Materials like plastics are incredibly versatile; they can be molded into just about any shape you want. It is a vital component of the production of many commodities and with so much ingenuity going into the new developments of this material, it can be seen in more places than ever before. For many manufacturers, this material’s usefulness is only superseded by its versatility from major components in automobiles to synthetic human body parts. Of all the plastics that are used individually in their raw form, plastic injection molding is without a doubt one of the most commonly used methods of mass production.
One advantage of injection molded manufacturing is its affordable price point, which makes it a great choice for spending less on the initial costs of mass production. Since it uses a plastic material to create a single-piece product, the cost of injection molded manufacturing is oftentimes very low and the price tends to drop significantly with each additional unit made. Certainly, there are many different types of plastic molding and each one comes with its own unique benefits.
Types of Plastic Molding
There are numerous types of plastic molding, each one comes with its own unique features and benefits. In order to suit a diversified array of industry needs, each type of plastic molding depends on the specifics of the application and what it requires.
Blow molding: Is a process of making a hollow object from liquid plastic by injecting compressed air into it. This is achieved through the use of less pressure and lower air temperatures as compared to rotational molding. Additionally, the process of blow molding also proves to be energy-efficient as there’s no need for an external heating source and it also helps in creating thinner plastic articles. This method is ideal if you are looking for uniform wall thickness throughout according to your specifications. Blow molding could be referred to as a stronger, thinner version of glass blowing.
Rotational molding
In this method, the resin is poured into a hollow cylinder and rotated at high speeds. The rotational speed ensures that the liquid spreads evenly across the entire surface of the mold. When done right, the liquid evenly covers every surface of the mold to create even strengthened walls. Once cooled and hardened, it is then carefully removed from the mold. This manufacturing method is very efficient and wastes little material in comparison with other methods.
Extrusion molding
While other methods of plastic molding alter sheet or pellet plastics to insert them into a mold, extrusion plastic molding permanently reshapes the melted resin material directly into a die. This process is neat in that even though the shape of the die – not the mold – determines the final product, extrusion molding creates parts with both uniform and continuous cross sections.
Compression molding
The process of compressing heated plastic into a die or a mold is known as compression molding. The heated plastic is pushed into the mold until it hardens, cools, and solidifies. Compression molding enables manufacturers to create products that are seamless and that have the desired shape and form. One advantage of compression molding is that manufacturers can use any kind of plastic for their purposes, which adds great versatility to the process and allows manufacturers to create parts in a wide variety of dimensions, thicknesses, and intricacy.
Injection molding
The process of injection molding is considered by many to be the most versatile of all. Products made per this process can come in different shapes and sizes – primarily determined by what kind of molds are used and the size of these molds. It’s also worth mentioning that molds also come in various sizes which depend on their respective tonnage as well as their pressure capabilities.
What is Plastic Injection Molding?
Plastic injection molding is a manufacturing process used in producing plastic parts of the same style that are produced continuously. These plastic casings are created for products that can be mass-produced for consumers all over the world and offer a durable way to have a consistent design in store products. Injection molding is done by forcing molten plastic into a closed mold, which takes the shape of any part you desire it to be once cooled. This can then be used in production lines to make thousands or even millions of pieces.
Here are the 5 strengths of Plastic Injection Molding that you need to know.
Cost efficient
Many molding operations rely on automation to reduce costs, reach a wider market and make the manufacturing of their products more efficient. Injection molding is a traditional form of a plastic commercial product that has evolved into becoming an automated process that can be handled by a single operator without error and with expert precision. With a reduced labor force, overheads are markedly lessened which ultimately helps to keep the cost of production lower and safer for the environment.
Fast production
Injection molding is a common method of production that utilizes molten plastics as its raw material. There are several good reasons why injection molding is considered to be the most cost-effective and fastest method of producing large amounts of uniform, high-quality plastic parts. The process each cycle lasts 15-120 seconds depending on the complexity and size of the mold. Speed is determined by the specification here but it’s important to remember that simplicity always trumps speed in this particular case due to budgetary and efficiency concerns.
Durability
Products made with mass plastic injection molding can be supplemented with fillers, which can provide structural support and durability. Filler is mixed into the base plastic before the material is injected into a mold. These fillers may include glass fibers or other substances that improve strength and durability while retaining great shapes.
Flexible
Due to the variety of industry applications, basically, any kind of plastic can be used in this process. In co-injection molding, two or more types of plastic are injected into a mold at the same time. A number of materials can be used for this purpose, and it is particularly common for engineering resins like PC/ABS to be combined with durable and impact-resistant PP grades.
Detailed part design
Injection molding allows for very specific and detailed designs to be applied to a plastic part. Due to the sheer amount of pressure exerted on a part during manufacturing, manufacturers are able to produce details that would otherwise be highly intricate.
Key Takeaway
Plastic injection molding is one of the most advanced forms of molding. The processes involved produce quality products with attractive results. It is no wonder that the most popular products are the ones made out of this technique.
