Injection molding of energy storage equipment

Is injection molding energy efficient?

The case for energy efficiency becomes ever more urgent. Injection molding is an energy intensive process, consisting of melting the plastic and forming it by injection under pressure into a mold cavity, followed by cooling and ejection of the solidified product.

What is injection molding process?

The injection molding (IM) process is a widely used manufacturing process for injecting material into a mold for producing a diverse array of parts. It includes several energy-consuming procedures, such as heating plastic pellets, forcing melted polymer into a mold cavity, and cooling down the molded products.

Can optimisation improve the mechanical performance of injection moulding process?

Optimization of injection molding process parameters to improve the mechanical performance of polymer product against impact. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 76, 2199–2208. Yin, K. H. (2015). Dynamic optimisation for energy efficiency of injection moulding process. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham, pp. 31–67.

How much energy does a molding machine use?

We estimate that the associated electricity use by the molding machines is approximately 150 × 10 9 kWh, resulting in CO 2 emissions in the order of 80 million metric tons a year (see Appendix A for basis). The case for energy efficiency becomes ever more urgent.

How much cooling equipment does a small molding machine use?

In work with a small molding machine (Meekers et al., 2018) the chiller and temperature control unit were reported to use as much as 66% of the total, these high figures illustrating the consequences of over-rated cooling equipment. 1.2. Tool cooling and considerations in cooling system design

How does a mold machine work?

The molding machine consists of three main parts: a heated barrel with a screw that rotates and reciprocates, the mold tool with the cavity where the part is formed, and the clamping unit which opens and closes the tool and maintains it closed against the high melt pressures.