Release Liner Vacuum Injection Mold Demolding
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Solution Overview
Problem
In mold-in-place injection molding, it is difficult to demold an open-face rigid injection tool from cured low observable performance coatings without causing damage to the work surface or automation equipment due to high surface friction, which requires manual intervention and poses safety risks.
Innovation Solution
An open-face injection mold tool with a perimeter vacuum system and a release liner that uses a vacuum to seal the tool to the work surface and a gas injector system to aid in releasing the liner from the cured material, allowing for automated and safe demolding without sticking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a rigid open-face injection mold tool is used for mold-in-place operations, then manufacturing precision and structural stability are improved, but demolding difficulty increases due to high surface friction between the tool face and cured material
Solution Approach 1:
A release liner is introduced as an intermediary layer between the rigid mold tool face and the injected material. The liner has a release coating on its mold tool-facing surface that prevents adhesion to cured material, allowing the rigid tool to maintain manufacturing precision while enabling easy demolding through the intermediary release liner layer
2Ease of operation
If high pull force is applied to break surface friction between tool face and cured material, then demolding is achieved, but damage risk to work surface and automation equipment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The release liner acts as a mediator that reduces the interface friction between the tool face and cured material. By introducing this intermediate layer with release properties, the high pull forces required to break direct contact friction are eliminated, allowing safe automated demolding without damage to the work surface or equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The potential harm of high friction and sticking is converted into a benefit by using the release liner's controlled release properties. The liner is designed to adhere to the tool face during injection but readily release from the cured material, transforming the friction problem into a controlled demolding mechanism that protects against damage
3Ease of operation
If manual intervention is used to remove stuck mold tools, then demolding is achieved, but personnel safety risks and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The release liner enables the mold tool to demold itself automatically without manual intervention. The liner's release properties allow the cured material to be easily separated from the tool face through automated means, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for personnel to physically remove stuck tools
Solution Approach 2:
The release liner serves as an intermediary that facilitates automated demolding operations. By providing a controlled release interface, it enables automation equipment to safely and easily remove the mold tool without requiring manual prying or forceful separation, thus improving automation compatibility and reducing operational complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and automated demolding of the mold tool from injected material, preventing damage to the work surface and automation equipment while ensuring safety by reducing the need for manual intervention and minimizing the risk of sticking.
Implementation Method 1
a perimeter vacuum system configured to seal a perimeter surface of the mold tool to the work surface
Implementation Method 2
A liner vacuum system holds the release liner in place against the tool face
Implementation Method 3
a gas injector system configured to blow air between the tool face and the first release liner to help release the liner from the tool following injection and curing of molded material
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~10
AI summary
A mold apparatus (10) comprises a release liner (16) removably securable to a mold tool face (14) by a liner vacuum system configured to hold the release liner in place against the tool face. The liner vacuum system comprises at least one liner vacuum port (22) providing fluid communication between the mold face (14) and a vacuum source is actuable to hold the release liner (16) in place against the tool face in advance of and during material injection and during curing and may be further actuable to subsequently release the tool from the liner, leaving the release liner to be peeled from the cured material.