Major Breakthrough Inventions in Injection
Molding
Lih-Sheng (Tom) Turng1
Suresh Shah2
Hanxiong Huang31University of Wisconsin-Madison
2Delphi Thermal System3South China University of Technology
Injection Molding
• One of most important polymer processing methods
• Processes more than one-third of thermoplastics• More than half of polymer-processing equipment• No. 1 in employment and product shipments
Historical Developments of Injection Molding
DisclaimersIncomplete and not meant to be exhaustive
Acknowledgements & References• Dr. Chi-Kai Shih & Fundamental Forum Committee• J. F. Chabot & R. A. Malloy, J. of Injection Molding Technology,
1(1), p. 1, 1997• P. J. Gramann & T. A. Osswald, Chap. 1, Injection Molding
Handbook, 1st & 2nd ed., Hanser, 2001 & 2007• Dr. Don Rosato (personal communications)• D. V. Rosato & D. V. Rosato, Injection Molding Handbook, Van
Nostrand Reinhold, 1986• J. Avery, Injection Molding Alternatives, Hanser, 1998• Companies that produced and provided the example parts• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Timeline of Machine/Equipment Development
1849Sturgiss
1856Pelouze
Die casting machines
1872Hyatt
1st plastics injection machine
1870Smith & Locke
Die casting machine
1869Hyatt
Processed Celluloid
John Wesley Hyatt 1837 -1920
Picture from the National Inventors Hall of Fame
Timeline of Machine/Equipment Development
1849Sturgiss
1856Pelouze
Die casting machines
1872Hyatt
1st plastics injection machine
1870Smith & Locke
Die casting machine
1869Hyatt
Processed Celluloid
Timeline of Machine/Equipment Development
1849Sturgiss
1856Pelouze
Die casting machines
1872Hyatt
1st plastics injection machine
1870Smith & Locke
Die casting machine
1869Hyatt
Processed Celluloid
1904GaylordInjection molding process
(for amber products)
1903RichardsFledgling injection machine
Timeline of Machine/Equipment Development
1849Sturgiss
1856Pelouze
Die casting machines
1872Hyatt
1st plastics injection machine
1870Smith & Locke
Die casting machine
1869Hyatt
Processed Celluloid
1904GaylordInjection molding process
(for amber products)
1903RichardsFledgling injection machine
1926Eckart & Ziegler1st commercial
Injection machine
(Germany)
1923Grotelite Co.1st U.S. built
injection machine
1926Grotelite Co.
1st fully automatic injection machine
Timeline of Machine/Equipment Development
1849Sturgiss
1856Pelouze
Die casting machines
1872Hyatt
1st plastics injection machine
1870Smith & Locke
Die casting machine
1869Hyatt
Processed Celluloid
1904GaylordInjection molding process
(for amber products)
1903RichardsFledgling injection machine
1926Eckart & Ziegler1st commercial
Injection machine
(Germany)
1923Grotelite Co.1st U.S. built
injection machine
1926Grotelite Co.
1st fully automatic injection machine
Timeline of Machine/Equipment Development
1928Husted
Multiple-cylinder injection machine
1932Gastrow
Torpedo heating cylinder
1930Shaw
1st hydraulic Injection machine
New thermoplastics: vinyl, acrylics, polystyrene
1930’s
Timeline of Machine/Equipment Development
1928Husted
Multiple-cylinder injection machine
1932Gastrow
Torpedo heating cylinder
1930Shaw
1st hydraulic Injection machine
New thermoplastics: vinyl, acrylics, polystyrene
1930’s
Piperoux/Shaw & Huges
Mold clamping systems
1935Index Machine
Corp.1st clock-
controlled auto. machine
1935HPM
Hydro-Power Plastic
Extrusion Molding Press
1930’s
Timeline of Machine/Equipment Development
1928Husted
Multiple-cylinder injection machine
1932Gastrow
Torpedo heating cylinder
1930Shaw
1st hydraulic Injection machine
New thermoplastics: vinyl, acrylics, polystyrene
1930’s
Piperoux/Shaw & Huges
Mold clamping systems
1936Burrough
Two-stage plunger-plunger
Injection machine
1935Index Machine
Corp.1st clock-
controlled auto. machine
1935HPM
Hydro-Power Plastic
Extrusion Molding Press
1930’s
“Petrothene Polyolefins: A Processing Guide,” 3ed., U.S. Industrial Chemicals Co., New Yory, 1965
Timeline of Machine/Equipment Development
1943Beck (BASF)
1st Reciprocating screw injection
machine
Timeline of Machine/Equipment Development
1943Beck (BASF)
1st Reciprocating screw injection
machine
1948Hendry/Jackson
& Church Co.Two-stage
screw-plunger injection machine
1948Gits Molding
Corp.Multiple-shot
injection machine
1946HendryScrew
injection machine
“Petrothene Polyolefins: A Processing Guide,” 3ed., U.S. Industrial Chemicals Co., New Yory, 1965
Timeline of Machine/Equipment Development
1943Beck (BASF)
1st Reciprocating screw injection
machine
1952Willert
Reciprocating screw injection
machine
1948Hendry/Jackson
& Church Co.Two-stage
screw-plunger injection machine
1948Gits Molding
Corp.Multiple-shot
injection machine
1946HendryScrew
injection machine
Timeline of Machine/Equipment Development
1943Beck (BASF)
1st Reciprocating screw injection
machine
1946HendryScrew
injection machine
1952Willert
Reciprocating screw injection
machine
1953Lewis Welding &
Engineering Corp.New “Hydra-Lock” clamping system
1948Hendry/Jackson
& Church Co.Two-stage
screw-plunger injection machine
1948Gits Molding
Corp.Multiple-shot
injection machine
1953George S. Scott
Mfg. Co.Restricted
gating system
Modern Injection Molding Machines
All-electric injection molding machines
Multi-color and multi-component machines
Source: Milacron
Driving Forces for Variants of Conventional Molding Technologies
• Low System Cost and Low Weight (Strong driver for automotive)
• Product Differentiation with Functionality• Appearance with Functionality• Quick Change in Product Designs – Short Lead Time• System Integration and Greater Modularization• Harmony and Craftsmanship• Safety• Design Freedom• Sustainability and Environment• Lean Manufacturing
Emerging New Injection Molding Processes
Emerging New Injection Molding Processes• Multi-Component Molding (Polymer-Polymer)
• Multi-material (soft/hard), Multi-color molding• Co-Injection Molding• Thermoset/thermoplastic molding• Combination processes (Mulit-material with fluid assist, Multi-material with co-injection and fluid
assist, Multi-material with LSM molding, Multi-material with MuCell process)• Multi-Component Molding (Polymer-Fluid)
• Gas Assist Water Assist Projectile • In-Mold Processing
• Insert Molding and in-mold lamination (sheet, textile, paint film)• In Mold Assembly• Rotating Stack Technology, and In-mold Painting Process
• Hybrid Technology• Plastic/Metal, Plastic/Nano-metal coating• Plastics/Plastics• 3-D MID (Molded Interconnect Devices)
• Foam Molding• Micro-cellular Foaming Processes (MuCell)• Structural Foam Molding
• Thin wall Molding (Large part and Small parts)• Hollow Article Molding
• Injection Blow Molding• Die sliding technology
• In-Line Compounding (IMC)/ Injection Molding (Material formulation and molding in a single step)• Injection-Compression Molding and Expansion Injection Molding• Micro-molding/Nano-molding• Metal and Ceramic Injection Molding (Magnesium and Powder Metal Molding)• Thermoset Injection Molding (BMC and ZMC)
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