Low Pressure Molding - GLUMO
Customizable LPM System meets your specific demand
1. What is Low Pressure Molding?
Electronic components need to be protected against moisture, dust dirt, vibration, and even temperature. Low Pressure Molding is an advanced method to take charge of this function with a gentle but reliable encapsulation around the electronic assemblies, especially the delicate ones.
2. Pros and Cons of Low Pressure Molding
Main Advantages:
- Sustainable and reworkable 1K Materials
- Excellence of moisture, chemical and high-temperature resistance; Watertight encapsulation; Good mechanical strength
- Simple process – fast cycle times
GLUMO Low Pressure Molding Solution is able to solve almost all of challenges raising during process of traditional potting, sealing and conformal coating for electronic protecting application.
| Traditional electronic protecting method | Challenges | GLUMO Low Pressure Molding Solutions |
| Potting | Material mixing required – complicated 2K Mixing System | One-part material – No mixing require |
| Non – reworkable material | Reworkable | |
| Material range limited | Translucent materials avalable for optical inspection | |
| Large equipment investmetn and footprint | Light-weight and simple system | |
| 8-step potting process | 3-step molding process | |
| 24-72 hours for curing schedule | 30 sec. – 2 min. cycle times | |
| Rigid protection | Stain-relief protection | |
| 5 – 7 BOM part numbers in inventory | Only one materials – Green technology, no VOC | |
| Sealing | Limited by housing dimentions; space constaints | No-housing |
| 48-72 hours for curing schedule | 30 sec. – 2 min. cycle times | |
| Up to 6 process steps | 3-step molding process | |
| 5 – 7 BOM part numbers in inventory | Only one materials – Green technology, no VOC | |
| Conformal Coating | Very limited mechanical strength | Temperature, vibration, impact and chemical resistance; Watertight encapsulation; Good mechanical strength |
| 4 – 12 hours cure schedule | 30 sec. – 2 min. cycle times | |
| Up to 8 process steps | 3-step molding process | |
| 3 – 4 BOM part numbers in inventory | Only one materials – Green technology, no VOC |
Disadvantage of Low Pressure Molding and GLUMO Solutions
| Disadvantage | GLUMO Solutions |
| High initial investment in equipment | Buy Discount Equipment |
| Small-quantity production | Low Pressure Molding Service |
| Urgent Problem | Local Service |
| Installation, Maintenance and Training |
3. Applications
Industrial Sensors and Components
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Automotive
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LED/ Lighting
Contact us for more details |
Low Pressure Molding Machine is one of two factors making significant effect on performance of thermoplastic molding process. GLUMO is specifically designed to be compatible with materials like copolyesters and polyamides. With very low injection pressure (20 ~ 500psi), our machine is confident to mold, seal, encapsulate to protect the most delicate electronic components against moisture, dust, high temperature, water and solvents, chemical, vibration and other agents in working environment.
In addition, GLUMO series can be customizable. Each application and manufacturing process will have different requirements about dimensions of working area, sharp design, configuration as well as performance index (cycle time, maximum pressure, temperature). After inspecting carefully customer demand, we could tailor-make their own unique version to provide the best performance of LPM process.
Mold Set used for Low Pressure Molding differs from these other types of mold used in traditional high-pressure molding. In particular, we have to take some different aspects including materials, dimensions cavity design, etc. into consideration when designing. GLUMO is confident to work as a part of your engineer team, carefully inspect each element, then design the layout and finalize to provide the customer with the most appropriate mold set.
1. Material
Mold sets for low pressure molding are commonly manufactured from 7075 aluminum which is compatible with polyamide – LPM materials. Besides the negligibly wear-on feature, Aluminum is also a cost-effective material to be excellent at dissipating heat resulting in shorter cycle times. High wear-out areas where components are inserted should have steel inserts. Mold sets for very high production rates can be manufactured from P-20 material or any other conventional tool steel.
2. Dimensions
The mold set guides shall be approximately 35 mm long with 6 mm long tapered lead. Two different diameters shall be used such as 9 mm and 10 mm respectively.
3. Cavity Design
When designing a mold set, it is important to position the parting line so that the molded components stay in the lower mold half, when the mold set is opened. This may require a stepped parting line in some applications. It is often possible to avoid the use of locating pins as the low-pressure fill of the cavity is unlikely to dislocate components. When circuit boards are over-molded, these can be positioned by locating pins if necessary.
For some applications where holes from locating pins are unacceptable in the molded parts, a two-step over-mold should be considered. One side/portion of the component is over-molded first, then the other side/portion. These mold sets will have two different cavities and components are moved from the first to the second cavity for completion.