Effects of Injection Molding Screw Tips on Polymer Mixing

In all fields of industry it is important to produce parts with good quality. Injection molded parts usually have to meet strict requirements technically and aesthetically. The aim of the measurements presented in our paper is to investigate the aesthetic appearance, such as surface color homogeneity, of injection molded parts. It depends on several factors, the raw material, the colorants, the injection molding machine and the processing parameters. In this project we investigated the effects of the injection molding machine on surface color homogeneity. We focused on injection molding screw tips and investigated five screw tips with different geometries. We produced flat specimens colored with a masterbatch and investigated color homogeneity. To evaluate the color homogeneity of the specimens, we used digital image analysis software developed by us. After that we measured the plastication rate and the melt temperature of the polymer melt because mixing depends on these factors. Our results showed that the screw tips (dynamic mixers) can improve surface color homogeneity but they cause an increase in melt temperature and a decrease in the plastication rate.