Four components for injection moulding include an elastomer

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Moulding four materials in three production steps

Oechsler and the specialists from Günther developed and designed a quadruple tool, which creates the finished product in three steps. The first step is the injection of the red and white buttons. For this, Oechsler explained, two injection systems are combined in one station. According to the company, these work indirectly via balanced TEP-S T-runners and two 5SMT120H nozzles with anti-wear tips, which is to say via an intermediate sprue. The shot volume per nozzle is 2 cm³. This part of the solid mould half is designed as a three-panel tool, in order to be able to remove the sprues, the company said.

The second component with a 50% glass fibre content for the housing is injected directly via a NHDP4B H-runner and four slim-line 8NLT150-type needle-valve hot runner nozzles. According to Oechsler, this station works with a pneumatically activated feed mechanism; 6 cm³ of material is injected per nozzle.

The third and final stage is the injection of the elastomer component, the TPU. The same hot runner technology is said to be used as in the previous step: the H-runner and the four needle valve nozzles activated via a feed mechanism provide the material-saving direct gating with a volume of 0.95 cm³ each.

Out of sight, but stillnot out of mind

Although the injection points of all the components are in places that are not visible on the completed product, they must nevertheless satisfy relatively demanding requirements to guarantee problem-free assembly, Oechsler said. For example, electronic components incorporated into the key, such as the circuit boards, demand supporting points within narrow tolerances, without any unevenness, let alone stringing.

(ID:36130280)