Injection Molding
In Integrated Computer-Aided Design, a graduate level course, we learned about injection molding in great depth, covering topics such as drafting and analysis, ribbing, and design for injection molding. We then built upon our urethane casting project by redesigning the part for injection molding. I decided to create "quills" by over-molding a feather onto an ink cartridge. I remodeled the feather from the urethane casting project using surface modeling since injection molding allowed for thinner parts than the urethane casting did. I then created a tool for the injection molded part.
SolidCAM was used to generate G-Code for the tool and the tool was manufactured using a CNC Mill, the Haas Mini Mill, and a manual lathe. I then produced shots using a Morgan Press Molding Machine. Although I performed heat tests to ensure the ink cartridges could withstand the heat of the molten plastic, I soon discovered the ink cartridges exploded as a result of the high pressure. Thus, as a result, I created plastic feathers instead of "quills" as I had initially planned.
