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Injection Molding Defects Guide

Identify and fix 16 common injection molding defects

Common Injection Molding Defects

1. Sink Marks

Cause: Insufficient holding pressure or time. Solution: Increase pack pressure, extend hold time, or reduce wall thickness at thick sections.

2. Weld Lines

Cause: Melt fronts meeting at low temperature. Solution: Increase melt temperature, adjust gate location to avoid flow splits.

3. Warpage

Cause: Uneven cooling or molecular orientation. Solution: Balance mold temperature, adjust cooling channel design.

4. Flash

Cause: Mold parting line wear or excessive injection pressure. Solution: Check mold condition, reduce injection speed.

5. Short Shot

Cause: Insufficient material or air traps. Solution: Increase shot size, add venting, raise melt temperature.

6. Burn Marks

Cause: Trapped air igniting. Solution: Add venting, reduce injection speed.

7. Jetting

Cause: Melt jetting through gate without contacting mold wall. Solution: Use larger gate, reduce injection speed.

8. Vacuum Voids

Cause: Material shrinkage in thick sections. Solution: Reduce wall thickness, increase pack pressure.

Quick Reference Table

DefectPrimary CauseQuick Fix
Sink MarkInsufficient packIncrease hold pressure
Weld LineCold melt frontIncrease temp or speed
WarpageUneven coolingBalance mold temp
Short ShotLow fillIncrease shot volume