Week 17 Applications and Implications - Project Development

What will it do?

It will inject molten plastic into molds to create solid parts, mainly prototypes or small to medium-sized components.

Who has done what beforehand?

Similar projects such as Precious Plastic's injection machine and many DIY versions have been documented on YouTube and maker forums. Both manual and automatic injectors have also been documented in educational and prototyping contexts.

What will you design?

I will design the frame of the injector, the heating system, the syringe-like injection mechanism, the temperature and pressure control system, and a basic user interface. Everything will be integrated into a safe metal structure.

What materials and components will be used and how much will they cost?

Where will they come from?

Electronic components from stores like Steren, AliExpress, or MercadoLibre. Metal and pneumatic components from local hardware stores or provided by my university.

What parts and systems will be made?

Injection system (cylinder + piston), heating and temperature control system, structural chassis with insulation, control panel (screen, buttons, etc.).

What processes will be used?

Cutting and welding metals, mechanical and electronic assembly, microcontroller programming, temperature and pressure calibration, user interface design.

What questions need to be answered?

How will it be evaluated?

By successful injection without clogging, precise temperature control, system safety, quality of molded parts, and a functional user interface.

What tasks have been completed?

Research and reference gathering, injection system selection, PID and heater tests, initial structure design.

What tasks remain?

Injection testing, mold design and validation, project documentation.

What has worked?

All systems (pneumatic, heating, and control) are working properly.

What hasn’t?

The structure is misaligned and unstable, and I have not yet been able to inject plastic.

What questions need to be resolved?

What will happen when?

What have you learned?