A Case Study

on Relation Control: The

Importance of Melt and
Mold Temperature
By:

Cortez, Anthony M.

Deplomo, Bhai
Nhuraisha

Evaristo, Kevin del

 Introduction
A control strategy similar to ratio control
isrelationcontrol.
This is similar to ratio control in that a wild
variable determines the setpoint for a captive
variable, but with relation control the
mathematical relationship between the wild
and captive variables is one of addition (or
subtraction) rather than multiplication (or
division).
In other words, a relation control system works
to maintain a specificdifferencebetween wild
and captive flow values, whereas a ratio control
system works to maintain a
 Introduction
An example of relation control appears here,
where a temperature controller for the melting
of plastic pellets and the temperature controller
for the molding.
Heating temperatures for plastic can be based
on manufacturers' specifications or by testing.
The manufacturer of any specific plastic
molding compound supplies data with each
shipment of that material and provides
processing recommendations designed to allow
the molder to produce high quality molded
parts in the fastest possible cycle time.
 Introduction
One of the pieces of information available is
the recommended melt temperature.
This is the temperature the material should be
as it leaves the molding machine (through the
nozzle) and enters the mold (through the sprue
bushing).
This temperature is different for every material
made, and should be held as close as possible
by the molder to attain parts with expected
physical, mechanical, thermal, and electrical
properties.
Materials are chosen for how their combination
 Introduction
The temperature at which the material is
molded determines the property reactions.
That is why the melt temperature setting of the
molding machine is so important.
 Introduction
Table 1 shows the recommended melt
temperatures (as determined by the
suppliers) for some common materials.
Introduction: The Author
Michael Sepe LLC has worked in the
plastics industry since 1975 in a
variety of roles involving both
manufacturing and research and
development.
He is an independent consultant
based in Arizona with clients
throughout North America, Europe,
and Asia.
He assists clients with material
selection, designing for
manufacturability, process
optimization, troubleshooting, and
Introduction: The Author
He has presented over 25 ANTEC
papers and has written several book
chapters on the testing of plastic
materials.
He authors a monthly column for
Plastics Technology entitled
Materials Know How and
previously wrote a monthly article
for Injection Molding Magazine for
fifteen years on the practical
aspects of using testing techniques
to solve manufacturing problems.
Introduction: The Author
He teaches a variety of short
courses for the University of Akron
and Penn State - Erie and gives in-
plant seminars to designers,
engineers, and processors on
material selection, processing, and
troubleshooting.
 Purpose

It shows in the study, that the

author of the journal central purpose
was that molders should realize how
significantly process condition could
influence the final properties of the
molded part.
 Statement
The prevailing opinion appears to be that the
selected material exhibits the properties
published on the data sheet, independent of
how the raw material is converted into the
molded article.
Under this way of thinking, the processors job
is simply to heat the material to the molten
state, pass it through the appropriate piece of
processing equipment, and re-solidify the
polymer into the shape described by the print.
As long as the part fulfills aesthetic
expectations and the critical dimensions meet
the print, the processor has done his job.
 Method
To establish a set point for both melt and mold
temperature, the author conducted an
experiment involving parts molded using
polypropylene.

In the experiment, the initial temperature used

in molding was 400 F (204 C) which resulted
in a measurably higher average molecular
weight than the parts molded at 480 F (249
C) which translated into better impact
resistance as well as lower energy
consumption in molding and shorter cycle
time.
 Result
According to the observation, the melting
temperature provides a different characteristic
of the molded part.
Varying the melting temperature, corresponds
to different characteristic of the molded part.
This is why the author presses that melt and
mold temperature should be look into as two
separate and different quantities.
It is imperative to set the proper melt and
mold temperatures to produce consistent mold
parts, whether the basis is molecular weight,
better impact resistance, stress-crack