Evaluation of heating performance and its impact on surface transcription by rapid heating mold using thin electric heater

By installing a thin heating layer to the surface of injection molds, it can be expected that the reduction of required energy for the mold temperature control and the minimization of elongation of the process cycle time. The experimental mold used in this study consisted of a top heating layer of Nickel-Phosphor (NiP) and thermal insulation layer of Zirconium ceramics, and they were firmly fixed on the mold base. In the experiment, the heating performance of the NiP layer was investigated first by using an infrared thermography, then the transcription level against the microscale structure on the mold surface was evaluated by measuring the surface geometry of the molded plates made of polycarbonate.