In this paper, the purpose is to determine the weld line strength in injection molded samples. The ASTM standard dogbone-shaped samples were molded over a range of melt temperatures (180 ºC up to 280 ºC). The plastic used was a commercial grade of polystyrene (PS), BASF Polystyrol 158K. This study links weld lines in parts by injection molding with mechanical strength reduction due to embrittling effect in weld-line region. A single-cavity mold double-gated was used to generate ASTM D638 Type I tensile specimens. The double-gated and runner allow the parts to be molded with weld line. The injection process parameters were determined by imputing resin, machine and geometry information into a CAE software package. The mold temperature and fill time were maintaining the same. The frozen time was determined by analytic equation, which considers the center of the thickness as reference. For each melt temperature 10 samples were tested. The weld line was clearly noted in the centre of the samples and the process condition set avoided the cold weld line. By the strength tests were possible to realize that lower the injection temperature lower the frozen time and higher the length of the crack. Then low injection temperature leads to low maximum strength. The fracture always occurs in the weld line.
Strength test; cooling time; weld line; injection molding
