Overview
The manufacturing of precise and micro plastic parts requires an understanding of design, processing, and metrology. Micro injection molding is the technology used to manufacture plastics products characterized by tolerances in the micrometer range, or dimensions in the micrometer range, or by the presence of micro-and nano-features on their surface. Main applications are in the field of medical devices, implantable devices, electronics, sensors, and more. This course will focus on part design, mold design, machine design, and processing for precision and micro injection molding. The lecture will be supported by the discussion of real case studies developed at Isometric Micro Molding Inc. Practical laboratory workshops will demonstrate different micro molding technologies and different molds, allowing experiential learning opportunities. The attendees are expected to end the seminar with a practical understanding of the technology.
Audience
This course is appropriate for anyone involved in the development, design, and manufacturing of precise and micro plastic products.
Content
Overview of Precision and Micro Injection Molding
- Definition of precision and micro injection molding: micro-scale parts, parts with micro-scale tolerances, textured parts.
- Differences with conventional injection molding: challenges and opportunities.
- Applications and examples: medical, electronics, sensors, etc.
Part Design for Micro Molding
- Material selection and characterization: requirements for precision and micro applications; amorphous vs. semi-crystalline; flow characteristics; thermal properties.
- Design for Manufacturing of precise and micro plastic products: mold filling, shrinkage and warpage, cooling.
- Design guidelines: wall thickness, parting lines, tolerances.
- The role of simulation: material characterization, model preparation, model parameters, analysis of the results.
Machine technology
- Micro injection molding machines: scaled-down technologies, two-screw design, screw over plunger design, overmolding, process control and accuracy.
Mold Design and Tooling Technologies
- Design approach for micro injection molds: two-plate, three-plate, gating, ejection, cooling.
- Tooling Technologies: Micro milling, Micro-electro discharge machining, Lithography, Laser, Additive Manufacturing.
Metrology for Micro Molding
- Quality control: optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, surface characterization, morphology characterization.
Process Monitoring and Optimization
- Effect of process parameters on micro molded parts quality, process consistency.
- Statistical process monitoring.
Case Studies
- Product and mold designs developed at Isometric Micromolding will be analyzed and discussed with the attendees.
Workshops
Attendees will use different types of micro injection molding machine and molds.
About The Instructors
Dr. Davide Masato received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (2011), an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (2014) and a Ph.D. (2018) from the University of Padova in Italy. In 2016, he was a visiting researcher at the University of Bradford (UK), where he worked at the Centre for Polymer Micro and Nano Technology (Polymer MNT). Prior to joining the faculty at UMass Lowell, he was a post-doc researcher at the University of Padova, where he worked at the Te.Si. Laboratory for Precision Engineering and Manufacturing. Since 2018, Dr. Masato has been an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plastics Engineering at UMass Lowell. Dr. Masato teaches undergraduate and graduate engineering design, injection mold design, and computer-aided engineering classes. His research focuses on plastic product design, polymer processing technologies, sustainable manufacturing, and computer-aided engineering. Dr. Masato's research resulted in 35+ journal publications, 50+ conference presentations, 1 book chapter, and 3 patents.
Vijay Kudchadkar is a Plastics Engineer with 18 years of experience in precision molding and is a world-renowned expert in micro molding, material properties, hot runners, screw design, multi-shot molding, and flow simulation. Vijay is currently the Director of Innovation & Business Development for Isometric Micro Molding Inc. and specializes in developing comprehensive tooling, molding, and automated assembly solutions for medical OEMs for complex parts and assemblies. Vijay also has 8 years of experience in extrusion, thermoforming, and blow molding, and has numerous publications and 9 patents in the field of polymer processing. Vijay is an active member of the Society of Plastics Engineers and is currently the Councilor of SPE Ontario and Newsletter editor for the SPE Medical Plastics Division. Vijay graduated from the University of Massachusetts Lowell with a Master’s Degree in Plastics Engineering.