DESIGN

ESSENTIALS
for Injection Molding
 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

Contents
03 Injection Molding Basics
As a quick reference guide, we’ve gathered some of our
07 13 Cosmetic Defects and How to Avoid Them most useful tips to improve the moldability of your part
10 3 Key Design Elements for Rapid Overmolding design, accelerate development, and reduce production
costs along the way.
13 14 Reasons Why Optical LSR is Good for
Lighting Applications

15 5 Design Considerations to Improve

Multi-Cavity Molds

Got a 3D CAD model ready to

be quoted? Get free design for
manufacturability (DFM)
analysis and real-time pricing.

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 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

Injection Molding A good rule of thumb is to apply 1 degree of draft

per 1 inch of cavity depth, but that still may not be
Wall Thickness
Controlling wall thickness during part design helps
Basics sufficient depending on the material selected and
the mold’s capabilities. Protolabs uses CNC milling
manage cosmetics, weight, and strength of your
part. Parts that are too thick result in unsightly
to manufacture the majority of the features in the
Parts arrive at injection molding in different ways. sink, warp, and internal voids (pockets of air). To
mold. The result of our manufacturing process drives
Some are first prototyped through 3D printing avoid this, materials have recommended wall
a unique wall thickness and draft angle based on
where moldability considerations are of limited thickness guidelines— remember this is only
the end mill that we are using for each feature.
concern. Others take a more traditional machining a general rule as not all parts may have wall
This is where our design for manufacturability
route that allows for iterative testing in thicknesses at the high and low ends indicated
(DFM) analysis becomes particularly helpful as
engineering-grade materials similar to that on the chart.
our software looks at each part feature separately
of molding. And many simply jump right to
and compares it to our toolset. The design analysis
injection molding.
highlights the part geometry where increased
We’ve learned from experience that, before draft and thickness may be required.
production begins, there are important design
Radii on the other hand isn’t a necessity for
elements to consider. These may improve the R.5T
injection molding, but should be applied to your
moldability of the parts, and ultimately, may
part for a few reasons — eliminating sharp
reduce the chance of production hiccups,
corners on your part will improve material R1.5T
cosmetic defects, and other issues. T T
flow as well as part integrity.

Draft and Radii The resin filling the mold cavity flows better Sharp corners have high-stress concentration and plastic
Applying draft and radii to a part is vital to a around soft corners much like the flow of a flow is hindered. Rounded corners have reduced-stress
concentrations and plastic flow is enhanced.
properly designed injection-molded part. Draft river. Rivers don’t have 90 degree corners as the
helps a part release from a mold with less drag on water flow creates inside and outside corners
the part’s surface since the material shrinks onto so it moves easily towards its final destination.
the mold core. Limited draft requires an excessive Similarly, plastic resin wants to take a path of least
amount of pressure on the ejection system that resistance to minimize the amount of stress on the
may damage parts and possibly the mold. material and mold. Radii, like draft, also aid in part
ejection as rounded corners reduce the chance
that the part will stick in the mold causing it to
warp or even break.

© Proto Labs, Inc. 1999–2018 Protolabs HQ, 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877-479-3680 3
 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

MATERIAL RECOMMENDED WALL Coring Out and Ribbing

THICKNESS
Along with employing proper wall thickness,
ABS 0.045 in. – 0.140 in. additional considerations should be looked at to
Acetal 0.030 in. – 0.120 in.
ensure a part’s design integrity remains intact. One
may assume that the thicker the part, the stronger
Acrylic 0.025 in. – 0.150 in. the part—this is a false assumption. A properly
Liquid Crystal Polymer 0.030 in. – 0.120 in.
designed part that is intended to be structural
Deep-Rib Approach: Box designed with walls as rubs. Higher
should contain ribs and supporting gussets, which cost to machine and polish cavity. Core-Cavity Approach: Box
Long-fiber Reinforced Plastics 0.075 in. – 1.000 in. increase strength and can help eliminate cosmetic designed through core-cavity method. Can get to features
with bigger, faster cutter. Easier and faster to polish.
Nylon 0.030 in. – 0.115 in.
defects like warp, sink, and voids.
Ramps and gussets are yet another design
Polycarbonate 0.040 in. – 0.150 in. Let’s begin by coring out your thick part, which will
element to strengthen and cosmetically improve
still retain the overall height and diameter of your
Polyester 0.025 in. – 0.125 in. your part. Again, plastic prefers smooth transitions
part without necessarily sacrificing performance.
between geometries and a small ramp helps
Polyethylene 0.030 in. – 0.200 in. There’s a good chance you’ll increase the part’s
the material flow between levels. Gussets help
performance and cosmetic appearance, too.
Polyphenylene sulfide 0.020 in. – 0.180 in. supporting walls or features while reducing
Next, we’ll focus on the design of the support molding stresses.
Polypropylene 0.025 in. – 0.150 in.
ribs. The ideal way to design ribs is by using a
Polystyrene 0.035 in. – 0.150 in.
rib-to-wall thickness ratio of 40 to 60 percent the 40-60 %
Polyurethane 0.080 in. – 0.750 in. thickness of adjacent surfaces. The main body of
* The table is adapted from manufacturing.com the part should be designed thick enough so any
adjacent rib extruded from it is about half of the
Thickness recommendation thickness. This helps you avoid thick sections that
may cool at different rates than the thin sections.
It also helps in reducing sink and stresses that can
create warp in your part.
To prevent sink, the thickness of the rib should be about half
of the thickness of the wall.

© Proto Labs, Inc. 1999–2018 Protolabs HQ, 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877-479-3680 4
 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

Core-Cavity Undercuts
The core and cavity are often referenced as the A Rapid injection molding requires that your part
and B sides or top and bottom halves of a mold. design should be as simple as possible, right?
A core-cavity approach to part design can save This is another false assumption as we support
manufacturing time and money and improve the complex part designs that require undercuts,
overall part cosmetics. through holes, and other features.

Let’s say you’re designing a simple box. When External undercuts are the easiest and most cost
draft is applied to the outside and inside surfaces effective as we accommodate through
in the same mold half, you create a very deep pin-actuated side-actions. These side-actions The left image illustrates a clip with undercut feature. On the
rib that is difficult to manufacture and increases move in tandem with the mold when it is opened right image, an access hole beneath the undercut allows the
mold to protrude through the part and provide the needed
tooling costs. It also increases the chance of mold and closed while the cam rides along an angled latch shutoff geometry.
damage due to difficult ejection and short shots pin. When opened, the cam is fully retracted
due to lack of mold venting in the deep rib. so the part can be easily ejected without mold
damage and closes again till the cam is in position
You can minimize all of these concerns through to create the next part.
a core-cavity approach. This design technique
requires the outside and inside walls to be In cases that are not adaptable for side-actions,
drafted so they are parallel to one another. we can use manually removed inserts. These are
This method keeps a consistent wall thickness, mold components that are greater than a half-
maintains the part integrity, improves the strength inch cube and are loaded by an operator into the
and moldability, and decreases the overall press before it closes. After the part has been
manufacturing cost. molded, the part is ejected along with the insert.
The operator then takes the part and manually
removes the insert and places it back into the
mold for the next part.

© Proto Labs, Inc. 1999–2018 Protolabs HQ, 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877-479-3680 5
 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

Gating and Ejection

Gating and ejector pins are a necessity for plastic Sub gates are generally used by incorporating Hot tip gates work well as they have minimal part
resin to strategically enter the mold and plastic a tunnel gate into the side of the part or into an waste from sprue and runner systems. A hot tip is
parts to effectively be ejected from the mold. ejector pin (post gate). Both gate styles generally best for parts that require a balanced fill from the
We’ve learned from experience that there are can decrease the size of the vestige left on the center to the outside edges. This minimizes any
several ways to gate or eject your part, and the exterior of the part. Tunnel gates still enter the mold shift as tab gates can create an unbalanced
locations should be considered before you are part externally, but are mid-way down a parts pressure in a mold. Hot tip gates are often the
ready to proceed with tooling. surface, so they typically leave less of a gate most cosmetically appealing gate (about 0.050 in.
vestige. Post gates leave no visible vestige on diameter) and often times can be hidden in
Tab gates are most commonly used as they the exterior of the part as the part fills through a dimple or around a logo or text.
offer a mold technician the optimal processing one of the ejector pins close to the perimeter of
capabilities and have the ability to be increased the part. The risk is the cosmetic shadow left on Direct sprue gates are the least appealing and
in size if the process requires it. A tab gate is the opposite side of the part due to heat and are used with specific materials that have a high
tapered down in size from the runner, so the part thickness. So, be cautious when using this glass content or where the middle of the part
smallest point is at the part’s surface. This allows for highly cosmetic parts that have texture requires secondary machining. Direct sprue gates
a freeze point between the part and runner or a high polish. have a large diameter that is difficult to manually
removing the heat from the surface of the part. remove and often times require a fixture that is
You want the heat removed from this surface removed by milling.
to minimize any risk of sink in the part. After
molding, the tab gate needs to be manually
removed leaving a gate vestige within 0.005 in.

© Proto Labs, Inc. 1999–2018 Protolabs HQ, 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877-479-3680 6
 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

13 Cosmetic Sink
As its name implies, sink appears as a dimple
Defects and How or shallow depression on the surface of a

to Avoid Them molded part. It’s caused by thicker than normal

cross sections, non-uniform part design or an
1
improper gate placement— the doorway through
As with any manufacturing process, injection which hot plastic first enters the mold cavity.
molding comes with its own set of design Some plastics—polypropylene and acetal, for
guidelines, and design engineers who understand example—are very susceptible to sink, whereas
these best practices will increase their chances fiber and glass-filled materials are less prone
of developing structurally sound and cosmetically to sink. At Protolabs, we have wall thickness 2
appealing parts and products. recommendations for each material, and advise
that a workpiece minimum wall thickness be no
Here are some common cosmetic defects that
less than 40 to 60 percent of its thickest section.
occur on plastic injection-molded parts, and tips
Material flow within the mold should travel from
on how to avoid them:
thick to thin whenever possible, which might mean
reorienting the mold cavity, or placing the gate in 3
an area originally reserved for a cosmetic surface.

From left to right, Figure 1 represents a part designed

with thick features and the resulting sink once molded.
Figure 2 also shows a part designed with thick features,
but this time the warp that occurs once molded.
Figure 3 demonstrates how coring out thick features
helps create an optimally molded part.

© Proto Labs, Inc. 1999–2018 Protolabs HQ, 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877-479-3680 7
 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

Warp Swirling Surface Imperfections

Design a part with walls too thin for the target From Honey Beige to Cornflower Blue, we stock If you select a PM-F0 non-cosmetic finish on
material and it’s likely to curl up like a potato chip. more than 40 standard colorants. These are mixed a tool, the finished part will likely show small,
This is called warp, and is easily avoided by with natural resin pellets immediately prior to the circular, end-mill marks and tool transition
following the same rules used with sink, namely molding run and are usually quite close to the lines. If you need a surface finish that’s more
staying within the general wall thickness guidelines. target color, but the final product may vary due to cosmetically appealing, it’s generally a simple,
Ironically, the glass-filled materials that work well the polymer being used, texture and polish of the if more expensive matter to manually polish the
with sink-prone parts are more susceptible to warp. tool, and swirling during the mixing process. If you tool. A PM-F1 finish removes most tool marks,
That’s because, as the part cools, the glass fibers want an identical color match on your parts, while an SPI-A2 will be smoother than a fresh jar
tend to line up in the same direction, creating it would be best to purchase color-matched, of peanut butter. Texturing via bead blasting is
internal stresses. Parts with internal support pre-compounded resin from an external vendor. another option, which generally leaves a uniform
structures—gussets to support thin walls, or ribbing We accept most customer-supplied resins sent matte finish, except in thicker areas, around knit
of large flat surfaces—fare best against warp. our way. lines, and in darker materials. Bear in mind that
deep slots and cavities are difficult to reach for
Flash Knit Lines polishing and texturing, and that fine finishes
Look closely at a rubber O-ring and you’ll see a thin Worried about those fine lines that look like may impact quick turnaround time because of the
line of material at its outermost periphery. That’s a hairline cracks in your injection-molded part? additional effort needed for polishing. We offer
parting line, the seam where the two halves of the Don’t be. Those are knit lines, formed when two eight surface finish options to choose from for
mold come together. With free flowing materials opposing flows of material join together in the injection-molded parts.
such as Santoprene or unfilled nylon, a small mold cavity. Commonly seen at the edge of a hole
amount of flash can sometimes ooze into the or other cored feature, knit lines are—as a rule— Drag
seam, and often requires trimming once the part purely cosmetic, but may create a physical failure Sufficient draft is an important part of any mold
has cooled. On a donut shape such as this, there’s point if present in an area of the part that receives design, and quick-turn tooling is no exception.
little choice over the parting-line location, but substantial stress, such as the head of a screw. In Vertical walls, meaning those part surfaces
many orthogonal parts have sharp corners, which this case, designing a strengthening boss feature parallel to the direction of mold operation, should
make a clean, crisp junction at which the mold can around the hole is a good precaution, or just skip have a minimum draft angle of 1/2 degree,
separate. Flash or no, you should expect a parting the hole entirely and drill it afterwards. and 2 degrees is even better; heavily textured
line on most molded products, but we will identify surfaces may require 5 degrees or more. Without
the parting line location on your ProtoQuote, and proper draft, part ejection becomes difficult if not
may suggest ways of modifying the part geometry impossible, and drag or scrape lines may occur.
to avoid one.

© Proto Labs, Inc. 1999–2018 Protolabs HQ, 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877-479-3680 8
 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

Vestiges Jets, Orange Peels, Etc.

Gate vestige is that small ugly spot at one end There are several miscellaneous problems that Thankfully, most of these issues can be resolved
of the part left by removal of the gate after can crop up with injection molding, several of through slight modifications to part design and/
molding, usually with a side cutter or razor knife. which can be tied back to wall thicknesses that or selecting a different material. Difficult part
It’s an unavoidable fact of injection molding. The exceed general recommendations: geometries often require fine-tuning of the
only thing, for the most part, that can be done molding temperature, injection speed, hold times,
to avoid it is orienting the part in the mold such • Jetting, a wormlike swirl that appears near or all three. Material selection also plays a big
that cosmetic surfaces are unaffected—when especially thick gate areas, is caused by part with cosmetics. Two examples of this are
molding a Statue of Liberty replica, for example, temperature variations within the material flow. polypropylene and HDPE, which tend to sink more
the gate should be placed on the soles of Lady than polybutlylene or acetal, but flow better into
Liberty’s feet. When submitting a design to • Similarly, a surface that looks like an orange peel small part details. It is possible to test different
Protolabs, always be sure to speak to a customer can be caused by flow variations in the mold materials using the same mold, but unfortunately
service engineer to be sure surfaces that require cavity, usually in thicker sections of the part. shrink factors may prevent parts from having
a vestige-free appearance can be accommodated. dimensions that match the CAD. In some cases
We may have options to change a gate style • Silvery streaks and material flaking is known after testing multiple materials, a new mold may
depending on the material and part geometry. as splay, and can occur as a result of moist be required for further testing or production parts.
It is much easier to do this during the review or degraded resin, but can also be caused
stages rather than after the mold design by material shear due to higher than normal
stages have begun. injector-screw speeds.

• Blush, a cloudy discoloration normally found

near gate areas, can be caused by improper
fill speeds, but proper part geometry and
gate placement also play a factor.

© Proto Labs, Inc. 1999–2018 Protolabs HQ, 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877-479-3680 9
 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

3 Key Design Chemical Bonding Compatibility

Elements for Rapid SUBSTRATE MATERIAL

ABS Lustran ABS/PC PC PBT Valox PP Nylon 66

Overmolding OVERMOLD
433-904000 Cycoloy
C2950-111
Lexan
940-701
357-1001 Profax
6323
Zytel 103
HSL
MATERIAL NC010
Injection molding is a common and cost-effective
TPU - Texin
method for manufacturing parts. It’s widely used C C C C M M
983-000000
for everything from medical devices and children’s
toys to household appliances and automobile TPV -
Santoprene M M M M C M
parts, producing parts that are both strong and
101-87
light, in many cases replacing machined or cast
metal products. TPE -
Santoprene M M M M C M
101-64
Sometimes, however, injection-molded plastic
parts need a little help. Low impact or vibration LSR - Elastosil - - M M - M
3003/30 A/B
resistance, slippery surfaces, poor ergonomics,
and cosmetic concerns are just a few of the TPC - Hytrel
reasons why a second molded part is often C C C C M M
3078
added as a grip, handle, cover, or sleeve.
M = mechanical bond recommended
C = chemical bond

Some manufacturers choose to assemble these This design tip explores three important
two different molded components together elements of rapid overmolding:
with glue, screws, or an interference fit, but
• Bonding
this takes time and costs money, and may lead
to less-than-desirable results. Fortunately, the • Materials
process of rapid overmolding offers an
Protolabs' rapid overmolding process can be used to add • Principles
a second molded part, such as a grip, handle, or cover, to alternative solution.
an existing part, as seen in this sample.

© Proto Labs, Inc. 1999–2018 Protolabs HQ, 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877-479-3680 10
 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

What is Rapid Overmolding? Bonding In most cases, we recommend a mechanical

interlock to augment or even replace a chemical
This process uses a mechanical or chemical bond Let’s start with bonding. In a perfectly overmolded
bond. This can be achieved by placing an
(and oftentimes both) to permanently marry two part, the overlay is impossible to remove, and will
undercut in the substrate part, or a series of
parts together. This sidesteps assembly hassles, tear before separating from the substrate, or even
reverse-tapered or counterbored holes into which
simplifies product design, and can improve the take some of the underlying material with it. The
the overmolding material can flow, assuring a
characteristics of many injection-molded parts. thermoplastics TPU and TPC, for example, form
no-fail mechanism in all but the most demanding
a strong chemical bond with ABS, polycarbonate,
At Protolabs, it works by placing a previously applications. If you’re unsure how to add these
and PBT Valox (a type of polybutylene).
molded part—the substrate—back into the press features to your part design, contact one of our
Santoprene TPV, a tough but flexible “vulcanizate”
and injecting a second plastic or liquid silicone application specialists at 877-479-3680 or
widely used in weatherseal, food service, and wire
rubber (LSR) over, into, and around the original [email protected].
and cable applications, is more restrictive, readily
part. The two-shot process requires a pair of bonding to polypropylene but little else.
molds—one for the substrate, and one for the
complete, overmolded product. It also needs a Achieving a high-level chemical bond isn’t always
human to tend the machine, loading substrate possible, though, nor even necessary in many
parts and unloading completed products, a cases. Consider a molded electronics housing
process known as “pick-and-place” overmolding. cover with an overmolded gasket made of a
soft sealing material. Once the cover is locked in
What’s next? Before embarking on any place, the gasket has nowhere to go. All that’s
overmolding design project, several design needed is enough bond to hold the gasket to
considerations should be explored first: the substrate so it can’t fall out or be misplaced
during assembly. This is an excellent application
• Bonding. A strong bond between the two for overmolding, by the way, since it eliminates A mechanical interlock—as shown here—is strongly
materials is critical to overmolding. the need for a stamped paper or rubber gasket recommended if bonding is critical to your application.
that must then be manually glued in place. This can augment or even replace a chemical bond.
• Materials. Substrate and overmold
materials should be physically, chemically,
and thermally compatible.

• Principles. Substrate and overmold materials

should be physically, chemically, and
thermally compatible.

© Proto Labs, Inc. 1999–2018 Protolabs HQ, 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877-479-3680 11
 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

Maximizing Material Choices Following the Rules Overmolding is a great way to improve your
product’s physical attributes or enhance its
There are many reasons to overmold. One of Overmolding reads from the same playbook
appearance. As with our other injection molding
the most common is improve a product’s grip as traditional injection molding processes,
services, we produce cost-effective tooling with
while retaining its physical strength—the handle with a few additional idiosyncrasies:
production quantities of 25 to 10,000 or more in
on a power tool, for example, or a non-slip grip
• P
 roper draft angles, uniform wall thickness, about 15 days. If you’re looking to make millions
for a surgical instrument. In this case, TPU
and smooth transition lines must be of parts, rapid overmolding is also a great way
over ABS is an excellent choice. Aesthetics and
maintained in both parts. to test prototypes for bonding and material
product branding are also readily achieved with
compatibility prior to investment in two-shot
overmolding—a sports franchise might use the
• T he thickness of the overmold material production molds, or to serve as bridge tools
team colors in two-piece overmolded mouth
should be less than or equal to that of the until those molds are ready.
guards for its players, while a well-known
tractor manufacturer could dress up its substrate below it.
riding lawnmowers with green and yellow
overmolded cowlings. • T he melting temperature of the overmolding
material should be less than that of the
LSR is another popular injection molding material. substrate (as in our LSR example).
It offers excellent tensile and tear strength, is
hydrophobic (repels water), flexible, bacteria • If chemical bonding isn’t practical, don’t despair.
and UV-light resistant, and biocompatible. Mechanical interlocks are a great way to
About the only downside to LSR—at least in an “hold it all together,” and should be used
overmolding situation&mdsh;is its relatively high wherever possible. Overmolding is regularly used to create durable gaskets for
industries like automotive and health care.
molding temperature of 350 degrees F (177 C),
• T exturing of the substrate workpiece may
hot enough to soften substrate materials such
help with adhesion. Texturing of the overmolded Because rapid overmolding is more complex
as ABS, polyethylene, and others. Fortunately,
part may provide a better grip and more than standard injection molding, the upfront
polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and
attractive surface. tooling costs might be slightly higher than the
glass-filled nylon hold up just fine.
sum of two molded and assembled components.
• T he surface of the overmolded part should Any additional investment is quickly absorbed,
At Protolabs, we offer more than 100 engineering-
be even with or slightly below any adjacent however, by the elimination of secondary
grade thermoplastic and liquid silicone rubber
substrate surfaces. assembly costs, as well as a higher quality,
materials, and dozens of colorants.
more durable product.

© Proto Labs, Inc. 1999–2018 Protolabs HQ, 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877-479-3680 12
 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

14 Reasons Why Heat loss, or wasted electricity, is the very reason

incandescent bulbs are dying. And that same heat
• T he material is also scratch and crack resistant,
which helps preserve both its physical integrity

Optical LSR is Good for is why they have to be regularly replaced. LEDs on
the other hand, while somewhat more expensive
and optical properties. You could cut a part
made of optical LSR with a razor, but if you
Lighting Applications to produce at this time, more than make up for
their initial cost with energy efficiency and long
were to drag it across the ground or other rough
surface it would most likely conform to the
The history of plastic is all about replacing other life. While glass could be used to enclose, cover surface as it was dragged and not be marred.
materials, beginning with ivory and tortoiseshell or direct them, optical LSR is a better choice in
• L SR is optically and mechanically stable at
back in the late 19th century. Today, as LEDs almost every way. Here’s why:
temperatures up to 150°C, which is important
increasingly supplant metal filaments in light
• O
 ptical LSR is almost as transparent as the since LEDs do generate heat, though far less
bulbs, optical liquid silicone rubber (LSR)—in
best glass across both visible and UV spectra. than an incandescent filament.
addition to plastics like polycarbonate and
acrylic resins—is replacing glass in many optical • Its wide operating temperature range, UV
• It does not discolor or lose transparency with
applications including lens covers and light pipes. stability and flexibility make LSR ideal for
age or with exposure to heat or UV.
outdoor applications.
Since Edison’s time, glass has seemed like the • It is significantly lighter than glass and most
ideal shell for lightbulbs. It is almost perfectly other plastics. • F lexibility of the material also allows designers
transparent, inexpensive, has a defined and engineers the opportunity to combine a lens
manufacturing process, and is more or less • L SR is far more flexible than glass, reducing the with a seal to reduce assembly cost, inventory
impervious to the considerable heat generated chance of breakage. While flexible enough not control, and seams in the assembly.
as a wasteful byproduct of incandescent light. to break, it is significantly stiffer than the LSR
that is used in floppy bakeware. That material • In its liquid state, optical LSR can be mixed with
has a durometer (hardness) of 40 to 50, colorants or phosphors to extend its lighting
while optical LSR has a durometer of 70. capabilities (not available at Protolabs, yet).
(For comparison, the heel of a shoe typically • L SR molding is an optimized process that uses
has a durometer of about 80.) The stiffness less manufacturing space and energy than a
of optical LSR is particularly valuable in glass manufacturing facility, which allows for
applications like vehicle lenses where lights can prototype and low-volume production runs.
be exposed to a variety of vibrations and blows.

Optical LSR is a transparent, flexible thermoset material that

is replacing glass in many optical applications.

© Proto Labs, Inc. 1999–2018 Protolabs HQ, 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877-479-3680 13
 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

In addition to its performance-enhancing • T he material cools without creating significant Finally, there are issues of mold design—gate
characteristics, optical LSR has several positive sink or internal stresses, and its dimensional and ejector placement—that impact a part’s
traits that simplify design and molding. stability allows accurate production of lenses. final appearance. Protolabs designers will work
Reduced likelihood of sink also permits designs to minimize the afore-mentioned problems, but
• Its low viscosity allows easy flow within a with thicker walls than would be acceptable in nearly all molds require gates and ejectors, and
mold, so the material can move readily through other resins. these will leave their marks on the finished parts.
thin areas and fill small voids. This gives the If this could be a problem, you should bring it to
designer greater freedom when creating fine • T he material can be molded within a polished the attention of our engineers before your order
features for function or cosmetics. It allows mold without the use of secondary polishing is finalized.
molding of thinner walls than could normally processes required to polish individual parts,
be produced in other resins. Note: Low viscosity saving time and money in production. Some To recap, optical LSR is a thermosetting material
also increases the likelihood of flash where tooling can support optical surface geometry that is ideal for many optical applications. It is
mold halves meet. Chances of flash can be and finishes. second in clarity only to glass. It can withstand
reduced by designing parts that can have heat in proximity to high-output LEDs and operate
clean, flat parting lines. • D
 ue to the material’s somewhat rubbery in a range of ambient temperatures. It is flexible
consistency, shapes with small undercuts and enough for rough duty, outdoor, and automotive
negative draft that would be unacceptable in use. It allows for very flexible design including
a more rigid material may be able to be safely accurate replication of fine features. It can support
unmolded. These can be treated as bump-offs minor undercuts and negative draft without the
or pickouts. need for side-actions, and both thick and thin
walls. Designs in this material can often integrate
multiple parts into a single unit, combining for
example a lens, a clear lens cover and a sealing
gasket, reducing the bill of materials for a final
assembly. Protolabs stocks Dow Corning MS-1002
LSR, a material that has been engineered for
Its high operating temperature range, UV stability and
flexibility make optical LSR ideal for outdoor applications. molding finely detailed parts for LED applications.

© Proto Labs, Inc. 1999–2018 Protolabs HQ, 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877-479-3680 14
 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

5 Design When moving from single- to multi-cavity tooling,

it’s important to recognize that parts that behave
Hold the Gate
One of these tweaks is the gate. Cattle gates,
Considerations perfectly in single-cavity mold might not play
well with others, at least not without first
child gates, Gate E24 at the airport—each is

to Improve making some tweaks to the part, the process,

or even the material.
designed to control traffic. The gates used in
plastic injection molding are no different. They

Multi-Cavity Molds allow molten plastic to flow into the mold at the
beginning of the injection cycle, and then hold it
under pressure until the mold cools, the plastic
Moving from a single cavity mold to one that
has solidified and the part is subsequently ejected.
produces two, four, or eight parts at once seems
like an easy way to increase production volume
In moldmaking, there are more types of gates
and reduce part costs. This can be true in many
than there are players on a baseball team.
cases, but only if the right steps are taken and
Protolabs relies on three. Pin-style and hot tip
the requisite homework done first. Designing a
gates are often employed on single-cavity molds
part for multi-cavity molding is not as simple
to solve challenges with complex part geometries
as copying the CAD file for a single-cavity mold
and to reduce gate vestige—the small remnant
multiple times.
of runner material that must be trimmed from the
finished workpiece—but these are rarely if ever
The physics encountered when forcing molten
used on multi-cavity molds. Here, tab gates (also
plastic through a mold’s sprues, runners, and
known as edge gates) are the rule. Not only is
gates change as molds become larger and more
gate placement far more flexible—something very
complex, something that can impact molding
important when trying to squeeze multiple parts
performance and part quality. Also, thermal
into a mold—but the larger vestige that comes
variations within a multi-cavity mold body become
with tab gating works well to absorb residual
more of a concern, and plastic must travel longer This eight-cavity mold is used for a higher volume of parts
(finished part is pictured above the mold illustration). flow stress around that section of the mold.
distances to reach the finish line, both of which
increase the risk of partially-filled cavities and
sink as well as part deformation after ejection.

© Proto Labs, Inc. 1999–2018 Protolabs HQ, 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877-479-3680 15
 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

Another example where costly part redesign Manually loaded inserts, or pick-outs, should Due to the different size and geometry of parts,
can be avoided when making the jump to multi- also be given careful consideration. Placing a family molds bring added design challenges, and
cavity is gate placement. Consider a mold for a small block of metal into a mold cavity to create it might make sense to investigate alternative
plastic water bottle lid. Initial limited production a cutout on an internal feature, for example, is molding options (e.g., multiple single-cavity tools)
expectations might dictate placement of the gate fairly straightforward in single-cavity molding. until larger production volumes warrant higher
in a single-cavity mold gate at a certain mold That same approach on an eight-cavity tool, tooling costs. That said, Protolabs has successfully
location. But when production ramps up and the however, is time-consuming, and should be tackled many projects involving family molds, part
head of supply chain decides it’s time to invest in avoided if large quantities are in your product’s geometry and family size permitting. Don’t throw
a multi-cavity tool, the original gate location may future. If this is the case, let us know and in the towel before giving us a shot.
be impossible to achieve due to the changes in we’ll help you design a more efficient mold
part orientation required for multi-cavity molding. from the start.
By discussing product expectations with Protolabs’
customer service engineers early in the design Family Style
cycle, hiccups like this can potentially be avoided. Customers at Protolabs occasionally employ
family molds for low-volume production needs.
Note that we also advise against designing your
This type of mold is used to manufacture
own runner and gate system to create your own
different components of a multi-part assembly,
multi-cavity tool—Protolabs can help facilitate
or multiple variations of a single component, in
the design of your multi-cavity mold.
a single shot—if you’ve ever assembled a plastic
Side-Actions and Pick-Outs model of a Ford Pinto as a kid (or a “Star Wars”
TIE-Fighter replica as an adult), you’ve handled
Similar situations can occur with a side-action.
family-molded parts. If this is the approach
Let’s say that you’ve designed a lightweight Designing symmetrical parts like a left- and right-hand side
you want to take for your project, be prepared into a single mold can reduce piece-part costs.
bobbin with holes like Swiss cheese running
for some additional work and a greater
through each flange to reduce mass. This is
tooling investment.
a perfect use for side actions, which slide into
place prior to the plastic entering the mold—thus
restricting material flow—and pop back out before
part ejection. While side-actions can work great
for a single-cavity mold, this sewing machine
accessory most likely wouldn’t qualify for
multi-cavity tooling due to that very requirement.

© Proto Labs, Inc. 1999–2018 Protolabs HQ, 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877-479-3680 16
 Design Essentials for Injection Molding

Easy Flow For Your Consideration

Materials that flow well, like liquid silicone rubber In addition to the design elements unique The bottom line is this: Efficient injection-molded
(LSR), are typically well-suited for a multi-cavity to multi-cavity tooling, there of course are part design is about reducing part costs. This
situation. Because silicone flows more easily common injection molding guidelines to keep in is true whether you’re making 5,000 parts or
than nickels at a Las Vegas casino, most of the mind like draft, wall thickness, material choice, 5,000,000. Some designers and manufacturers
challenges faced with multi-cavity and family and surface finish. The likelihood of success aim to shortcut the mold development cycle
molds are greatly reduced. If your project requires increases—especially as the number of cavities by jumping feet first into multi-cavity tooling,
a flexible material with excellent strength and increases—with part designs that account for skipping the critical prototyping phase. Protolabs
dimensional stability, good performance at these variables and others. See our recent advises against this approach—not because we
extreme temperatures, chemical resistance Design Tip on leveraging low-volume injection want to sell you another mold, but because testing
and biocompatibility, LSR is a solid option. molding for a more thorough examination of parts using a single-cavity mold is an excellent
design considerations for plastic injection molding. way to vet design, improve quality, and likely
save some money in the long run.

Some customers test multiple iterations of

the same molded part in parallel with multiple
single-cavity molds, select the winner, and then
move into a multi-cavity mold. This can increase
your overall speed to market by helping you avoid
development speed bumps along the way.

© Proto Labs, Inc. 1999–2018 Protolabs HQ, 5540 Pioneer Creek Dr., Maple Plain, MN 55359 USA | 877-479-3680 17