GAS INJECTION TECHNOLOGY

The gas injection technique (GIT) is a special injection

molding method. After the actual injection molding operation a
permanent cavity is created in the molding as a second step by
means of an inert compressed gas (nitrogen). The plastic is pressed
against the mold wall by maintaining the gas pressure during the
solidification process, thus defining the external contour of the
component.
 Need for Gas – Assisted Injection Moulding:

 The production of thick-walled mouldings from thermoplastics in the

conventional injection moulding processes causes difficulties.

 The sink marks that occur due to volume contraction of the plastic cannot be
completely compensated by the subsequent inflow of melt.

 Processes such as low-pressure structural foam moulding, gas counter pressure

pressure injection moulding, and co injection moulding were developed to avoid
sink marks that occurred during the production of thick – walled moldings form
thermoplastics

 During gas-assisted injection moulding, a gas is injected into the interior of the
melt with the objective of counteracting volume contraction during cooling by
means of the internal gas pressure inside the moulding.
 Gas Assisted Injection Moulding Processes:

There are two different methods of gas

generation known:
A) Discontinuous Pressure Generation
B) Continuous Pressure Generation
 Discontinuous Pressure Generation
 A cylinder is filled with nitrogen; then the gas is compressed by
a pressure intensifying system.

 As soon as the pressure has reached the preset pressure, the gas
is injected. A specific feature of this process is the volumetric
control of the gas before compression.

 For every injection cycle, the pressure has to be built up before

the gas can be injected, which means there is a minimum
recovery time required between two injections.

 High gas pressures as holding pressures normally cannot be

maintained during the cooling period.
 Continuous Pressure Generation
 The continuous pressure generation functions with gas
compressors which bring up the nitrogen pressure to a determined
pressure level that is, 30MPa at the injection point, the pressure is
reduced by means of suitable valves.

 The process is characterized by pressure control.

 A basic advantage of the continuous pressure control is that even

high gas pressures can be maintained for almost the complete
cooling time.

 The gas injection at several injection points or for different

injection moulding machines can be preformed easily by using
only one pressure – generating system.
 materials
 Polypropylene
 Acrylonitrile – Butadiene - Styrene polymer (ABS)
 PolyEthylene (PE)
 PolyPropylene (PP)
 PolyStyrene (PS)
 Styrene - Acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN)
 PolyPhneyleneoxide (PPO) modified
 Polycarbonate(PC)
 PolyButylene Terephthalate (PBT)
 Blends of PolyCarbonate (PC) – PolyButylene Terephtalate
(PBT)
 Thermoplastic PolyUrethane (TPU)
 Thermoplatic elastomer (TPE)
 Gas Assisted Injection

 Injection through the machine nozzle

 Injection directly into the mould

Advantages
 No Sink marks
 No built in stresses
 Shorter cycle time
 Reduction in weight
GAIM Model
Gas assisted injection moulding system

Gas-assisted injection moulding:

a) the electrical system,
b) the hydraulic system,
c) the control panel,
d) the gas cylinder.
Gas injection into product
Gas Assisted Through The Nozzle:
 Gas injection through the nozzle can be achieved generally for
axisymmetric mouldings requiring no changes to the existing
mould.

 Gas injection through the nozzle is also favorable when the hole
in the moulding, formed by the gas injection, cannot be accepted
and thus must be sealed with plastic.

 This is achieved by releasing the gas pressure by the sprue break

at the end of the gas holding time, and subsequently injecting a
finite amount of melt through the sprue.

 Gas injection can also be done directly into the sprue.

 An unbalanced filling of the cavities with plastic produces an

uneven gas penetration.
Gas Injection Into The Mould:
 Gas injection separate from melt injection.

 The selected location for gas injection offers design flexibility for
the manufacture of products with a high quality level.

 Gas is injected either directly into the cavity or into the runner.

 Gas injection modules, which are placed directly in the mould, may
be stationary or retractable.

 Stationary injection modules are fixed in the mould.

 This type of module is used when the installation direction

coincides with the demolding direction of the product.

 Retractable injection modules have to be withdrawn before the

mould opens.
SCHEMATIC OF GAS INJECTION INTO THE CAVITY USING
STATIONARY AND RETRACTABLE MODULES.
 Processing Technology
Injection Sequence
• Nitrogen is used, as it is an inert gas.
• A simultaneous injection of plastic and gas is not possible, as the
gas would immediately break through the melt front.
• The timing of gas injection and the gas pressure are of great
importance to produce useful moulding.
• Pressure versus time plots with and without breakthrough (fig)
• As long as the gas pressure is greater than the melt pressure in
the unfilled mould, the gas will advance and eventually break
through the melt.
• The gas can be injected only when the gas pressure is as high as
the melt temperature.
• A typical pressure diagram of mould filling ( fig).
viscosity
 The gas viscosity is very low in comparison on the
polymer viscosity.

 When injecting gas into a flat panel the gas does not
penetrate evenly, but always takes the easiest way to
the end of the flow path.

 This effect, called “Fingering” may cause flow

instability.
Wall Thickness:
For rod-shaped mouldings, a regular wall thickness distribution is
required.

It was found that the typical parameters such as melt

temperature, mould temperature, and melt filling time have only a
small influence on polymer wallthickness.
Shrinkage:
The shrinkage or injection mouldings depends on the polymer,
filler, shape of the moulding, and processing conditions.

Two processing parameters that have a great influence on

shrinkage are gas pressure level and gas pressure time.

Higher gas pressure level and longer gas pressure time reduce
the shrinkage of the mouldings..
 PROCESSING
The processing process in gas injection molding takes
place as follows:
closing the mold
injecting the plastic
gas injection in the plastic melt
maintenance of the gas pressure during solidification
reduction of gas pressure
opening the mold
removal of part from mold
Injection sequence for
gas injection into
mould.
 STAGE –I :FILLING STAGE STAGE – 2: POST FILLING
1 : Cycle begins 4:5 : Gas pressure held
1:2 : Resin injection stage 5 : Gas pressure released
2 : Resin injection ends 6 : Mould opens
3 : Delay time
3-4 : Gas injection begins
4 : Cavity filling completed STAGE – 3: MOULD OPENING STAGE

The machine cycle for a typical gas- assisted injection moulding process. Resin-
injection time is between points 1 & 2, the timer starts gas injection ar point 3, the fill time
is between points 1 & 4, and gas injection time is from point 3 to point 5.
 a) Conventional Injection Moulding Process

b) Gas-Assisted Injection Moulding Process

a)The evolution of pressure distribution for the conventional injection moulding

process.
b) The evolution of pressure distribution for the gas – assisted injection moulding
process.
The lower but more uniform pressure distribution in the case of gas –
assisted injection moulding.
Inadequate pre-filling with the standard GIT
(gas breakthrough)
Excessive pre-filling with the standard GIT
(material accumulation, sink)
 As a special feature in relation to conventional
injection molding, a permanent cavity is created in a
molding by means of an inert compressed gas (nitrogen)
after injection of the melt. A basic distinction is made
here between two methods:

 The blow-up technique (standard GIT) and

 The blow-out technique (secondary cavity method) or counter
flow technique.
 Blow-up method (standard GIT)

In the case of the standard GIT, the mold is first partially

filled with melt: then this melt volume "is blown up" with the help of
the process gas and the molding is shaped completely in this way.
Through the gas pressure inside the molding the melt is pressed
against the external walls of the mold such that a hollow body is
formed.
 Blow-out method

In the blow-out and/or counter flow technique the cavity is

first completely filled with melt and then the still plastic core is
"blown out" again. The melt is blown out in an overflow cavity that is
additionally inserted in the mold or by blowing back into the injection
cylinder. The method to be applied is primarily determined by the
design of the molding. Furthermore, the patent situation also has to be
taken into account in the selection of the method
  The delay time until the changeover from melt injection to gas
injection must be kept as short as possible in the standard GIT,
otherwise so-called switchover markings occur due to melt
stagnation.

 The blow-out technique offers advantages here since the

molding surface is shaped cleanly through the initially complete
filling of the cavity.
 The subsequent injection of the gas no longer influences the
molding surface.
 The residual wall thicknesses that result tend to be somewhat
larger than in the standard GIT.
 A disadvantage is that the overflow cavity must be cut off if it is
not blown back into the machine.
 The method applied in the end is essentially determined
on the basis of the molding geometry.
 The standard GIT is suitable for rod-shaped moldings
while partial material accumulations can also be blown
out by means of the blow-out technique.
 The patent situation has to be considered as well when
making the choice.
Advantages that result from such GIT applications in the
production process are;
 rod-shaped moldings
 greater design freedom (thick-walled, rod-shaped parts possible)
 high degree of rigidity due to larger closed cross-section profiles
 reduction of sink marks
 uniform shrinkage and thus less distortion
 shorter cycle times as compared to thick-walled compact parts
 with rod-shaped parts weight savings of up to approx. 50%
 with large-area parts less locking force because the required filling
pressure is less and the pressure distribution in the hold period is
more even
 Component design
The following design instructions must be kept in mind in
connection with the GIT:
 provide deflections with large radii as far as possible

 avoid process- or geometry-related material accumulations

 optimize cross-sections for rod-shaped moldings (no sharp edges,

instead provide edges with radii, round cross-section profile as far
as possible)
 match length and cross-section

 favorable design of gas ducts

 arrangement of ribs and gas ducts.

Design Guidelines:
 Design guidelines in general need to be based on
 Understanding of the gas flow,
 How to achieve a gas penetration in the required areas.

Rod – Shaped Mouldings:

 Rod-Shaped mouldings forming a ring are more difficult to inject
because of the weld line area without gas.
 A reduction of wall thickness in the expected area of the weld line
is useful war to balance gas distribution.
Design instructions for GIT: cross-section design for rod-shaped
moldings
Gas Channels
Gas channels are needed to control the gas flow and to keep
the gas out of the thin-walled areas.

The following conditions have to be met:

 The difference in wall thickness between the channel and the basic
wall must be large enough to contain the gas flow in the channel.
 The basic wall itself should not be too thick to avoid gas
penetration into thicker areas.
 The basic wall thickness should not be so thin that air is trapped in
central areas because of preferred gas flow in the thicker gas
channels.
 Preferred wall thickness of panel-shaped mouldings should be in
the range of 2.5mm to 3.5mm, but not more than 4.0mm.
 When the basic wall thickness is above the
recommended values and a reduction is not possible, a
reduction of wall thickness around the gas channel is
helpful to keep the gas inside the gas channel areas.
 Even deep and thick ribs can be moulded without any
sink marks.
Gas Penetration along Surfaces

Gas penetration into wall next to gas channel

Corners and Wall Thickness Variations
 The direction of the gas flow is affected by the shape of
the moulding since the gas takes the path of least
resistance.
 Sharp corners create thin wall regions
 Rounded edges provide a more uniform wall thickness
distribution.
Design instructions for GIT: avoidance of material accumulations
due to overflow
Design instructions for GIT: coordination of cross-section
dimensions / minimum lengths
Design instructions for GIT: design of gas duct
geometries
Design instructions for GIT: arrangement of ribs and gas ducts
 Moulding technology
MOULD DESIGN
• Cavity pressures in gas-assisted molding are lower than those of
conventional injection mouldings.

• For rod shaped mouldings, pressures are even below of

structural foam mouldings.

• Normally cavity pressures between 5 and 20 Mpa (700 and 3000

psi) must be expected.
 Undercuts
• When Undercuts of the mouldings can be eliminated by means of gas assistance,
no side cover actions in the mould are needed.

Elimination of Undercuts by means of Gas - Assisted Injection Mouldings

 Multicavity Moulds
 First the cavities are filled with plastic up to a predetermined level, that is
70% or 80% before the gas injection starts.

 A balanced filling of all cavities is an important condition in achieving on

identical gas penetration in all cavities.

 Good balancing of runners and gates is essential.

 For more than two cavities, direct gas injection into the runners or the
cavities is recommended

 Cooling channels for multi cavity moulds are to be provided symmetrically.

 Sequential cooling or two or more cavities by connecting cooling channels

gives poor reliability in production, as the gas reacts to even minor
temperature differences between the cavities.

 Water supplies should be separate for each cavity.

 End Use Products
Automotive Bumper Fascia Telivision Cabinet

Plastic Lawn Chair Double Basin Wash Tub