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joeprocess
9th November 2016, 01:41 PM
Taking over on a project for a customer that wants to over-mold a TPU over GF Polypro, without adhesion. (Sounds like Fun, Right!) The production mold would be a two-shot mold. The over-mold is basically a sleeve, but due to the geometry it cannot be applied as a secondary operation.

First prototypes (transfer molded) shown the over-mold to adhere to the substrate, but broke free once sleeve was rotated on substrate. But the substrate was cold when put into the mold for over-molding. This does not represent the correct substrate temperature when the mold goes to two-shot. Once we get the mold and material here we are going to try running the parts as they would run as a two-shot by heating up the substrate to whatever the ejection temperature ends up being.

So on to the question. Has anyone worked with Pulse Cooling in a Two-Shot Application? What do you all think of this technology to get the substrate cooled off enough to prevent bonding? Otherwise, we are going to look at alternate substrate material with higher melt temperatures which will increase the cost significantly.

rickbatey
10th November 2016, 11:48 PM
Pulse cooling won't do anything for you. But try changing soft resin to one without additives to make the resins bond to one another. The shear creates a molten surface for the two resins to bond to one another.
Rick.

joeprocess
11th November 2016, 01:06 PM
Rick,
I need the sleeve to "not" stick to the substrate.

JayDub
11th November 2016, 03:42 PM
Main problem seems to be that the melt temp of the TPU is going to be close to 100F higher than the melting point of PP, so you might get some washing out of the PP, mixing of the two resins and a permanent bond. If you can avoid that (and softer TPUs seem to have lower processing temps), then - could you use a PP formulation with mold release in it? If the mold release blooms to the part surface fast enough it should prevent adhesion.

rickbatey
12th November 2016, 01:47 AM
Joe, that was clear from your post. I said use a soft resin w/o adhesion promoter inside to REDUCE the bonding. My point was that due to the soft resin melting the substrate skin, it might be difficult to stop them from bonding. Try using a PP with a release agent in it. It might stop the bonding.
Rick.

joeprocess
15th November 2016, 03:06 PM
Yes, currently there is some mechanical adhesion that needs to be avoided. The customer is looking into running a GF PBT, PPS or unfilled COC as some alternatives. Should be fun to figure out. :)