Vertical and horizontal injection molding operate on the same general principles as injection molding (liquid plastic is injected into the mold, forming a mold cavity as the material hardens), and each has unique advantages and application applicability.
The main difference between vertical and horizontal injection molding is the configuration and movement of the mold. In vertical injection molding, the closing action occurs vertically with up and down movement. The clamping mechanism and the injection mechanism are located on the same vertical plane. In horizontal injection molding, the closing action occurs horizontally, with each half of the mold moving sideways to connect. DENICE, one of professional vertical injection moulding machine manufacturers in China, will now take a closer look at each type of process, as well as the advantages and disadvantages.
In vertical injection molding machines, the two halves of the mold move vertically up and down to open and close. The injection mechanism is usually located at the top of the mold. Gravity plays an important role in filling the mold cavity along with injection pressure. This can help with filling time and consistency.
Multiple concurrent operations: The design of the vertical mold and its use of a rotary table means that two lower halves and one upper half can be used in tandem to allow both pre- and post-forming operations to be performed while filling the part. This is particularly useful in operations such as insert molding or overmolding, where inserts or substrates must be loaded prior to resin injection.
Insert and overmolding: Vertical molds are ideally suited for insert molding and overmolding due to the structure of the mold. The insert is naturally held in place by gravity, without having to be built into the cavity or otherwise kept in place.
More consistent material flow and temperature distribution for insert molding, especially compared to older or more basic horizontal molding machines.
Can be easily operated manually and used with rotary tables to create inlays and assembled parts. The machine footprint is small, half that of a typical horizontal molding machine.
Manual removal of parts can be more time consuming, and robots or human operators can damage parts during disassembly.
Removal times must be precise, which is more difficult in a manual process. Manual removal steps can result in inconsistent cycle times.
Horizontal injection molding machines has historically been the more commonly used type of injection molding - although that doesn't mean it's inherently superior. As we will continue to examine, each method has different applications, advantages and disadvantages.
In horizontal injection molding, the mold opens and closes along the horizontal axis. Because of this configuration, consistent, correct injection pressure is required to fill the mold cavity and help ensure proper pressure retention and cooling. Horizontal molds typically have more cavities than vertical molds, so more parts can be produced per cycle. In addition - due to the horizontal separation of the mold halves - parts from these molds naturally fall out of the cavities during ejection, eliminating the need for manual removal.
For cylindrical parts, typically used in high-volume production runs, in favor of standard molding where inserts or overmolding are not required.
High efficiency of parts produced per cycle. More options as a more common machine type, such as hydraulic or electric options. Consistent cycle times and continuous operation
Insert molding is more difficult and inefficient, and the machine footprint is larger than that of a vertical molding machine. Parts automatically fall out of the mold after ejection.
As you can see, each process has its own unique advantages and ideal scenarios. For example, for insert molding, vertical injection molding is almost always the right choice.
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