Multi-material injection molding

<h2 id="multi-component-injection-molding">Multi-component injection molding</h2>

Also referred to as co-injection molding,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5">5</a> multi-component injection molding describes insertion of multiple viscous materials injected simultaneously, as opposed to placing one material as an additional layer relative to another. In other words, it creates a sandwich-like structure where both materials mold around each other as dissimilar liquids, and exist in such a state at the same time. Relative to the part center, materials can be injected concentrically using the same mold/gate, or regionally using gates at different locations.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6">6</a>

<h2 id="multi-shot-injection-molding-msm">Multi-shot injection molding (MSM)</h2>
Also referred to as sequential injection molding,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7">7</a> multi-shot injection molding refers to creation of multiple layers relative to the starting axis of the initial mold. In other words, the warm, heated materials are inserted into the mold in a very specific sequence one after another. This creates a layering effect between materials while maintaining relatively high-energy interactions at material boundaries. This is important because it implies that the inter-layer bonds are stronger in many cases than when the layers are applied to a previously cooled part, as is more closely the case of over molding. While there are other applications, this operation is preferred when varying molds (different geometries) are desired between material layers.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8">8</a>

<h2 id="over-molding">Over-molding</h2>
Over molding is effectively the use of layering effects in polymer application techniques. This process is centered around the use of a liquidous resin to add additional layers of shape and structure to an existing component. An example of such a resin could be a polymer that has been heated to a temperature just above its <a href="/facts/Glass_transition/yVl3QzsT">glass transition temperature</a>). The existing component to which the resin is being added is often injection molded as well, and may be near its own glass transition temperature. This process works well when layers with varying geometric profiles are desired around a central "core" structure.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a>

<h2 id="benefits">Benefits</h2>
If the desired object is manufacturable using MMM, it is definitely best to use MMM over traditional <a href="/facts/Injection_moulding/tKdYE8Wb">injection molding</a>. Some of the key features that makes MMM a better approach are:

<ul><li>lower cost<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a></li>
<li>higher-quality product<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a></li>
<li>significant reduction in assembly operations<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12">12</a></li>
<li>reduction in cycle times<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13">13</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">"Multi Component Injection Molding". www.mhs-hotrunners.com. Retrieved February 12, 2016. <a href="http://www.mhs-hotrunners.com/multimaterialmolding.html" target="_blank">http://www.mhs-hotrunners.com/multimaterialmolding.html</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">Banerjee, Ashis Gopal; Li, Xuejun; Fowler, Greg; Gupta, Satyandra K. (February 21, 2007). "Incorporating manufacturability considerations during design of injection molded multi-material objects". Research in Engineering Design. 17 (4): 207–231. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.114.8590. doi:10.1007/s00163-007-0027-9. ISSN 0934-9839. S2CID 15614704. <a href="/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">"Multi-Material Injection Moulding - Injection molding". www.chemtec.org. Retrieved February 5, 2016. <a href="http://www.chemtec.org/proddetail.php?prod=978-1-85957-327-3" target="_blank">http://www.chemtec.org/proddetail.php?prod=978-1-85957-327-3</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">Goodship, Vanessa; Love, J.C. (2002). Multi-Material Injection Moulding. Smithers Rapra. pp. 9–15. ISBN 9781859574218. <a href="9781859574218" target="_blank">9781859574218</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">Goodship, Vanessa; Love, J.C. (2002). Multi-Material Injection Moulding. Smithers Rapra. pp. 9–15. ISBN 9781859574218. <a href="9781859574218" target="_blank">9781859574218</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">Banerjee, Ashis Gopal; Li, Xuejun; Fowler, Greg; Gupta, Satyandra K. (February 21, 2007). "Incorporating manufacturability considerations during design of injection molded multi-material objects". Research in Engineering Design. 17 (4): 207–231. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.114.8590. doi:10.1007/s00163-007-0027-9. ISSN 0934-9839. S2CID 15614704. <a href="/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">Goodship, Vanessa; Love, J.C. (2002). Multi-Material Injection Moulding. Smithers Rapra. pp. 9–15. ISBN 9781859574218. <a href="9781859574218" target="_blank">9781859574218</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">Banerjee, Ashis Gopal; Li, Xuejun; Fowler, Greg; Gupta, Satyandra K. (February 21, 2007). "Incorporating manufacturability considerations during design of injection molded multi-material objects". Research in Engineering Design. 17 (4): 207–231. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.114.8590. doi:10.1007/s00163-007-0027-9. ISSN 0934-9839. S2CID 15614704. <a href="/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">Banerjee, Ashis Gopal; Li, Xuejun; Fowler, Greg; Gupta, Satyandra K. (February 21, 2007). "Incorporating manufacturability considerations during design of injection molded multi-material objects". Research in Engineering Design. 17 (4): 207–231. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.114.8590. doi:10.1007/s00163-007-0027-9. ISSN 0934-9839. S2CID 15614704. <a href="/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">Banerjee, Ashis; Li, Xuejun; Fowler, Greg; Gupta, Satyandra K. (March 2007). "Incorporating manufacturability considerations during design of injection molded multi-material objects". Research in Engineering Design. 17 (4): 207. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.114.8590. doi:10.1007/s00163-007-0027-9. S2CID 15614704. <a href="/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">Banerjee, Ashis; Li, Xuejun; Fowler, Greg; Gupta, Satyandra K. (March 2007). "Incorporating manufacturability considerations during design of injection molded multi-material objects". Research in Engineering Design. 17 (4): 207. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.114.8590. doi:10.1007/s00163-007-0027-9. S2CID 15614704. <a href="/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">Banerjee, Ashis; Li, Xuejun; Fowler, Greg; Gupta, Satyandra K. (March 2007). "Incorporating manufacturability considerations during design of injection molded multi-material objects". Research in Engineering Design. 17 (4): 207. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.114.8590. doi:10.1007/s00163-007-0027-9. S2CID 15614704. <a href="/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">Banerjee, Ashis; Li, Xuejun; Fowler, Greg; Gupta, Satyandra K. (March 2007). "Incorporating manufacturability considerations during design of injection molded multi-material objects". Research in Engineering Design. 17 (4): 207. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.114.8590. doi:10.1007/s00163-007-0027-9. S2CID 15614704. <a href="/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

Multi-material injection molding open-in-new

Multi-material injection molding