What Causes Short Shots in Injection Molding?
Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can encounter many problems when producing components, including short shots. A short shot occurs when a plastic injection molded component is incomplete because the molten plastic has not filled the entire mold cavity. In other words, there is a portion of the part where there is no plastic. For example, a short shot could cause a missing prong on a plastic fork. Causes and Remedies for Short Shots There are several reasons short shots can occur. The remedy depends on what the cause of the short shot is, in each particular case. Some of the most common causes and remedies for short shots are: 1. Material Is Too Viscous Viscosity in plastic is the resistance to flow that the plastic faces when it is melted. When a material is low in viscosity, it will flow quickly, filling all of the mold cavities before cooling begins. When a material is high in viscosity, it may flow too slowly to fill a detailed mol...