the flow distance of the core material was longer when the core material viscosity was lower than that of the skin material but breakthrough occurred much earlier so core volume is limited. Breakthrough failed to occur when the viscosity of the core material was higher than that of the skin material. It was found that optimum core volume and core distribution occurred when skin/core viscosities were intermediate. The morphology of the skin material leading to breakthrough was also analyzed.