Things to Consider When Choosing Water Injection Molding

Water Injection Technology (WIT) offers a number of advantages for your business that range from increased production to cost savings. WIT is great for most kinds of hollow or partly hollow parts like water pipes and door handles, to name a few. The main advantage WIT has over gas-assisted injection molding, is its ability to cool quicker. This creates a number of advantages in the plastic mold injection process. WIT can either inject water, basically offsetting the melt (polymer) into the mold or it can inject water to force the polymer outward, which hollows it out. Universal Plastic Mold put together this post to explain four advantages in detail that will have you considering water injection molding for your next project.

WIT Offers More Options than Gas-Assisted Molding

WIT works by removing material from within the component. This allows for more precision in smoothness and accuracy of design.

When using non-WIT techniques, the hot melt can flow into an injection mold. This causes the thicker melt to cool slower because it is insulated by the outside wall. As the inner melt front cools at a different rate from the outside surface, it shrinks and can pull on the outside surface, creating warping and sink marks.

By reducing artifacts like sink marks, warping, and clamping force through the use of WIT, you can ensure the highest utilization of material. A by-product of higher material utilization is lower weight because less material is going to waste and unwanted artifacts.

Delivers a More Diversified Set of Options

WIT can deliver a far more diversified set of options on the kinds of hollow parts you’re able to produce. Because water cannot be compressed, a greater degree of pressure can be produced in contrast to gas pressure. This means that more complex parts can be created.

Thinner Walls Can be More Easily Produced, Which Cuts Costs

A thinner wall uses less material and cools down faster. Less material means lower costs and faster cycle times. Additionally, the overall product weighs less, which is a benefit to shipping cost.

Cools Parts Faster, Which Allows You to Produce More Parts & Increase Savings.

With WIT, water is used to core out the plastic, creating the designed cavity. Water is then flushed through the hollow part, cooling it off. Water can cool parts quicker than gas assist because it has a thermal conductivity that is 40 times greater than gas and a heat capacity that is four times greater. Because parts cool faster with WIT, you’re able to produce more parts in the same amount of time as compared to gas assisted molding. This effectively increases productivity and revenue through additional output.

Are you ready to create hollowed components faster and cheaper using water injection molding? Talk to the injection molding experts at Universal Plastic Mold to get a quote. We’re able to handle your entire process from start to finish. With more than 50 years of experience in the industry you know you’re getting the best in the business when you come to UPM. Learn more about what we can do for you!