Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • 3D CAD
    • Electronics • electrical
    • Fastening & Joining
    • Factory automation
    • Linear Motion
    • Motion Control
    • Test & Measurement
    • Sensors
    • Fluid power
  • Learn
    • Ebooks / Tech Tips
    • Engineering Week
    • Future of Design Engineering
    • MC² Motion Control Classrooms
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • LEAP AWARDS
  • Leadership
    • 2022 Voting
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guide Library
  • Resources
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Women in Engineering
  • Supplier Listings

Injection Molding with Magnesium

By Leslie Langnau | September 26, 2011

Share

Once known as an arduous and sometimes unpredictable process, magnesium injection molding is now an established technology. When the magnesium element is combined with small percentages of aluminum and zinc (AZ91D), and aluminum and manganese (AM60B), the alloy can be used to produce durable, lightweight parts. Products made with magnesium are also environmentally friendly, 100% recyclable, and beneficial in conserving energy and helping to meet CAFE requirements.

Magnesium Injection Molding

Magnesium components are 20-times stiffer than typical thermoplastics and resist impact. Lighter in weight, magnesium is one-third the weight of steel and zinc and two-thirds the weight of aluminum.


Phillips can deliver molded shot weight as heavy as 4.5 pounds (1816 grams) and as low as 0.011 pounds (5 grams). The industry standard minimum shot size is 0.143 pounds (65 grams)

You can mold parts with wall thickness of 0.060 in. – 0.080 in. But some service providers, like Phillips, can achieve either much thinner and much thicker sections of parts. Magnesium lets you create complex geometries without machining, and you can take advantage of high cavity-to-cavity repeatability.

Magnesium Components
Molds can be built with vacuum assist to eliminate trapped air in the mold.

Housings and enclosures made of this material are electrically conductive and provide effective EMI shielding without the use of fillers. This material also offers good heat transfer characteristics for assemblies that generate high heat. For parts, with proper conversion coating and proper gasketing, magnesium part assemblies can be effectively sealed for EMI/RFI shielding and extreme environmental conditions.

Magnesium is a dense material, so it resists leakage under pressure without impregnation.

Lastly, Thixomolded parts require less secondary machining than die casting.

Magnesium injection molding can be used for a range of applications. In medical, you can create injection-molded components such as device housings, display enclosures, heat sinks, battery covers, and internal locking mechanisms. In military applications, it can be found in rugged laptops, chemical detection units, optics components, communication devices, and aircraft artillery launching components. In consumer applications, components range from computer fans, disk drive frames, cell phone housings, and home entertainment systems.

Phillips Plastics Corp.
www.phillipsplastics.com

::Design World::


Filed Under: Medical, Cabinets • enclosures • control panels, Die casting, Materials • advanced, Molding • injection molding components

 

Tell Us What You Think!

Related Articles Read More >

Self-lubricating and wear-resistant: igus bar stock for food, continuous operation and high media resistance
Minnesota Rubber and Plastics announces plans for new Innovation Center
The importance of resin selection
EXE014 - Image 1
Composite materials help place Italian race team in pole position

DESIGN GUIDE LIBRARY

“motion

Enews Sign Up

Motion Control Classroom

Design World Digital Edition

cover

Browse the most current issue of Design World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading design engineering magazine today.

EDABoard the Forum for Electronics

Top global problem solving EE forum covering Microcontrollers, DSP, Networking, Analog and Digital Design, RF, Power Electronics, PCB Routing and much more

EDABoard: Forum for electronics

Sponsored Content

  • Global supply needs drive increased manufacturing footprint development
  • How to Increase Rotational Capacity for a Retaining Ring
  • Cordis high resolution electronic proportional pressure controls
  • WAGO’s custom designed interface wiring system making industrial applications easier
  • 10 Reasons to Specify Valve Manifolds
  • Case study: How a 3D-printed tool saved thousands of hours and dollars

Design World Podcasts

April 11, 2022
Going small with 3D printing
See More >
Engineering Exchange

The Engineering Exchange is a global educational networking community for engineers.

Connect, share, and learn today »

Design World
  • Advertising
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Manage your Design World Subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Design World Digital Network
  • Engineering White Papers
  • LEAP AWARDS

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • 3D CAD
    • Electronics • electrical
    • Fastening & Joining
    • Factory automation
    • Linear Motion
    • Motion Control
    • Test & Measurement
    • Sensors
    • Fluid power
  • Learn
    • Ebooks / Tech Tips
    • Engineering Week
    • Future of Design Engineering
    • MC² Motion Control Classrooms
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • LEAP AWARDS
  • Leadership
    • 2022 Voting
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guide Library
  • Resources
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Women in Engineering
  • Supplier Listings