Plastic Degradation During Injection Molding
By: David Rose, Senior Instructor, AIM
When it comes to the injection molding of thermoplastic materials, it is reasonable to assume that most processers give little consideration to the molecular weight (MW) of the materials that they are using to mold parts. Their focus will often be on other factors important to the manufacturing operation, such as: cycle time, spoilage, part dimensions, aesthetics, and performance testing. Although MW is not always at the forefront of thought, it is very important to the performance of the product. Therefore, it is imperative that processors recognize that the injection molding process affords plenty of opportunities to degrade the material.
