New technologies and methods for controlling color difference in injection molded products

Color difference control is crucial in the production of medical injection molded products, which directly affects the quality and safety of the products. Here are some emerging technologies and methods for effectively controlling color difference in medical injection molded products, while also sharing some practical cases with you.

Case 1: A medical device factory initially used traditional color measurement methods and ordinary color masterbatch when producing plastic parts for disposable infusion sets, resulting in significant color differences in the same batch of products. Later, they introduced high-precision spectrophotometers for color measurement and used high-performance color masterbatch, which significantly improved the color difference problem and greatly improved the consistency of product colors.

Case 2: A company specializing in the production of medical plastic products, during the manufacturing of the casing of a new type of medical testing equipment, experienced color differences in the casing produced at different time periods due to unstable injection molding process parameters. By adopting an intelligent injection control system, real-time monitoring and automatic adjustment of process parameters, the color difference problem has been successfully solved, ensuring the consistency of product appearance and meeting the strict requirements of customers.

Advanced color measurement technology is the foundation. Devices such as the CI7x00 series desktop spectrophotometer and CI64 handheld spectrophotometer can accurately capture color data at different stages of production, measure the color of color masterbatches and products accurately, and ensure that they are within strict tolerance ranges. The color colorimeter converts color differences into energy and reflects the degree of color difference through intuitive numerical values, helping to quickly determine whether the product color is qualified and detect small color changes.

The intelligent injection control system plays a crucial role. It can monitor the color parameters during the injection molding process in real time. Once the color difference exceeds the set range, the system will automatically adjust the injection molding process parameters, such as injection speed, pressure, temperature, etc., to quickly correct the color difference problem. At the same time, its process parameter optimization module is based on a large amount of experimental data and algorithm models, which can intelligently optimize parameters according to product requirements and raw material characteristics, and improve the consistency of product color.

The new color masterbatch technology has brought new breakthroughs. High performance color masterbatch has higher stability and better dispersibility, which can reduce color difference caused by the quality of color masterbatch, and disperse more evenly in the plastic matrix during injection molding, reducing color fluctuations. Intelligent color changing masterbatch can change color according to environmental conditions or specific signals, and is used to produce medical injection molded products with special functions, providing innovative ideas for color difference control.

Online detection and monitoring technology is indispensable. The visual inspection system installs high-resolution cameras and image analysis software on the production line to take real-time photos and analyze colors of the products. If color difference problems are found, an alarm is immediately triggered and production is stopped. The sensor network arranges multiple sensors in key parts such as injection molds and material barrels to collect parameters such as temperature, pressure, and flow rate, analyze their impact on color difference, and achieve comprehensive process monitoring.

Data management and analysis techniques are also very important. Establish a color database to record color data and related production parameters and raw material information for different products and batches. Through big data analysis, identify color change patterns and influencing factors to provide reference for production. The quality traceability system tracks the color data of each production process, and can quickly trace the root cause of color difference problems, take targeted solutions, and optimize the quality control of the production process.

In short, the comprehensive application of these new technologies and methods can significantly improve the level of color difference control in medical injection molded products, ensure product quality and safety, and meet the strict requirements of the medical industry.