Glass-filled nylon parts are injection molded into precise shapes for industrial, medical, electronic, automotive, and aerospace applications. Nylon, a generic name for a category of synthetic polymers, support the production of strong, durable parts; however, nylon typically has poor resistance to heat and ultraviolet (UV) light. The addition of glass fibers to nylon improves these properties and increases wear resistance, chemical resistance, hardness, and high-temperature strength.
During injection molding, flash can form on the surface of glass-filled nylon parts. This excess material is more than a cosmetic defect since it also affects a part’s surface finish and dimensions. When glass-filled nylon is used to produce small parts such as fasteners, even a small amount of flashing can interfere with assembly. Injection molders have a choice of deflashing methods, but the use of hand tools is labor-intensive. Plus, harder polymers such as glass-filled nylon can cause deflashing tools to wear prematurely.
Nitrofreeze® removes mold flash from glass-filled nylon parts using a tool-less technology that is fast, accurate, and consistent. Cryogenic deflashing and cryogenic tumble deflashing are automated, computer-controlled processes for batches of glass-filled nylon parts. Nitrofreeze® dry ice deflashing is used with individual parts, but it also offers important benefits. These three cryogenic processes won’t change a part’s physical or mechanical properties, nor will they affect part tolerances.
Three Ways to Deflash Glass-Filed Nylon Parts
Nitrofreeze® cryogenic deflashing removes flash by freezing molded parts and blasting them with a non-abrasive polycarbonate media. First, batches of parts are put inside a perforated drum that’s loaded into a computer-programmable machine. The parts are then subjected to very low temperatures so that the flash becomes brittle. Blasting the parts with the cryogenic-grade polycarbonate media removes the flash cleanly, even when parts are molded from glass-filled nylon.
This polycarbonate media comes in different lengths and diameters so that Nitrofreeze® cryogenic deflashing can support different features and part sizes. However, because some of the polycarbonate media may attach to part surfaces or become lodged in part geometries, injection molders can choose Nitrofreeze® cryogenic tumble deflashing instead. This batch process is also machine-based, but it’s effectively media-less since it uses dry ice particles that turn into a gas upon impingement.
Nitrofreeze® also offers dry ice deflashing for glass-filled nylon parts. This process is a good choice for molded parts that are too large to fit inside a machine, or that have challenging geometries such as internal holes, cross-holes, blind holes, small slots and crevices. Dry ice deflashing is also recommended for holes and cavities with openings less than 0.015” (0.381 mm). Nitrofreeze® can tailor any of its cryogenic processes to your application and then save the “recipe” for future batches of the same part.
Nitrofreeze® Deflashes Glass-Filled Nylon Parts
What’s the best way to remove flash from nylon 6/6 or nylon 6/12 when these materials are filled with glass particles? Contact the experts at Nitrofreeze® to review your requirements. If your molded part is a viable candidate for our deflashing techniques, we can perform sampling to demonstrate the process. The consultation is free of charge. Nitrofreeze® also sells cryogenic machines and dry ice blasters so that injection molders can bring this equipment in-house.
To learn more, contact us at the phone number and email listed below.
(508) 459-7447 x105 | info@nitrofreeze.com