Injection Molding Applications

Continued from Injection Molding Process Review

Injection Molding Applications

Injection molding is used to create many things such as wire spools, packaging, bottle caps, automotive dashboards, pocket combs, and most other plastic products available today. Injection molding is the most common method of part manufacturing. It is ideal for producing high volumes of the same object. Some advantages of injection molding are high production rates, repeatable high tolerances, the ability to use a wide range of materials, low labor cost, minimal scrap losses, and little need to finish parts after molding. Some disadvantages of this process are expensive equipment investment, potentially high running costs, and the need to design moldable parts.

Most polymers may be used, including all thermoplastics, some thermosets, and some elastomers. In 1995 there were approximately 18,000 different materials available for injection molding and that number was increasing at an average rate of 750 per year. The available materials are alloys or blends of previously developed materials meaning that product designers can choose from a vast selection of materials, one that has exactly the right properties. Materials are chosen based on the strength and function required for the final part but also each material has different parameters for molding that must be taken into account. Common polymers like Epoxy and phenolic are examples of thermosetting plastics while nylon, polyethylene, and polystyrene are thermoplastic.

Continue to Injection Molding Design Considerations for the Process

Injection Molding Design Guide Part design should include draft features (angled surfaces) to facilitate removal from the mold.
Injection Molding Process Review Utilizes a ram or screw-type plunger to force molten plastic material into a mold cavity
Injection Molding Applications Most polymers may be used, including all thermoplastics, some thermosets, and some elastomers.
Injection Molding Design Considerations Use approximately uniform wall thickness throughout your designs.
Injection Molding Machines and Equipment They are also known as presses, they hold the molds in which the components are shaped.
Injection Molding Molds & Tooling Traditionally, molds have been expensive to manufacture.
Injection Molding Molds & Tooling Design The mold consists of two primary components, the injection mold (A plate) and the ejector mold (B plate)
Injection Molding Geometry Capability Mold consists of two primary components, the injection mold (A plate) and the ejector mold (B plate).
Injection Molding Molds Tooling and Machining Cost Molds are built through two main methods: standard machining and EDM.
Injection Molding Process Types Different types of injection molding processes
Injection Molding Process Trouble Shooting Optimal process settings are critical to influencing the cost, quality, and productivity of plastic injection molding.
Injection Molding Mechanical Tolerances Molding tolerance is a specified allowance on the deviation in parameters such as dimensions, weights, shapes, or angles
Injection Molding Inserts Metal inserts can be also be injection molded into the work piece.