What is the manufacturer's post-processing method for TPE materials after injection molding?

Is it necessary to do post-processing after injection molding of TPE materials? The answer is - in order to safeguard the product appearance texture, dimensional stability and core performance, a reasonable post-processing link is indispensable. It can not only effectively avoid warping, burrs and other potential defects, but also enhance the consistency of the batch products, so that the excellent characteristics of the TPE material itself to give full play. The following Zhongsu Wang will sort out the core post-processing points for you.

The first is the cooling and molding process. After the products are demolded, they need to be cooled naturally or at a controlled temperature, and it is recommended that they be placed on a flat support surface and cooled down slowly, so as to reduce the internal stress and avoid warping and deformation or dimensional deviation. It should be known that TPE material itself has low hardness and high elasticity, so if it cools down quickly, it will easily lead to uneven shrinkage and affect the precision of the product.

Next is the burr cleanup, sprue and fringe need to be completely removed. Due to the soft texture of TPE, when using traditional cutting tools, we need to make sure that the tool is sharp to avoid tearing or leaving burrs on the edges due to pulling; if the product requires high precision, we can use freeze trimming or laser trimming process to ensure the edges are neat and smooth with more precision.

If the product needs to be covered with adhesive (e.g. composite with ABS, PC, etc.) or surface printing, surface treatment is indispensable. By means of light sanding, plasma activation or primer coating, the surface adhesion of TPE can be effectively improved to solve the problem of low polarity and difficult to bond, so as to ensure the composite structure is solid or the printing effect is durable.

For TPE parts that need to be used for a long time or subject to dynamic loads, it is recommended to carry out additional static or thermal aging treatment. Products can be placed in a slightly higher than the actual use of temperature, but lower than the softening point of the material in the environment, placed a few hours to a few days, so as to release the residual stress accumulated in the molding process, so that the mechanical properties of the product is more stable.

Overall, the post-processing of TPE materials after injection molding is not as complex as that of engineering plastics, but neglecting the details may still lead to a drop in yield or functional failure.

Manufacturers should develop a scientific and reasonable post-processing procedure according to specific application scenarios, material grades and structural design, so as to fully utilize the advantages of TPE materials and ensure product quality and reliability.