Ultrasonic Micro Injection Molding Device for Minimizing Dwell Time
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional microinjection machines face issues with molecular degradation and reduced quality of micro parts due to prolonged dwell time of molten granules in the plasticizer, leading to mechanical characterization losses, especially when dealing with small injection volumes.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonic device that uses controlled melting of plastic material by ultrasound, eliminating the need for traditional plasticizers and allowing immediate, homogeneous melting of plastic threads or granules, integrated with a conventional injection machine to prevent solidification during injection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional thermal plasticizing is used to melt plastic material, then the plastic can be melted and injected into the mold, but the dwell time of molten granules in the plasticizer causes molecular degradation and reduces part quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional thermal plasticizing system with an ultrasonic plasticizing system. The ultrasonic vibration element directly vibrates against the plastic material in the mold cavity, converting thermal energy conversion to mechanical vibration energy conversion. This substitution eliminates the need for a separate plasticizing cylinder and screw mechanism, thereby reducing the dwell time of plastic material and preventing molecular degradation while improving part quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the traditional plasticizing cylinder and screw mechanism from the injection molding system. By taking out this conventional thermal plasticizing component, the design eliminates the source of prolonged dwell time and molecular degradation. The ultrasonic vibration element is introduced as a replacement that performs plasticizing directly at the mold interface, thereby solving the quality issue caused by extended residence time in the plasticizer.
2Volume of moving object
If conventional injection machines are scaled down for micro parts, then smaller injection volumes can be achieved, but molecular degradation occurs due to prolonged dwell time in the plasticizer
Solution Approach 1:
For micro injection applications, the patent applies ultrasonic vibration directly at the mold interface to melt and inject plastic material. This replaces the conventional scaled-down plasticizing system that still suffers from dwell time issues. The ultrasonic method enables instantaneous plasticizing and injection, preventing molecular degradation even at very small injection volumes, thereby maintaining mechanical characterization of the parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The ultrasonic vibration element is positioned to contact and pre-plasticize the plastic material immediately before injection into the mold cavity. This preliminary action of direct ultrasonic plasticizing at the point of injection eliminates the need for prolonged thermal processing in a separate plasticizing cylinder, thereby preventing molecular degradation and maintaining part quality for micro-scale injections.
3Productivity
If ultrasonic vibration is applied to melt plastic material, then immediate and homogeneous melting can be achieved, but the mechanism of ultrasonic plasticizing needs to be integrated with the injection system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the ultrasonic vibration element with the injection system by positioning it to directly contact the plastic material at the mold interface. The ultrasonic generator, vibration element, and injection mechanism are integrated into a unified system where ultrasonic plasticizing and injection occur in sequence without intermediate steps. This merging achieves immediate and homogeneous melting while managing integration complexity through coordinated design of the ultrasonic and injection components.
Solution Approach 2:
The ultrasonic vibration element serves multiple functions: it plasticizes the plastic material through vibration, transfers the melted material into the mold cavity, and can be repositioned for different injection requirements. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate plasticizing and injection mechanisms, thereby achieving high melting speed while controlling overall device complexity through functional integration.
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
The ultrasonic device ensures rapid, homogeneous melting and injection of micro parts, preventing molecular degradation and improving part quality by minimizing shear stress and dwell time, thus enhancing the mechanical characteristics of the injected parts.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasonic vibration element (1) which acts as a plasticizing unit and comprises a sonotrode (1) supported by an annular support (9) coaxially coupled thereon and rigidly fixed on a contour contained in a nodal cross section (1c) of said sonotrode
Implementation Method 2
The ultrasonic device ensures rapid, homogeneous melting and injection of micro parts, preventing molecular degradation and improving part quality by minimizing shear stress and dwell time
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an ultrasonic device for molding micro plastic parts, which combines: a) a mold cavity configured in a mold having an inlet for supplying plastic material to a chamber with an access opening and the chamber facing the cavity at a distal end in relation to its access opening; b) a cantilevered ultrasonic vibration element associated with an ultrasound generator, with an end portion or tip inserted tightly into the chamber through the access opening in an axially centered manner; c) a movement device for generating a relative movement between the end portion and the parts of the mold so that the end portion engages with the supplied plastic material and exerts a pressure of pre-determined magnitude thereon upon activation of the ultrasonic vibration element.