Pressure and temperature guidance in an in-mold coating process
AssigneeOMNOVA Solutions Inc.
InventorsDouglas McBain, Elliott Straus, John Thompson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An in-mold coating method wherein the time at which a coating substrate is injected onto a surface of a molded substrate is determined by the internal mold temperature and/or pressure. By regulating the point at which the in-mold coating is injected based on the internal mold temperature and/or pressure, an operator can assure that the in-mold coating is injected when the surface of the molded substrate is in an ideal condition for in-mold coating adhesion.
Claims18
A method for determining when to inject a coating for contacting a surface of a molded article in a mold in an In-mold coating process, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining an internal mold pressure after a mold has been filled with a predetermined amount of a thermoplastic;
- using a data collection means associated with a control apparatus, monitoring over time the internal mold pressure as said thermoplastic cools in the mold;
- and
- determining from a change in the internal pressure that a surface of said thermoplastic has cooled to below its melt temperature.
A method for in-mold coating a thermoplastic substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
- injecting a thermoplastic substrate into a closed mold, wherein at least one of an internal mold temperature and an internal mold pressure is monitored;
- allowing a surface of said thermoplastic to cool to a point below its melting temperature to form a molded article;
- injecting a coating into said closed mold such that said coating contacts at least a part of said surface of said thermoplastic, wherein said coating is injected at a point wherein at least one of said internal mold temperature and internal mold pressure is indicative of the point when said thermoplastic has cooled to below its melting temperature as determined by using a data collection means associated with a control apparatus.
A method for ensuring the quality of in-mold coated thermoplastic parts, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) manufacturing an in-mold coated thermoplastic part by molding a thermoplastic using a first set of process conditions in a closed mold to form a substrate and subsequently contacting an in-mold coating with said substrate by injecting an in-mold coating into said closed mold;
- b) inspecting the coated thermoplastic part;
- c) determining whether the molding of the thermoplastic should be optimized for failure to meet defined quality control standards;
- d) optimizing the process conditions of the molding of the thermoplastic by adjusting one or more of injection volume, injection temperature, injection pressure, and molding pressure;
- e) determining whether the coating of the substrate should be optimized for failure to meet defined quality control standards;
- and
- f) optimizing the process conditions of the coating of the substrate by adjusting one or more of cure time, injection time, Injection pressure, injection volume, injection temperature, or mold temperature at injection for said in-mold coating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.