Advantages of Injection Mold Manufacturing for Mass Production
Injection molding is an efficient and cost-effective process for mass production. It provides high-quality, consistent results. It also has a short cycle from closing the tool, injecting the plastic, cooling the polymer under pressure, and opening the tool to eject a whole part.
Recyclability
Injection molding requires specialized tools that make it unsuitable for low-volume production runs. This is due to the cost of creating custom tooling and purchasing plastic for each injection molded part. Large amounts of scrap are produced from sprue, runners, and molten plastic overflow from the mold cavity. However, a reputable injection mold manufacturing company can help reduce this waste and the overall carbon footprint of the process.
Design practices such as minimizing undercuts, draft angles, and ribs can decrease the amount of scrap. These practices can also help to minimize material shrinkage and warping during the cooling and solidification phase of the injected plastic.
High Efficiency
Injection molding is a fast production process with short cycle times. This allows for more parts to be made in a given amount of time, increasing productivity and output rate.
The injection molding process uses a variety of different materials. These include thermoplastics and elastomers, which can be used to create complex products. They are also durable and lightweight, making them a great choice for mass production.
Injection molds can be expensive to fabricate for production. However, experienced engineers can make minor machine adjustments, reducing costs and saving time.
High Precision
Modern injection molded parts are on par with or surpass metal in strength and durability. This is largely due to engineered plastics that can handle harsh environments.
Injection molds require a short cycle time to close, inject the molten polymer under high pressure, then rapidly cool the plastic and open the tool to eject a full component. The shorter the cycle time, the more efficient and cost-effective production.
This is why 3D printing of injection molds can offer an excellent solution for short-run production and prototypes. This allows manufacturers to create functional prototypes that accelerate product development and quickly bring better products to market.
Flexibility
Injection molding allows for producing parts and products in various shapes and sizes. This is particularly advantageous for companies requiring large quantities of identical products, such as electronic devices or automotive components.
Injection molded parts can be made from various thermoplastics, including polycarbonate (PC) for its high impact strength and stability or polypropylene for fatigue and heat resistance. Manufacturers can achieve the required product performance and meet industry and governmental standards by choosing the right plastic.
Customization
Injection molding can accommodate a wide range of material choices. It can also create parts with complex geometry, including threads, bosses, and other features.
Parts with abrupt geometrical changes or holes are prone to knit lines, which appear as hair-like discolorations in the plastic. These can be costly to correct.
A well-designed injection mold can reduce the likelihood of short shots, which occur when trapped air inhibits the flow of melted plastic into the cavity. This can also increase the strength of the finished product. Using a quick prototype manufacturing service such as FOW Mould can help reduce the design time for a new project and provide fast feedback on its viability.
Durability
Modern, lightweight thermoplastics are very durable – and often compete with (and even surpass) metal parts in terms of strength. They can also withstand high temperatures and pressures.
Injection molding has a relatively short cycle time, the period it takes to close the mold, inject the plastic, cool it under pressure, and then open and eject the part. This makes the process very efficient for large production runs.
Economical
Injection molding is a cost-effective method for manufacturing complex products. This is especially true when a skilled design engineer uses the mold’s sizing, draft, wall thickness, and material selection to reduce costs.
In addition, desktop SLA 3D printers can fabricate injection molds at a fraction of the cost of CNC machining. This provides rapid prototyping and saves manufacturers costly CNC time and skilled operators.
Thinner parts can speed up injection and cooling cycles since half of the injection molding cycle is spent on solidification. However, the design of the ribs should be done carefully to avoid reducing the stiffness of the part.
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