Plastic Article Forming Apparatuses and Methods for Using the Same

摘要

A method of forming a preform, which is configured to be subjected to a subsequent forming process, the method comprising: providing a mold with a plurality of mold cavities, wherein the mold is made of a material having a thermal conductivity between about 52 watts per meter Kelvin and about 385 watts per meter Kelvin.

主权项

1. A method of forming a preform, which is configured to be subjected to a subsequent forming process, the method comprising:
providing a mold with a plurality of mold cavities, wherein the mold is made of a material having a thermal conductivity between about 52 watts per meter Kelvin and about 385 watts per meter Kelvin; providing a cooling circuit configured to remove heat from the mold cavities; providing a thermoplastic material to be molded by the mold; heating the thermoplastic material to form molten thermoplastic material; injecting the molten thermoplastic material into at least one of the mold cavities, by using an injection element; filling the at least one mold cavity with the molten thermoplastic material, at a melt pressure, until the at least one mold cavity is substantially full, to form the preform; reducing a mold temperature of the mold by circulating a cooling fluid through the cooling circuit; and opening the mold such that the preform can be accessed; wherein, during the filling:
a melt temperature of the molten thermoplastic material as the thermoplastic material leaves the injection element is between about 90° C. and about 295° C.; anda regulated coolant temperature of the cooling fluid is between about 10° C. and about 100° C.