Emco 1/2oz injection molder

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  • Joseph

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 13, 2009
    2,759
    Clinton MD
    I have a non working Emco 1/2oz injection molder. It is a project machine and need rehab. The melting head needs new heater cartridges or a new head made. I have it listed on CAMS for 50$ but I am willing to give it away to an MDS member if someone wants it.
    Pickup only. Clinton MD.
     

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    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,500
    God's Country
    Neat machine! Let me do a little research....




    I have some familiarity with these type of piston injection molding machines. Not this exact model but I used one at a previous company I worked for. They are pretty simple. Even if the heating tube and nozzle is broken or missing it would probably be pretty easy to cut a new one on a lathe.

    They are useful for making low melt plastics like Polyethylene, Polypropylene or Polystyrene. The resin pellets are usually just gravity fed from the hopper into the melt chamber. The piston pushes the plastic through the melt chamber, sealing off the opening from the hopper and presses the melted plastic like a syringe into the mold.

    From what I can see in the photo the mold clamp is hand operated like a vice.

    The pressures are pretty low so you cant really make large parts or very detailed parts. Think of things like keychains and plastic dinosaurs. I’ve read about people using machines like this with aluminum, brass, or even high temp plastic or even wood molds. You might not get s lot of life out if a plastic or wood mold but it can be done.

    Not to disparage Joseph’s offering but I was considering offering to take it and use it for parts. After all of the reloading I’ve been doing lately I was wondering if I could adapt that huge air cylinder to accurate the handle on my progressive loading press. Then I just realized I’ve got more projects and work to take on something else right now.
     

    Joseph

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 13, 2009
    2,759
    Clinton MD
    ToolAA’s description is pretty much correct. And for the record, I don’t mind at all if someone just wants to cannibalize it for parts.
     

    Antarctica

    YEEEEEHAWWW!!!!
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 29, 2012
    1,728
    Southern Anne Arundel
    Several years ago, I was looking for this sort of machine to mold subsea connectors (my previous life I did a lot of subsea work). The thing that seems limiting to me is the shot size. 1/2 oz is .06 cups, so am I wrong or can this thing make no more than a plastic ring for your finger? I'm having a hard time getting my head around the shot size to see that it actually has some utility...

    I have the machine tools to make molds...
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,500
    God's Country
    Several years ago, I was looking for this sort of machine to mold subsea connectors (my previous life I did a lot of subsea work). The thing that seems limiting to me is the shot size. 1/2 oz is .06 cups, so am I wrong or can this thing make no more than a plastic ring for your finger? I'm having a hard time getting my head around the shot size to see that it actually has some utility...

    I have the machine tools to make molds...


    The shot size should be determined by the piston stroke past the pellet feed hole multiplied by the diameter. From the photos the diameter appears to be about 3/4” and the stroke maybe 4”. Thats a huge cylinder. If my estimates are correct thats about 1.75 in^3. That’s a decent sized shot. You could increase the diameter of the plunger and push out even more volume but you would have to use a lower viscosity plastic. There are a lot of mechanics that are at play in injection molding. The runner and gate sizes of the mold have a big impact on pressure within the cavity. Also when the plastic is pressed through the gate it heats up even more.

    It’s funny you say you used to make subsea connectors. The plunger machine we had was used to overmold strain relief boots onto fiber optic cables. We also made a lot of military tactical cables including shipboard and missile systems. I liked that business.
     

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