Phillips Plastics Corporation

INTERFACE

Making Strides With Magnesium

Injection Molding
Magnesium injection molding (MAG), once
known as an arduous, sometimes unpredictable
process, is now an established, proven technology for companies looking to produce parts
lighter and stronger than aluminum and can be

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finished with a variety of decorative methods.

Ideally suited for markets such as appliance,
automotive, consumer, defense, lawn and
garden, medical, recreational, and telecommunications, magnesium injection molding is an

option to be considered for the toughest, most

technically challenging programs.

Phillips Magnesium Injection

Molding At A Glance:

With an impressive history of success on hundreds of programs for many types of markets,
Phillips Plastics Corporations magnesium
injection molding is now thriving and reliable.
According to Phillips Vice Chairman and
Business Resource, Larry Smith, Phillips
Plastics will continue to improve its magnesium
injection molding process and the quality of the
production parts that come through the process.
It is still a new technology in the marketplace,
but we are world-class providers and our capabilities really demonstrate Phillips continued
commitment to these types of leading edge
technologies.

850 metric ton press

- Largest production thixomolding
machine in North America
- Ideal for large electronics enclosures
or automotive parts
- Maximum part weight of 4 pounds
(1816 g)

Today, Phillips magnesium injection molding

is providing solutions that werent an option
in the recent past such as overmolding soft
materials to plastic; specialized plating finishes;
a clear coat finish to provide a natural metal
look and feel; and large parts, up to 200 square
inches total projected area including gates,
runners, and overflows. Phillips Chief Executive
Officer, Founder, and Chairman of the Board,
Bob Cervenka explains, Magnesium is now
a way for us to solve some of our customers
problems. It is essentially a lightweight option
for people looking for better performance
without sacrificing strength.

Current alloy model mix

- 50% AZ91D alloy, 50% AM60B alloy
Phillips processes more high ductility
AM60B than any other North
American thixomolder

In addition, Phillips capabilities have proved

to be award winning. The North American Die
Casting Association (NADCA) recently presented
two awards to Phillips Plastics for the 2004
International Die Casting Competition for excellence in magnesium injection molding. The
awards are for the ITT Spearhead tactical military radio in the under 0.5 pounds category,
and the Niebel Engine aftermarket valve cover
in the over 0.5 pounds category. For more
information, see the following case studies or
visit www.diecasting.org.

220 metric ton press

- Smallest production shot size
achieved 0.045 pounds (21 g) using
AM60B versus industry standard
minimum shot size of 0.143 pounds
(65 g)

Six-axis servo robots for part extraction

and application of die lubricant
Vision systems
In-line die lube mixing system
New Phillips-developed material heating
system
- 28% less energy usage than OEM
system
- Material temperature control 3
degrees Fahrenheit
Molds use vacuum to assist die fill and
reduce trapped air in cavity
NADCA Precision Tolerances by default

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Case Studies
ITT
Working with ITT Industries on their Spearhead
Tactical Radio, Phillips Plastics provided a manufacturing solution that satisfied numerous
engineering challenges. By molding complex
geometries with thin walls, Phillips magnesium
injection molding provided a durable, lightweight
housing for the smallest and lightest frequency
hopping, secure VHF radio available today. In
addition to molding the magnesium housings,
Phillips worked with ITT to develop the following:
Formulation of a proprietary elastomeric
resin to meet adhesion and durability
requirements for a soft-touch overmold
Implementation of automated paint tooling
to meet aesthetic and masking requirements

Niebel Engines
When a previous supplier was having processing and molding issues on a magnesium valve
cover for a racing engine, Niebel Engines came
to Phillips Plastics for help producing an innovative, lightweight, strong part that met the
customers requirements. To solve the problem,
Phillips team made adjustments to the mold,
which included changing the gate, modifying
the feed system, and adding a vacuum to the
mold. In addition to providing a right off the
machine acceptable look, the customer was
impressed by the smooth, metal finish, which
complimented the look of the engine. The end
result, as described by Niebel Engines, is the
lightest, strongest rocker shaft covers in the
world, with a weight reduction of nearly 5
pounds (2,270 g) per set.

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Toro
Toro, a leading supplier of lawn and garden
equipment, first came to Phillips Plastics for help
with a takeover single-cavity mold program for
an impeller on their leaf vacuum/blower/mulcher.
Phillips Plastics was able to provide a rapid
volume ramp-up, and eliminate the substantial
order backlog in a short period of time. Looking
to magnesium for its rigidity, lightweight, and
toughness, Phillips Plastics also built a revised,
two-cavity mold that was able to answer the
call for higher volumes and produce a part that
did its job as a tough, high performance, stateof-the-art product.

The Process
Magnesium injection molding is a single-step, semi-solid molding process
that combines the best of plastic injection molding and die-casting. Chips of
magnesium alloy are fed into a heated
screw and barrel where the alloy is
thermally and mechanically processed
into a semi-fluid state and is injected
directly into the mold cavity. In contrast
to the higher temperatures necessary
for die-casting, magnesium injection
molded components are processed at
temperatures 50-100 degrees Fahrenheit
cooler. The resulting semi-solid properties allow the metal alloys to flow like
a thermoplastic with a more controlled,
laminar flow. The magnesium injection
molding process delivers net shaped
components with many inherent
benefits which include:
Superior strength to weight ratios
EMI/RFI shielding
Better straightness and flatness
Heat dissipation
Low porosity
Tighter tolerances, which may reduce
or eliminate some secondary machining
operations
Longer mold life
Thinner wall sections possible than
die casting can provide

PHILLIPS PLASTICS CORPORATION

info@phillipsplastics.com
877.508.0261

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