Influence of injection parameters and mold materials on mechanical properties of ABS in plastic injection molding

Abstract

This study optimized effect of injection parameters such as melt temperature, packing pressure, cooling time and injection pressure on the mechanical properties of Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) moldings. Mold materials having two different thermal conductivities, 191 W/mK for aluminum 2000 series and 50W/mK for AISI 1020 at 25 degrees C were selected to use in experimental studies. Taguchi's L(9)(3(4)) orthogonal array design was employed for the experimental plan. Mechanical properties of ABS specimens such as elasticity module, tensile strength and tensile strain at yield, tensile strain at break, flexural modules and izod impact strength (notched) were measured by using some test methods. Signal to noise ratio for mechanical properties of ABS using the Taguchi method was calculated and effect of the parameters on mechanical properties was determined using the analysis of variance. Linear mechanical models were also created by using regression analysis. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.