Patent ID: 7108824

Claim:
A method for molding plastic articles having pigments used to modify light reflectivity, including the steps of: providing a mold having a first mold section and a second mold section with a mold cavity disposed between the first and the second mold sections, said first and second mold sections each including a recess; providing a first gate design mold member, said first gate design mold member including an orifice having dimensions, said first gate design mold member including two interchangeable members, one of said two interchangeable members located in the recess in said first mold section and the second of said two interchangeable members located in the recess in said second mold section; providing a feed system including a runner portion in direct fluid communication with said interchangeable members; and forming a product in the mold cavity by providing a first plastic material including pigments used to modify light reflectivity through the first gate design mold member; separating the first mold section and the second mold section; removing the product from the mold cavity; providing a second gate design mold member, said second gate design mold member including an orifice having dimensions; said second gate design mold member including two interchangeable members, one of said two interchangeable members located in the recess in said first mold section and the second of said two interchangeable members located in the recess in said second mold section, exchanging the first gate design mold member for the second gate design mold member; forming a product in the mold cavity by providing a second plastic material through the second gate design mold member wherein said second gate design mold member orifice has dimensions different from the first gate design mold member orifice, and wherein the second plastic material includes at least one pigment that is different from said first plastic material.