The plastic injection molding process has undergone many changes in recent years. This includes a wider availability and a wider industry reach. More and more companies across many industries use the plastic injection molding process to fulfill their needs.
Using plastic injection molding is a significant upgrade in the manufacturing process and the quality of the resultant products is widely praised. Would you like to learn more? Then read on to learn about five things about the plastic injection molding process.
1. What Is Plastic Injection Molding?
Plastic injection molding has four main steps. First, the molten plastic is injected into the mold. Then the plastic is cooled, allowing it to harden. Next, the mold is then opened to reveal the new part.
Finally, the pins eject the part from the mold. Then the mold can be prepared for the next injection. The use of an injection mold uses less waste than other methods of production and significantly reduces cost.
Plastic injection molding can be used to create many intricate types of parts. The price for plastic injection molding depends on the size of the part, but the complexity can play a part in cost as well.
2. Efficient for Mass Production
The plastic injection molding process can be fully automated, making it ideal for the mass-production of parts. It can be done without adding extra labor to the process. Using molten plastic for this process allows for amazing detail when the parts are ejected from the molds.
However, extra levels of detail mean the careful designs of the mold beforehand. The small amounts of scrap created during the process can be recycled, making injection molding a greener process than some. Some injection molds are reused to make new parts.
3. Co-Injection Molding
Co-injection molding is a process that allows two types of plastics to be combined into one product. First, the substrate is injected, then a covering of the second material is injected. In this way, higher-impact plastics can be formed, allowing for stronger parts.
4. PIMT & 3-D Printed Inserts
Printed Injection Mold Tools (PIMT) are combined with special 3-D printed inserts to form molds. Since the inserts are not high-heat-resistant, these types of molds are used for small production runs or even during the prototyping and part testing stage. As better materials are available for 3-D printers, more durable inserts will be made available for use.
5. Heat-Resistant RFID Tags
With the advent of more heat-resistant RFID tags, they are easily integrated into parts. Before, the tags needed to be attached after the molding process, but thanks to newer heat-resistant tags, they can be molded right into the parts. This allows for higher durability for the tag itself and makes the products safer as well.
The Plastic Injection Molding Process
The plastic injection molding process is fast and easy to mass-produce your parts and get them out there faster. It’s not as expensive as you think it is, so consider it for your next project. Remember, only go with reputable companies!
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