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====== Injection Molding ======

Injection molding is the process of creating molds of the parts we want to reproduce and then running the molds through the injection molding machines to inject hot plastic under pressure into the mold, creating the desired replica.

===== Mold Making in Blender =====

These are the videos that Sundog has found useful in learning how to use Blender to create molds of 3D modeled parts for injection molding.

Background Lecture on Designing Injection Molding Systems: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaRxIvS8Q_c

What Make Art:

  * How to Find and Fix Undercuts in Blender for 3D Printing Molds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYRb60kpHak
  * Slip Cast Mold Parting Lines for 3D Print Molds in Blender: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZhWRZBb05c
    
(The second video is the one that was most useful to me and the one I found first, but it references the first video as a technique prereq along the way)
    
Other videos of some usefulness: 

JohnSL: 

  * Making of TheCrafsMan's Pocketnaut Mold Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxefIyU6mew
  * Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykMc2HNRoi8
Subscribe and dig down the rabbit hole, dude shares a lot of relevant info to our various projects despite not being Blender specific: https://www.youtube.com/@JohnSL/videos

Made By Zombies: Mold Making in Blender: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2PCpE40ZYQ
    
The Neverending Projects List: Crazy Split Lines with 3D Printed Molds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESSYNRm5MjI
    
CG Boost: 

  * 100+ Tips to Boost Modeling in Blender: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMBMHSca_j0
  * 6 Blender Hard-Surface Modeling Tricks I Wish I Knew Earlier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml2t8uxPAQU
  * Blender Hard-Surface Modeling Fundamentals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsTjnQ067sw
        
DECODED: Good Topology: What is it, and Why Does it Matter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvKzBThEsBM
    
MLT Studios: 7 Topology Tips Every 3D Artist Should Know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSLELihVi6I


===== Making Molds for the Yellow Injector =====

//We really need a better name for this machine!//

Preliminary mold characteristics, as measured by Sundog - **these values are still subject to review until such time that this message is removed from this wiki page**.

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Slot height: 100mm

Slot thickness: 15.1mm

Slot lip thickness: 6mm

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Maximum mold face height: 90mm

Minimum combined mold thickness (not including slot portion): 48mm (24mm per mold half)

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Injection nozzle extrusion: 3mm diameter

Injection nozzle cone: 4.25mm diameter at top, 16.5mm diameter at bottom, 10mm height

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Ejector pegs: 12mm diameter

Ejector peg spacing: 65mm between centers

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Mold set screws: 9.25mm diameter (uses a 5mm hex key) centered on slot section of the mold assembly, max hole depth 20mm (screw length: 34.5mm)

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===== Mounting Molds in Yellow Injector Machine =====

**NOTE: This is very tentative and based entirely on Sundog's guesswork. This note will be removed once we have better information.**

Because of the tapered end of the extrusion nozzle and its position (namely, that it intersects the area for the Slot Portion of the stationary mold half) we need to move the extrusion assembly out of the way when changing the mold.

**This must be done after the extrusion assembly has had adequate time to cool down or else severe burns can and likely will occur!**

Sundog thinks the process will look like this:

  - Extrude any plastic remaining in the hopper, as the hopper will need to be removed for this procedure.
  - Let the system cool down.
  - Remove the plastic hopper and the magnetically-attached door the hopper goes through to the extrusion assembly.
  - There are two 4mm hex drive set screws, one over each of the bearings on the mounting rails. Loosen both.
  - Push the entire assembly to the left as far as possible in  order to allow the stationary mold half to clear the extrusion nozzle.
  - Insert the stationary mold half.
  - Push the entire extrusion assembly back to the right so that it meets the stationary mold half.
  - Re-tighten the two set screws that you loosened earlier in this procedure.
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