Waste Flake Injection Molding Using Decomposition Gas Lubrication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for recycling mixed thermoplastic waste into 3D parts require prior sorting and are inefficient, leading to high production costs and material limitations.
Innovation Solution
A process that transforms ground or granulated multi-component plastics into solid or hollow 3D parts without prior sorting, utilizing the decomposition gases generated by heating and pressurizing the recycled material to lubricate the material during injection and compensate for shrinkage, while maintaining high pressure to facilitate long flow lengths and small cross-sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If prior sorting of plastic waste is required, then processing quality is improved, but productivity is reduced and operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful effect of mixed plastic contaminants into a beneficial lubricating layer. The decomposition gases and impurities that would normally interfere with processing are instead utilized to create a lubricating effect during injection molding, enabling unsorted waste to be processed effectively without compromising product quality
2Length of moving object
If high pressure is applied during injection, then flow length is improved and manufacturing precision is enhanced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces decomposition gases as an intermediary substance that acts as a lubricant during injection. This gas layer reduces friction between the molten plastic and mold walls, allowing longer flow lengths to be achieved at lower injection pressures, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining dimensional accuracy
3Use of energy by moving object
If decomposition gases are utilized for lubrication, then energy consumption is reduced and productivity is improved, but control precision becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The decomposition gases are generated automatically from the plastic waste itself during heating, requiring no external addition or complex control systems. The process self-regulates as the gases naturally form and provide lubrication during injection, simplifying control while reducing energy consumption and improving productivity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2E
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for recycling waste in the form of flakes containing plastics-based materials, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - taking up the flakes; - compacting the flakes and feeding them into a plasticizing tool; - melting and kneading the flakes in the plasticizing tool; - injecting the extruded material under high pressure into a mould to form a component; - using the decomposition gases generated by the heating and the pressurizing of the material recycled in the plasticizing tool to lubricate the material as it is injected into the mould and to compensate for the shrinkage of the material as it cools without supplying additional gas; - cooling the mould; - extracting the component from the mould.