How to Avoid TZM Rods from Splitting During Processing Nuzzle Tips for Hot Runner System?

Pure molybdenum has very high melting point, which makes it useable in most high temperature applications. However, with the development of molybdenum alloy, titanium-zirconium-molybdenum (TZM) alloy has become a good all-round candidate no matter in vacuum furnace industry, medical diagnostic equipment industry or other industries. 

Although TZM alloy products are expensive than pure molybdenum, in certain applications the additional cost is offset by its increased strength at elevated temperatures. 

People add trace elements such as titanium and zirconium to molybdenum to remove the grain boundary embrittlement phase through solid solution strengthening of trace elements, and its reactant acts as a dispersed phase to strengthen the alloy to improve its performance. 

The suggested applied temperature is between 700 and 1400 degrees Celsius. Like pure molybdenum, it starts to oxide at 400 degrees Celsius, and rapidly oxides at above 500 degrees Celsius. However, at operating temperatures exceeding the recrystallization temperature of pure molybdenum (900 to 1,100 degrees Celsius), TZM is much stronger. And in load-bearing applications exceeding 1300 degrees Celsius, TZM is twice as strong as pure molybdenum.

In the vacuum furnace industry, TZM is the material of choice for load-bearing hearths and horizontal posts; in the medical diagnostic equipment industry, it is used as the material of choice in rotating anodes in X-ray tubes; in hot runner system, it can be machined into nuzzle tips and keep plastic in melt status. 

However, when applied in hot runner systems, TZM rods will be machined into nuzzle tips, and during this process, some problems may occur, such as split, cracking, unmachinable, tools easy to be damaged, or debris easy to stick on tools. 

Reasons for these problems are complex, for example, when tools are easy to be damaged during processing, it probably shows signs that TZM rods has high hardness. However, it cannot be assured it is the problem of hardness, the selected tools may also cause this problem. If you require lower hardness, debris are easy to stick on the surface of tool. Therefore, there should be a comprehensive solution for these problems. 

Chinatungsten is a professional manufacturer of molybdenum. Our knowledgeable and experienced refractory metal sales engineers are standing by to help you select the best metal for your application and solve whatever problems you meet. 

If you have any inquiry of TZM rods, please feel free to contact us:
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com/sales@xiamentungsten.com
Tel.: +86 592 5129696/+86 592 5129595

Fax: +86 592 5129797

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Can I Use Hot Runner System to Produce Mobile Phone Cases and Keyboards?

Nowadays, hot runner system and cold runner system are two of the most popular methods for plastic injection molding in the world. Here comes the question. If you would like to produce mobile phone cases and keyboards, which system you should use?

The main difference for two systems is that the later one can inject plastic directly into the part cavity. This direct injection keeps the runner at a high temperature. The only component that needs to be removed in each cycle is the part itself. Therefore, the mold can be circulated again very quickly. Since the injection point is much smaller, the final plastic product looks better, thus achieving high details and smooth surfaces. Increased cycle time and reduced plastic waste make it ideal for mass production.

The choice of nozzle material is related to the production efficiency, cost and quality of the finished product. Titanium-zirconium-molybdenum (TZM) alloy is a particle-reinforced molybdenum-based alloy containing titanium, zirconium and carbon. It is widely used in aerospace, aviation and other industries, and can be used as nozzle material, valve body, gas pipeline material, gate tube material, die-casting mold, heating elements and heat shields for high-temperature furnaces, etc.

Compared with pure molybdenum, TZM alloy material has better creep resistance and welding performance, and a higher crystallization temperature. Due to its excellent high temperature performance and corrosion resistance, TZM rods are often processed into nozzle tips for hot runner systems.

At the same time, the system is also accompanied by some shortcomings, such as the system itself is larger and more complex, resulting in longer setup time and increased installation costs. Different systems are suitable for different products. Hot runners are suitable for mobile phone cases, bottle caps and items that require a lot of cheap parts; cold runners are suitable for keyboards, electronic casings and covers that can hide defects, and small batch production. Understand the inherent advantages and disadvantages of the two systems in order to choose the most suitable for their actual production needs.

Chinatungsten Online are professional manufacturer of molybdenum for more than two decades. If you have got the purchasing plan for TZM rod, please feel free to contact us. 

If you have any inquiry of TZM rod, please feel free to contact us:

Email: sales@chinatungsten.com/sales@xiamentungsten.com

Tel.: +86 592 5129696/+86 592 5129595

Fax: +86 592 5129797

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Amazing! 500 Bottle Caps Produced in One Minute with Hot Runner System

 500 plastic cups or 500 bottle caps are produced in one minute. Oh my god, it’s so amazing! Indeed, it is probably a fantasy to achieve such high efficiency with traditional production lines. But hot runner system has achieved and is constantly improved at present. 

Almost every industry, including construction, electronics, aviation, automotive, medical, food and beverage, more realizes the potential for gaining a competitive advantage. Injection molding is not only an efficient method of manufacturing precise plastic parts and components, but also reduces production time, has high precision and reduces material waste. It can produce plastic parts that are as strong as steel, or can be very soft and flexible.

When using the plastic injection molding process, the manufacture of any part starts with the mold. The molding system is divided into two categories: hot runner molds and cold runner molds. The hot runner uses a screw nozzle, which is fed by a pump through the barrel, while the cold runner uses a closed thermosetting mold. The main task of any runner system is to guide the plastic melt from the runner to the mold cavity. 

The system requires additional pressure to push the material through the flow channel. The frictional heat generated by the material in the runner mold flows through the runner and increases the temperature, thereby facilitating the flow. One of the best rewards of any project is to reasonably determine the size of the runner for a given component and mold design.

The nozzle is the key component of the hot runner mold. In the hot runner system, in order to maintain the molten state of the plastic in the nozzle, heat insulation must be as perfect as possible, and some nozzles need to be heated internally or externally, while the cavity needs to be cooled. The temperature difference between the two is usually 100~200℃. Therefore, the material and design of nuzzle should meet the thermal balance requirements in priority, which are necessary to avoid too much cold material in the nozzle to solidify and block, but also to avoid overheating of the plastic, casting or drawing, or even decomposition.

The best material for machining nuzzles is titanium-zirconium-molybdenum alloy (TZM alloy). TZM nuzzle can maximize the utilization of materials and meet the requirements of plastic melt insulation and heating. In addition, molybdenum alloy nuzzle also has a very long service life, which can greatly reduce production costs. 

Chinatungsten Online is a very professional manufacturer of tungsten and molybdenum, with rich experience in the production of titanium-zirconium-molybdenum alloy rods. If you have any purchasing plan, please feel free to contact us.

If you have any inquiry of TZM rod, please feel free to contact us:

Email: sales@chinatungsten.com/sales@xiamentungsten.com

Tel.: +86 592 5129696/+86 592 5129595

Fax: +86 592 5129797

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Nuzzle Tip, Machined from TZM Rod, Is Essential for Hot Runner System

HRSflow is completing the expansion of its 3,000-square-meter factory in San Polo di Piave, Italy. The expansion was designed according to lean production standards to make the hot runner assembly process more efficient. The goal is to ensure increased production capacity and provide customers with greater flexibility.

Since its introduction into the industry, hot runners have played a key role in improving the injection molding process. Although the capital cost is greater than that of cold runners, its ultra-high production efficiency makes it a long-term and economical choice. The improvement of system performance can produce parts with excellent appearance and increase part functions. In addition, the hot runner improves energy efficiency and saves plastic raw materials, thereby shortening cycle time and reducing part costs.

Companies in the world are implementing hot runners and seeking various solutions for further optimization considering its advantages. Of course, the focus of this article is not on this, but on one of the important parts- hot runner nuzzle tip. 

A hot runner system is an assembly of heated components used in plastic injection molds that inject molten plastic into the cavities of the mold. The used nozzle material is important as it affects production efficiency of the whole system, production cost and quality of finished plastic products. 

Pure molybdenum has a very high melting point, good strength, low thermal expansion coefficient and excellent thermal conductivity, and is a good comprehensive candidate material for most high-temperature applications. TZM is an acronym for "Titanium-Zirconium-Molybdenum", which is a molybdenum alloy. Its production method is powder metallurgy.

Although TZM is 25% more expensive than pure molybdenum, in some applications, the additional cost is offset by its increased strength at high temperatures. The recrystallization temperature of TZM is higher than that of pure molybdenum, which reduces the possibility of embrittlement at high temperatures. In high temperature applications, TZM has higher strength, hardness, creep resistance and ductility, which can ensure that it will not weaken or become soft.

Therefore, titanium-zirconium-molybdenum alloy is the most suitable material for nozzles at present. Chinatungsten Online is known for its high-quality products, outstanding service and attention to detail. The provided TZM rod has strict tolerance control and high processing yield. 

If you have any inquiry of molybdenum electrode, please feel free to contact us:

Email: sales@chinatungsten.com/sales@xiamentungsten.com

Tel.: +86 592 5129696/+86 592 5129595

Fax: +86 592 5129797

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