An injection mold consists of six major systems. Among them, the guide system is designed to ensure precise alignment of the moving mold and fixed mold during mold closing, and guide components are indispensable in a mold. In injection molds, four sets of guide pins and guide bushes are generally adopted to form the guiding structure. Sometimes, matching inner and outer tapered surfaces are respectively arranged on the moving and fixed molds for auxiliary positioning.

Guide pins mainly serve the guiding function in the mold, ensuring that the molding surfaces of the core and cavity never collide under any circumstances. Guide pins shall not be used as load-bearing or positioning components. How should we handle guide pin damage during the operation of injection molds?

Under certain working conditions, a huge lateral offset force will be generated between the moving and fixed molds during injection. When the wall thickness of a plastic part is uneven, the material flow speed is higher at thick sections, resulting in excessive local pressure. For plastic parts with asymmetric side profiles — such as molds with stepped parting surfaces — the reaction pressure on opposite sides is uneven.

To manufacture high-quality injection molds, mold factories must fully understand every detail in mold design, fabrication and molding processes, as well as the function of each mold component. A clear understanding of the critical role of guide pins and the hazards caused by guide pin damage enables better daily operation and maintenance. This not only helps produce high-quality plastic products steadily, but also greatly extends the service life of injection molds.