Retainer plates reinforce injection molds and secure internal parts. They consist of a backing plate and retainer plate, with channels for heating/cooling fluids. Retainer plates support guide and ejector pins, and are used as back cooling/heating elements.
A retainer plate is part of the internal injection molding mechanism used to reinforce the mold and secure other internal parts such as bushings and puller pins. Retainer plates are typically two-part assemblies consisting of a backing plate and the retainer plate itself. Supported parts such as drive and puller pins pass through holes in the retainer plate and are held in place against it by the backing plate. The platen is located at the rear of the mold between the mold core and the ejection mechanism. The plate assembly is often equipped with internal channels for the circulation of heating or cooling fluids.
Injection molds are fairly complex devices made up of a laminar sandwich of components all brought together to form the closed mold. This collection of parts consists of two halves of the product mold that are clamped between two heavy support plates. The mold halves are in direct contact with the front support plate which is provided with the sprue or channel through which the molten material is forced into the mold cavity. The area behind the mold halves is taken up by several components including the retainer plates, ejection mechanism, and back support plate. The retainer plate assembly, which contacts the back of the mold halves, serves to reinforce the mold and supports several additional pieces of equipment essential to the molding process.
The retainer plate assembly consists of two flat plates positioned back to back behind the mold halves. The plate in contact with the rear mold half is known as the retainer plate and the latter as the ejector plate. These two plates support additional mold parts such as guide pins, ejector pins, and associated bushings. The guide and ejector pins typically pass through bushings in the retainer plate and are held in place by the ejector plate. Behind the retainer plate assembly is the ejector housing and finally the rear backing plate.
When the molding is complete, the front support plate is removed together with the front mold half. The ejector mechanism then forces the retainer plates and ejector pins forward to push the part out of the mold. Retainer plates are also often used as back cooling or heating elements in the mold depending on the specific application. This function is achieved by incorporating channels or cores into the plate pack through which steam or chilled water is circulated.
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