manufacturing methods Flashcards
injection moulding
Granules of plastic powder or =granules are poured or fed into a hopper.
= A motor turns a thread which pushes the granules along the heater section which melts then into a liquid. =The liquid is forced into a mould where it cools into the shape.
=The mould then opens and the shape is removed.
blow moulding
The plastic is fed in granular form into a ‘hopper’ that stores it.
=Heated plastic granules are injection moulded into a pre-form shape which is positioned into a mould.
= Air is forced into the mould which forces the plastic to the sides, giving the shape of the bottle.
= The mould is then cooled and is removed.
Thermoforming
=Sheet plastic is held securely between the two halves of the mould.
=The plastic is heated just above its softening point.
= The mould halves close and a vacuum is applied
through the lower/negative mould.
=The upper/positive mould ensures the required amount of detail is achieved.
Vacuum Forming
=A sheet of plastic is heated to a temperature suitable for forming.
=A mould is then pushed up into the plastic sheet.
=The ‘vacuum’ is turned on and this pumps out all
the air beneath the plastic sheet.
=The sheet has the shape of the former pressed into its surface.
Plastic Extrusion
Granules of plastic powder or granules are poured or fed into a hopper.
A motor turns a thread which pushes the granules along a heater section.
The heater softens the plastic which is then forced through a die.
As the plastic leaves the die it is cooled.
The extruded product is then cut to the required length.
Calendaring
=Pre mixed thermoplastic material is fed into rollers.
Rollers are heated to just above the softening point
of the thermoplastic.
The plastic is forced through a gap roller to deter- mine the thickness of the final product.
The final roller chills the material.
compression moulding
A performed charge (compressed plastic powder) is placed between the two halves of the mould.
The mould is heated to a temperature that will al- low the long chain molecules of the thermosetting plastic to fix together (this is called cross-link).
The mould is closed and held together for a period of time that will allow all cross-links to be formed.
dip moulding
A mould is dipped into a bath of liquid/molten plastic.
The mould is removed from the plastic having been coated with a layer of the plastic.
The mould is cooled.
The end product is removed from the mould.
high pressure die casting
molten metal is poured into a chamber.
An injection piston or plunger forces the molten
metal under high pressure into the casting cavity.
The pressure is maintained until the metal solidifies.
Injector pins are used to push the components out of the die.
die cutting .
The sharp edges of the cutting die are brought down onto a thin sheet material.
The material can be cut, creased and perforated all on one single step.
CAD
benefits
can view your model from all angles
easier and faster to alter things
=gives you the ability to test stress factors and tolerances of a design before it’s built, saving both time and money as well as ensuring large problems are not found once the construction process has begun.
A Streamlined Design Cycle
3D design enables a faster product design process which is roughly 45% faster on average than 2D design!
Revisions in 3D CAD software are much easier and more economic than manual and 2D drafting as it doesn’t require a constant use of paper and ink. Also, each component can be separately edited without changing the overall design and if needed changes can be reverted.
3D CAD, architects and engineers can quickly and easily extract the 2D information from a completed model, creating more time to focus on the actual design process. Also, with 3D CAD each individual component of a structure can also be isolated, analysed, tested, approved or changed without accidentally altering other design components.
3D CAD software helps the designer in visualising the final products and its constituent parts. The product can be given animation to see how the actual product will work, meaning the designer can immediately make modifications as required. By viewing the 3D model in action, design flaws can be picked up faster and in turn allows for a faster design process, lowering the design cost and shortening the project completion time.
It Can Help You Win Quotes and Keep Clients Happy
3D CAD software enables you to give clients and prospects a virtual tour of their building/ design. The 3D model shows clients a polished and interactive visual representation of their final product. 3D designs also offer clients more customisation options since individual design elements can be changed with ease. And since the software is designed for customisation, it won’t cost you any extra.
Visualise Your End Product
Utilising 3D software with interactive 3D drawings enables users to create more ‘what if’ scenarios, reducing the margin for error. There is also a point-click animation feature which makes it easy for anyone to interpret and understand the design data.
