There are many different ways to produce molded plastic products, so why should you choose injection molding?'
Injection molding is a very flexible technique to produce molded plastic products, so how does it work? The process starts off by placing plastic resin pellets into a hopper. These pellets will slide down into the barrel where they get heated up and liquified. Similar to the way a syringe works, a ram pushes a screw which injects the liquid plastic through a nozzle and into the cavity of the metal mold.
As the liquid plastic cools, the plastic will permanently take on the shape of the mold. Once the plastic is finished cooling, steel pins will eject the molded item and it will be inspected for quality.
What's great about injection molding as compared to other types of molding methods such as rotational, blow molding, compression, thermoforming & extrusion is that it's cost effective, easily repeatable and produces high quality parts.
It's cost effective
Though the upfront costs for injection molds can be high, it is one of the most inexpensive ways to repeatedly produce plastic components if you're producing a high volume. By high volume we mean over 30,000 parts annually. Anything less than that and some of the other methods may be more cost effective.
Costs often have to do with the materials the mold is made from and the life expectancy. Plastic injection molds are classified based on their life expectancy from class 101 to class 105. Class 101 molds are the most expensive and have a life expectancy of 1 million+ cycles, whereas class 105 are the least expensive, are generally considered to be prototype molds and have a life expectancy of less than 500 cycles. The class of mold coupled with the type of material used to create the mold (aluminum, steel, or exotic metal) will all have an impact on its life expectancy. The longer you want a mold to last, the better material you'll make it out of and the more expensive it will be. Again, this cost can seem daunting but at a high volume a $50,000 injection mold may produce molded items that cost mere cents.
It's easily repeatable
When it comes to consistency, injection molding is one of the best! Each item that is produced will be practically identical to the original one. This is important for both brand consistency and part reliability. It is also able to create products quickly, which lends itself well to high volume companies.
It produces high quality parts
Injection molds can be simple or complex depending on the parts they need to create. It is a great way to reduce the number of total parts of a finished product because it can create such intricate parts in a single shot.
When looking for a company to create your metal plastic injection mold consider DC Automotive Tooling Inc. Located in Windsor, Ontario we're right in the hub of the tool & mold industry and have the capability to design, engineer, prototype, build and maintain your mold. We work with a wide variety of suppliers to ensure that our molds are made from the high quality, North American metals that will properly service your needs. Our proximity to the USA allows us to stay competitive with the international market and offer both international shipping and domestic shipping.
In summary, injection molding can be the ideal choice if you're looking to produce a high volume of plastic products because it is low cost, easily repeatable and produces high quality parts!
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