Vacuum Nut Fixation in Injection Molding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional injection molding processes for embedding nuts in plastic shells are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and costly, lacking automation and consistency from injection molding to nut-insertion steps, which hampers industrial competitiveness.
Innovation Solution
An automatic nut-inserted injection molding system incorporating an automatic feeding machine, a robot arm, an air-evacuating device, and an injection-molding module with a first and second mold block, air needle, and air passage, where the air-evacuating device creates a vacuum to securely fix nuts within the molding cavity, preventing resin flow into the nut bore and allowing for hermetic isolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional thermal pressing process is used to insert nuts into plastic shells, then nuts can be securely fixed, but additional equipment, time, labor and cost are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the nut insertion process with the injection molding process into a single integrated operation. The mold includes a suction cavity that creates vacuum during injection molding to hold the nut in place, eliminating the need for separate thermal pressing equipment and operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the nut holding function from the traditional thermal pressing process and integrates it into the injection molding system through a suction cavity. This allows the nut to be secured during injection molding itself, removing the need for additional nut-pressing equipment.
2Reliability
If traditional thermal pressing process is used to insert nuts into plastic shells, then nuts can be securely fixed, but the process takes additional time and is labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the nut insertion and injection molding operations into a single simultaneous process. The suction cavity holds the nut during injection molding, eliminating sequential operations and improving production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The nut is positioned and secured in the suction cavity before injection molding begins. This preliminary positioning ensures the nut is ready for immediate injection molding without requiring subsequent thermal pressing operations.
3Reliability
If traditional thermal pressing process is used to insert nuts into plastic shells, then nuts can be securely fixed, but additional cost is incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines nut insertion with injection molding into one process, eliminating the need for separate thermal pressing equipment and operations. This integration reduces capital investment and operational costs while maintaining reliable nut fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection molding system is designed to perform multiple functions: injecting resin, holding the nut via suction cavity, and forming the plastic shell with embedded nut all in one operation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated thermal pressing equipment.
4Extent of automation
If automatic feeding machine and robot arm are used for nut delivery, then automation is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the automation system into distinct functional modules: automatic feeding machine for nut supply, robot arm for positioning, and injection molding system with suction cavity for securing. This modular segmentation manages complexity while achieving high automation.
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 system simplifies and automates the nut-insertion process, eliminating the need for thermal pressing, thereby reducing manufacturing time, labor, and cost while ensuring consistent automation and improved production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the air-evacuating device is activated for drawing air away from the air passage. As the air passage is almost in a vacuum state, the atmospheric pressure in the air passage tightly sucks the nut on an end surface of the second mold block
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic nut-inserted injection molding system and a method of the same are provided, and the system includes an automatic feeding machine for providing a nut, an air-evacuating device, a robot arm for delivering the nut, and an injection-molding module. The injection-molding module includes a first mold block, a second mold block, an air passage and an air needle. The second mold block is detachably closed with the first mold block for mutually defining a molding cavity. The air needle is partially embedded in the second mold block. The air passage is formed in the second mold block, and respectively connected to the air needle and the air evacuation device.