Investigating demoulding characteristics of material jetted rapid mould inserts for micro­injection moulding using in­line monitoring and surface metrology

Purpose This study aims to investigate the demoulding characteristics of material-jetted rapid mould inserts having different surface textures for micro-injection moulding using in-line measurements and surface metrology. Design/methodology/approach Material-jetted inserts with the negative cavity of a circular test product were fabricated using different surface finishes and printing configurations, including glossy, matte and vertical settings. In-line measurements included the recording of demoulding forces at 10 kHz, which was necessary to capture the highly-dynamic characteristics. A robust data processing algorithm was used to extract reliable demoulding energies per moulding run. Thermal imaging captured surface temperatures on the inserts after demoulding. Off-line measurements, including focus variation microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, compared surface textures after a total of 60 moulding runs. Findings A framework for capturing demoulding energies from material-jetted rapid tools was demonstrated and compared to the literature. Glossy surfaces resulted in significantly reduced demoulding forces compared to the industry standard steel moulds in the literature and their material-jetted counterparts. Minimal changes in the surface textures of the material-jetted inserts were found, which could potentially permit their prolonged usage. Significant correlations between surface temperatures and demoulding energies were demonstrated. Originality/value The research presented here addresses the very topical issue of demoulding characteristics of soft, rapid tools, which affect the quality of prototyped products and tool durability. This was done using state-of-the-art, high-speed sensing technologies in conjunction with surface metrology and their durability for the first time in the literature.