opti-flo incoe north america hot runner · pdf fileopti-flo ® hot runner systems i...

Opti-Flo® Hot Runner SystemsI Designed for Performance

For more information visit www.incoe.com/optiflo

Proven AdvantagesWith numerous applications in full production

globally, Opti-Flo® technology delivers proven,

outstanding performance advantages.

The Opti-Flo® result: Superior cavity-to-cavity

consistency and repeatable part quality.

Opti-Flo® Hot Runner Systems Opti-Flo® systems offer molders significant processing advantages available only from INCOE®.

In our exclusive partnership with Beaumont Technologies Inc., INCOE®’s Opti-Flo® hot runner

systems utilize the patented MeltFlipper® melt rotation technology developed by BTI.

Engineered PerformanceThe Opti-Flo® design, incorporated in select INCOE® manifolds,

is the first scientifically engineered hot runner system as it is

both geometrically and rheologically balanced to ensure

equal flow conditions and consistent cavity filling.

The Opti-Flo® system reduces or eliminates

artificial balance techniques such as adjusting

nozzle heater temperature in order to balance

cavity filling.

Technology

with

The products shown may be covered by one or more of the following Beaumont Technologies Inc. U.S.A. patents : 6,077,470; 6,503,438.

Registered ISO 9001:2000 © 2011 INCOE Corporation EN-06/2011

INCOE® North AmericaINCOE® Corporation 1740 East Maple RoadTroy, Michigan 48083USA

Main: T: +1 (248) 616-0220 F: +1 (248) 616-0225 E: [email protected]

Sales: T: +1 (248) 556-7770 F: +1 (248) 616-0227 E: [email protected] Support: T: +1 (248) 556-7790 F: +1 (248) 556-7799 E: [email protected]

INCOE® EuropeINCOE® International EuropeCarl-Zeiss-Straße 47D-63322 Rödermark Germany

Sales & SupportT: +49 (0) 6074-8907-0F: +49 (0) 6074-8907-310E: [email protected]

INCOE® SingaporeINCOE® Singapore Pte Ltd.8, Boon Lay Way #03-02TradeHub 21609964 SingaporeSingapore

Sales & SupportT: +65 (6) 515-5300F: +65 (6) 861-1163E: [email protected]

INCOE® China | Dongguan Branch OfficeINCOE® Hotrunners (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Room B, 5/F, Hao Yun Building2nd Huan RoadChangan Town, DongguanGuangdong, China


INCOE® Hong KongINCOE® (H.K.) Ltd.1205 Leader Industrial Centre57-59 Au Pui Wan StreetFo Tan, Shatin, N.T.Hong Kong

Sales & SupportT: +852 2790-8840F: +852 2790-8411E: [email protected]

INCOE® China | ShanghaiINCOE® Hotrunners (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.399 Xuanzhong Road, Building 16Pudong New AreaShanghai 201314China


INCOE® South AmericaINCOE® International Brasil, Ltda.Rua Eugenio Ulhano, 335Jardim VirginiaItatiba, SP 13257-480Brasil


www.incoe.com

High Shear/Low Shear SeparationAfter the material flow enters the hot runner system through the manifold nozzle (Fig. 1), it

splits left and right at the first intersection at the primary runner channel (Fig. 1A). This action

places high sheared material at one side of the flow channel and the low sheared material on

the opposite side. When the material is split again at the

next intersection or secondary runner, but on the same

plain in the manifold, the material is rotated 90 degrees

biasing the high sheared material to the inside channel

wall. The low sheared material is biased to the opposite.

At the tertiary runner division the high sheared material

is again rotated so that it is now concentrated to flow

to the inside flow channel. As the viscosity is now

considerably different, those cavities at the ends of each

flow channel fill at different rates (Fig. 1B).

Fig. 1

Fig. 1A

Fig. 1B

Desi

gned

for P

erfo

rman

ce

Flow Imbalances Reduce Your Bottom LineNegative effects of shear induced imbalance can cause uneven cavity filling, and inconsistent

part quality which significantly reduce your ability to compete. Balanced material flow is not

only achieved through geometric design. Through research, the reasons for these negative

effects are identified in the following text. Opti-Flo® systems offer a complete, engineered

solution to resolve processing issues before production begins.

The Opti-Flo® SolutionUtilizing Opti-Flo® technology, INCOE® hot runner systems can significantly reduce the shear induced flow

imbalance (Fig.5). Extensive testing has been completed demonstrating the outstanding performance of the

Opti-Flo® system. A design of experiments was performed using a variety of plastic. Testing was conducted

utilizing an industry standard hot runner design and an INCOE® Opti-Flo® hot runner system. The results

demonstrated shear induced flow imbalances reduced to less than 4% with the Opti-Flo® hot runner system.

Other benefits realized are reduction of fill and pack pressure, a wider processing window, and consistent

dimensional properties.

Return On Investment To ProfitReturn on investment begins immediately. Given the fact that many molding applications cannot afford even

one imperfect molded part, the Opti-Flo® system provides the assurance (and payback) that conditions start

out at the very beginning of the injection molding process to make quality molded parts. Benefits include:

• Uniform Part Weights

• Uniform Part Dimensions

• Uniform Mechanical Properties

• Scrap Reduction

• Cycle Time Reduction

• Setup Time Reduction

• Simplified Processing Requirements

• Improved Part Quality to Customers

• Faster Part Qualification Process

Flow GroupsIn the single level 8 drop system shown, flow is divided in the primary runner and is split into 2 flow groups at the

secondary runner intersection; Flow 1 (red) is highly sheared material, and Flow 2 (yellow) is low sheared material. The

divided shear in the primary runner and subsequently

separation at the primary and secondary intersections

causes the inside cavities (Flow 1) to fill first since it flows

faster due to a lower viscosity. Increasing cavitation also

increases the number of flow groups at each runner

intersection. Likewise, stack-molding applications exhibit

the same shear imbalance characteristics. Sheared material

is typically directed toward the inside parting line cavities

(Flow 1), which fill first.

Effects Of Shear In Simple ApplicationsA simple example of shear induced imbalance is shown here (Fig. 2).

Sheared material is created in the machine nozzle and the inlet nozzle of

the manifold. At the primary runner, in this case the only runner, the high

sheared material that has been divided, will flow to the outer portion

of each cavity creating an intra-cavity imbalance. This can lead to core

shift as well as other part defects. With an INCOE® Opti-Flo® hot

runner system (Fig. 3), the melt is repositioned at the intersection, so the

high sheared and low sheared materials arrive in equal proportion to

achieve uniform cavity filling.

Increased ComplexityHot runner systems often require level

changes in order to provide geometric

balance. As depicted to the right (Fig. 4),

what results is shifting the imbalance from

the inside cavities (which would have

resulted in a single level manifold design),

to the outside cavities.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Technology

with

Shear Induced Flow ImbalanceFlow imbalance is a direct result of the shearing effect common to the basic flow

properties of molten plastic. Shear is developed due to laminar flow. As flow occurs

in the sprue and runner channel, highly sheared material is deposited near the walls

of the flow channel.

This highly sheared

material becomes

less viscous than the

remaining melt flow

and is the cause of

filling imbalances.

LOW SHEAR ZONEANNULAR

HIGH SHEAR ZONE

STACK MOLD SYSTEM

FLOW 1

FLOW 1

FLOW 1

FLOW 1FLOW 1FLOW 2

FLOW 1FLOW 2

FLOW 2

FLOW 2

FLOW 2

FLOW 2

SINGLE LEVEL SYSTEM

Fig. 5

Your competitive advantage exclusively available on INCOE®’s Opti-Flo® systems

Fig. 4

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