APSX-PIM as an alternative to the expensive overpowered large injection molding machines that are typically over designed for R&D, Prototyping, Product Design, Education, Hobby and other Low-Volume production environments.

Please check these resources below for more information on Plastic Part Design for Injection Molding:
BOOK: Plastic Part Design for Injection MoldingVIDEO: Design for Manufacturing Course 5: Injection Molding

– most small injection machines are more style than substance, with designs that are expensive and difficult to maintain without an experienced technician. APSX-PIM is an easy-to-maintain and affordable to run desktop injection machine in both R&D labs and small manufacturing shops.

Product Sheet APSX-PIM (1.0 MB)



Anodized Hard Aluminum Blocks
User Control: 10" Touch Screen Windows Tablet PC

Suggested Desktop Size and Drawings:

Suggested desktop layout for APSX-PIM (45 KB)
Suggested desktop drawing for APSX-PIM (101 KB)

FAQIs 5 tons clamp force enough for my part to be molded?Typically conventional injection molding machines are big and have high amount of clamp forces such as 30 tons or more. The way they operate is different than APSX-PIM. They usually use hydraulic power to create injection pressure and clamp force. That method creates high forces on both sides of the equation (injection and clamping) and stay in equilibrium where the molds are kept clamped and close. With APSX-PIM, only 90% of the part volume is injected in high injection pressure when there is not much clamp force needed. The rest of the 10% is being injected or packed at holding pressure which is much lower than injection pressure. The holding pressure is not a problem for 5 tons clamp force because it is very low. Therefore, 5 tons for APSX-PIM is much higher than that comparing to a conventional injection molding machine's clamp force.

The part area that is parallel to the mold opening direction and holding pressure will dictate the required clamp force.
Can my part be made by using APSX-PIM?
Please ask for a quote from , or for finished plastic parts for your own design and get their feedback for your design to see if it even can be molded at all or not. Then please get back to us with your specific mold related questions so that we can reply your questions intelligently. This can be better answered by the mold maker. We refer our customers to Catalyst PDG in Indianapolis IN USA to finalize your part design before contacting us for assistance. The folks at Catalyst can look at your design and can give you feedback so that your part is suitable to be made by using APSX-PIM. Their website is www.catalystpdg.com. What are the suggested plastic material specs for the best injection performance out of APSX-PIM?We suggest using a standard size (0.125" diameter) virgin plastic pellets. As a general rule, the machine will perform "better" with high melt flow rate (MFR) materials. It all depends on the mold design. It has to be designed for 5000 PSI injection pressure and 5 tons clamp force. Typically we have been using materials with 10 MFR and higher. Any plastic including but not limited to Polycarbonate (PC), Acetal (Delrin), ABS, PC/ABS, Nylon (PA6), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), Polyethylene (PE), Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO) can be used with .



What kind of ventilation system do I need?
A good quality portable or permanent system has to be installed due to fumes released from the hot plastics. ABS, Delrin and Nylon are typically the most toxic. If you are indoors and run the machine all the time, we suggest using a portable ventilation system similar to what we have been using in our facility. We currently have SAS (Sentry Air Systems) SS-400-PFS model. It can be purchased online at their website at www.sentryair.com.

How does the ejector mechanism of a mold work?There is a center push ejection rod just behind the moving plate. There has to be ejector plate and pins designed specific to the part being injected. The ejector plate adds to the total thickness of the mold and consumes the volume from the part size. It provides the convenience of making parts hands off and continuously in multi-mode on APSX-PIM. The ejector system should be optimized so that the part is ejected 100% of the time when a cycle is completed. Otherwise, there may be some damages on the mold or on the machine parts. An economical feasibility study can be done considering all possible scenarios. If there is manpower utilized in the facility that can take the part out of the mold once it is completed once every minute, it may make more sense in terms of cost to avoid ejector system design and maintenance.

Please watch the video below to determine your max or min ejector plate travel distance.



What are the blank mold sizes and are they standard for APSX-PIM?The mold size has to be a certain height and length. The standard size is 6" high and 4.8" long. The depth of the mold depends on the part size but has to be 3" max. The blanks can be purchased from our website. If you prefer to design your own molds, the 3D drawing files on our website can also be used. We certainly suggest Aluminum (6061 or QC-10) mold material due to its fast air-cooling ability.

What kind of mold do we have to design for APSX-PIM?
APSX-PIM provides 5000 PSI injection pressure and 5 tons clamp force. Given that, a mold maker should design the mold according to these machine specs. All of the features such as draft angle, wall thickness, one or multi-cavity mold decisions have to be made considering the injection molding machine being used. All parts are unique and so all molds are too.

There is a scientific relationship between the part size and the pressures applied to the mold. The initial injection pressure does not create high pressure inside the mold but the flow rate can. Once the machine drops to holding pressure about 90% of the part volume is injected into the mold, the mold gets pressurized. On the other end of the machine, clamp force holds the mold closed so that there is no flashing on the part.

The rule of thumb is that . The footprint area is defined as the largest projected area of the part on the vertical face of the mold perpendicular to plastic flow.


Please visit our mold making knowledgebase pages .

How does the clamp force is adjusted?The clamp force is the same for automatic or manual operations. It applies the clamp force based on the settings for that particular part. It can be lowered or increased on the tablet to ensure optimum injection performance. For an Aluminum mold, the clamp force can be at the maximum setting. For a 3D printed mold it should be at the lowest setting that produces acceptable parts.

What is the maximum shot size that APSX-PIM can perform?
1.83 cu-in or 30 cu-cm is an achievable size although it may vary due to mold design. Typically it corresponds to a max 30-40 gr in part weight since each plastic density value are different from each other.

What are the maintenance requirements?There is no frequent maintenance activities involved. However, be sure that the hopper has material in it and hopper pipe is cleared from any obstructions from the previous injection sessions. Since there is no water or oil connection so the maintenance is minimal. The shafts may need an extra lubrication after being used for a long time (approximately 500 hours) to allow the shaft bushings to slide with less friction. We recommend using synthetic 10W-30 oil, applying an even coating on the shafts.

What are the part warranty details?
See below SUPPORT, SPARE PARTS AND LIMITED WARRANTY sections for details.

What are the requirements for color or material change in between injecting different parts?
Use purging resin to clean the barrel before using the desired resin.

Is the mold heated and temperature controlled?One side of the mold touches to the fixed platen which is getting heated through the barrel. So the entire mold gets hot unless there is no cooling system. The desired mold temperature is set under settings and is controlled via a temperature sensor and the fan. Fan controls the temperature on the mold between 60 Celsius and 100 Celsius. External heater/chiller units can be used if this does not meet the requirements.

Can this machine run 24/7?Yes. However, keep in mind that even if you have a million dollar full automatic giant machine, injection molding machines should not be left unattended. Remember you have very hot and pressurized plastic material inside the machine. As long as you have an assigned worker responsible for the machine, you can maximize the run time. The current hopper size is 10-12 lbs depending on the material. If desired, an automatic feeder can be installed. We recently have been making with one of our machines to make plastic parts for one of our customers by using a mold with ejector pins that APSX SPDYER CNC did cut in house.

What are the temperature and humidity requirements for the machine to run?First of all never use the machine in a hot and humid outdoor environment. Humidity would affect the plastic polymers and you may have to use a dryer for that. We suggest you to follow the guidelines of the manufacturer of material being injected. In terms of the machine itself, the typical operating temperature range is 40-95F (5-35C).

Are you going to make a machine with larger mold area?
We do plan to design a machine with a larger mold area, however it is still a couple of years from being released.

Can we print on plastic parts?The concept called Pad Printing is a good choice for printing on plastic parts. The internet has good amount of resource about it.
What size UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) should we use in case of power outages?We suggest using a 1500W capacity UPS since APSX-PIM has peak watt value close to 1500W. Average usage is about 750W.

What size Step-Down power converter (220V to 110V) should we use in Europe or other places?We suggest using a 3000W converter. There are a lot of alternatives in the market such as Rockstone Power RSP-3000. Its price averages around $100.

DOCUMENTS

USER MANUAL: APSX-PIM Manual (2.3 MB)

PRODUCT DATASHEET: Product Sheet APSX-PIM (1.0 MB)

DRAWINGS: APSX-PIM Dimensions Drawing

Do you need financing? Click on for Our 3rd Party Financing Providers.

Do you need a QUOTE for multiple quantity discount? Discounts start with 3+ machines. Please email us with the number of machines you would like to purchase.

Shipping LTL Rates in our system are based on a delivery with a liftgate, inside delivery and a call in advance. Please let us know to receive a shipping price revision if you do not need any of those value added shipping options.

We do not accept credit cards for the orders above $1000. Please select Wire Transfer or Check by Mail option when you get to Checkout page to complete your order.

SUPPORT
As with all APSX products, APSX-PIM desktop injection machines are backed with our technical support team to ensure your satisfaction. We support your machine with email, scheduled video conferences and phone support and with our extensive online resources, so you can be 100% sure that when you choose APSX, you've made a perfect selection.

Video conference assisted help is available via Calendly scheduling
2 years email support between 9AM-5PM EST.
No on-site service is provided.

SPARE PARTS

100% in stock for crucial parts - APSX-PIM is designed with ease of maintenance in mind. Spare parts are in stock at our Cincinnati location. All critical part orders are shipped on the same day. Since the machine is design by the simplicity in mind, it is nearly a maintenance free machine. Keep in mind that APSX-PIM has no water lines, no pressured air, minimal lubrication or no routine cleaning requirements.

LIMITED WARRANTY (VALID ONLY IF 1 HOUR QUICK ONLINE TRAINING IS GIVEN BY APSX LLC TEAM BEFORE THE SHIPMENT)

12 months REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT warranty condition also applies to returned machines for inspection or repair. If the QUICK ONLINE TRAINING is rejected, the warranty is VOID once the machine is shipped out - Manufacturer’s liability shall be limited to repairing or replacing parts or components at the discretion of manufacturer. Direct sales and video conference/phone support is part of the equation that allows us to provide high value at low cost. Once we determine the problem remotely via video conference, we resolve it with a replacement part or a complete new machine if the machine is defective. You must be comfortable with general electrical and mechanical repair concepts, including the appropriate safety procedures, before working on your machine. If you do not have the required skills, you will need to find someone locally to assist you. We do not have factory technicians to send to your facility. Components subject to wear during normal use and over time such as metal surfaces, labels or decals, finish and condition, seals, safety gates, cabling, electric motor shafts, tablet PC etc., are excluded from this warranty. Warranty of general machine tolerances is void if the machine is taken out of the crate without following the lifting directions below, disassembled or altered by customer. Manufacturer is not responsible for any damage to parts, machines, business premises or other property of Buyer, or for any other incidental or consequential damages that may be caused by a malfunction of the machine or components.

• APSX-PIM comes in a wood crate of 50"X20'X18". Total weight is about 300 LBS. • Unscrew the top and the front panels where APSX LLC logo is printed