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Aluminum has 5 times better heat transfer than P20 steel

Aluminum has almost 6 times better heat transfer compared to H-13 Steel.

Molders have experienced a 20% to 40% faster cycle time.

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Aluminum Mold can be machined up to 30% faster overall with appropriate high speed CNC machines and cutting tools specifically designed for aluminum

Polishing time is reduced.

Aluminum is 1/3 the weight of steel.

Service Centers can ship aluminum within 1-3 days, versus steel.

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Aluminum alloys offer higher thermal conductivity, so the parts are removed at a lower temperature. This leads to better dimensional stability of parts providing higher yields on the molding process.

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Cast product with three North American Producers Available in North American up to 30" thick and 74" wide (only 20” thick at this width) This alloy is for low volume or prototype molds. No abrasive plastics         Drawbacks         Heat transfer is slower due to the low copper content   / Cycle times are going to be slightly

lower than other aluminums         Hardness is low 70 HB         yield and tensile strengths are lower than other aluminums available         Because of the hardness a high polish is hard to achieve   Benefits         Cost - Weight .96 dense         because its a cast plate cost is much less than rolled or forged block         Machinability is very good due to the lack of copper content         stability is the best of any aluminum         Has great weldability         because copper content is low the corrosion resistance is very high         sizes available         through hardness

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Trade Names:Alpase – K100S & M 5Vista – ATP-5 & Duramold 5

Cast product with two North American Producers This alloy has higher yield and tensile strengths than 6061 with hardness very close to 6061 can be used for low volume production and prototype tools sizes available 38 thick 94 wide   Drawbacks     Machinability (This is within the aluminums available / Still would machine much better than

steel) Chips might stick to cutters gummy.     hardness is low (again within the aluminums available) 82 to 90HB     Polishability   Benefits     Cost compared to 6061/ 7000     weldability     heat transfer very high     yield and tensile strength are high compared to 6061     sizes available     through hardness

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Trade Names:Alpase – M1Vista – Duramold 2

                                rolled plate 16 thick 84 wide 192 long   Drawbacks     Machinability is poor     hardness 89 -96 HB     Polishability Benefits     thermal transfer rate is high     cost compared to 7000 series     weldability

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Trade Names:Kaiser select

Three available alloys besides 7075 available 28” thick in forged block   Drawbacks     Weldability /  Can be welded but you have to follow the welding instructions very

carefully     Stability - All 7000 series can move during machining if not stress relieved   Benefits     BTu's are very high 88- 100     Machinability     Yield and Tensile strengths are very high     sizes available     Hardness 150- 180 HB     Polishability  A mirror finish is achievable

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Trade Names:Aleris – HokotolAlcan – Alumold7075 – General product

Their approach for reviewing Aluminum Alloy

1. Met with key Aluminum Alloy Material Suppliers

2. Honda paid for 3rd Party Testing to validate Material composition,

mechanical properties, abrasion resistance and compression strength.

3. Concluded that Honda should begin working with its suppliers to build Aluminum Alloy Tools. (ZQ/WQ)

4. Honda decided to build aluminum tools and pay for the backup Steel Tool

Purpose: a. Review Clamping pressure

b. Review injection pressure

c. Evaluate Tool build efficiencies

d. Evaluate Process Cycle time

5. Honda paid for Texture plaque development to further understand Aluminum Alloy texture capabilities as well as repair methods.

6. Monitor Tool Maintenance and durability concerns

7. Based on Low Volume Results, began focusing on High Volume

applications to validate AL Alloy durability.

Can the mold be crushed by too much pressure?

Unit stress = load/areaProjection area of mold = 46 x74 = 3404 in2Projection area of part = 955 in2Contact area = 3404 - 955 = 2449 in2Stress (2500 ton press) =5,000,000 / 2449 =

2,041.65 psi7050 tensile strength 77,600 psiIn this example, the clamping stress is only 2.6 %

of the AL Alloy Tensile Strength

Will Aluminum Alloy handle high Injection pressure without failure?

Compressive strength of alloy – 77,600 psi Maximum injection pressure at the front of

the screw (regardless of machine size) –33,000 psi

Percentage –33,000 / 77,600 = 42.5% of maximum at highest possible pressure

The parts are removed at a lower temperature, resulting in less distortion and higher quality .

7000 series welding improvements are being investigated.

Recommendations                                  

P20 / S55C Steel                               

4130 / sd18 Soft Steel                

               

7000 Series Aluminum Alloy                

               

 

M1 & & 7000 Hybrid                

               

  M1 Cast                               

100,000 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 3,000,000

Approximate Number of shots

1. Investment savings through machining efficiencies.

2. Process savings through improved thermal conductivity. (cycle time)

3. Reduce number of molds and injection machines required to mold the parts.

4. Different grades of aluminum can be applied based on Program volume.

5. Lower injection and clamp pressure required as compared to tool steel.

6. Plastic parts released from the molds at lower temperatures, resulting in less product distortion.

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Thank You!

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We would like to Thank Honda of America Mfg., Inc. for allowing us to utilize their data to continue to educate the Aluminum Injection Mold Industry.