Plastic Injection Flow Rate
Compute the injection flow rate by dividing the injected volume by the fill time, in cm³/s. It is the speed at which the molten plastic enters the mold — a parameter that controls the shear rate, molecular orientation, surface finish and defects such as jetting or flow marks. High flow fills fast but may degrade; low flow may solidify before filling. Enter the injected volume and the fill time.
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Plastic injection flow rate
The injection flow rate — injected volume divided by fill time — is the speed at which molten plastic invades the mold, and tuning it is decisive for part quality. A high flow rate fills fast (good for large or thin-walled parts, before the material freezes), but it raises the shear rate and can degrade the polymer, cause jetting (a thin strand of plastic that coils up at the far end of the cavity), or burn trapped air (the diesel effect). A low flow rate gives a smooth finish, but risks the material freezing off before the cavity fills (an incomplete part, a 'short shot') and leaves flow marks and weak weld lines. Modern injection molding machines use velocity profiles — fast during the main fill, slow while passing the gate and near the end — to balance all of this. The flow rate also governs molecular orientation, which affects warpage and strength. Enter the injected volume and the fill time.
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Mold Cavity Pressure
Estimate the pressure that actually reaches the mold cavity by multiplying the injection pressure (at the screw tip) by the pressure transmission factor, which accounts for pressure losses along the runners, nozzle and gates to the cavity. Typically only 40–60% of the machine pressure reaches the part. It is the cavity pressure that defines the clamping force and fill quality. Enter the injection pressure and the transmission factor.
Shear Rate (Injection)
Compute the shear rate of the molten plastic in a rectangular channel, γ = 6Q/(W·H²), from the flow rate (Q), the channel width (W) and height (H). It is a critical parameter of polymer processing: thermoplastic viscosity drops with shear rate (pseudoplastic behavior), and excessive rates degrade the material. It guides the design of runners and gates. Enter the flow rate, the width and the height of the channel.
Mold Cavity Count
Compute the maximum number of mold cavities the machine can fill per cycle by dividing the machine's injection capacity by each part's mass (rounding down). More cavities increase productivity but require a larger machine and a more expensive, complex mold. It is a key calculation in production planning and mold selection. Enter the machine injection capacity and each part's mass.
Plastic Mold Shrinkage
Compute the final dimension of a plastic part after molding shrinkage, part_dim = mold_dim · (1 − shrinkage%/100). Every thermoplastic shrinks as it cools and solidifies in the mold — from ~0.5% (amorphous like ABS) to 2–3% (semicrystalline like PP and PA). That is why the mold cavity is machined larger than the final part, compensating exactly for this shrinkage. Getting it wrong ruins an expensive mold. Enter the mold dimension and the material's shrinkage rate.
Screw Channel Shear Rate
Calculate the average shear rate in an extrusion screw channel, γ̇ = (π·D·N) ÷ H, from the barrel diameter D (m), screw speed N (rev/s) and channel depth H (m). Shear rate is the velocity gradient the molten polymer experiences between the moving screw surface and the fixed barrel, and it is central to plastics processing for a key reason: molten polymers are NON-Newtonian pseudoplastic fluids whose viscosity DECREASES as shear rate rises (shear thinning). Knowing the shear rate lets you estimate the material's real viscosity in the machine (via the power law) and thus pressure, power and viscous heating. Very high shear can degrade the polymer (chain scission by shear and heat); too low leaves melting incomplete. Each polymer has a suitable range. This screw-channel shear rate differs from the (much higher) die shear rate at the exit restriction. It is a basic processing-rheology calculation. Enter the diameter, speed and channel depth.
Injection Cycle Time
Compute the total cycle time of a plastic injection by adding the injection time (fill + pack), the cooling time and the mold open/eject time. Cooling is usually the largest share (50–80% of the cycle). The cycle time directly determines productivity: parts/hour = 3600/cycle × cavities. Reducing it is the constant focus of optimization. Enter the injection, cooling and opening times.
The results provided by this tool are for general informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute professional, financial, medical, legal, tax or accounting advice. Always confirm important decisions with a qualified professional and official sources.