Although plastic injection molding has advanced significantly over the years, it's still based on the same standard principles it was years ago; today's technological developments have only further enhanced its versatility and reliability.
During plastic injection molding, plastic particles are melted down and injected into molds, which are chilled via water or a coolant that allows the plastic to harden. Once it has hardened, it is ejected from the mold and ready for use.
When engineering the wall thickness of a plastic part, a careful balance of weight, geometry, and budgetary considerations must be maintained. For example, while thick plastic walls offer more strength, they also have a greater tendency to warp during the cooling stage of the manufacturing process.
STEM and Manufacturing Careers
As an American manufacturer and a family-owned business, we are always looking for ways to support the future of not only our company but other American manufacturers. We know the impact of STEM education on today's youth and often provide tours for high school and college students that are interested in careers in STEM related fields. And on Manufacturing Day, we bring students in with their educators to discuss the opportunities available and give them a close up look at what it's like to work for a highly automated manufacturer.
The success and precision of a part depends on the quality of its mold, but building a reliable, long-lasting tool can take a considerable amount of time — and requires a great deal of accuracy. Also, molds are often one the largest capital investments in a project, so it’s critical that tooling is built right the first time around. This is particularly important in high-volume injection molding projects, where molds can be extremely complex.
To ensure consumer health and safety, the food and beverage industry must adhere to stringent specifications— requiring nontoxic parts, BPA-free components, and FDA certification. For plastic injection molding in these food service applications, various food grade materials must be used.
How often do you source a plastic injection molder? If you are like most companies and purchasing managers, probably not very often. Typically, once you have selected an injection molder to work with, you are likely to stay with them for a long time as long as they keep producing quality plastic parts.
As we discussed in the first part of this blog series, turnkey manufacturers provide a one-stop shop for customers in search of quality custom parts; the process begins with a new design and ends with a final product requiring only “the turn of a key” to get started. Design, tooling, production, packing, and shipping are all managed in one place, by a single team of experts. Material selection, professional sourcing, and even invoicing are streamlined for low pricing, high quality, and optimal efficiency.
While plastic injection molders will help you determine the size of the machine needed to get the best result, a project designer or engineer will get a good estimate based on some basic information. By knowing approximately what size machine will be required, you can better source a plastic injection molder that will meet your needs.
Last week we featured a blog post by guest author Benn Lamm focusing on how to look for American made products. He offered several great tips on how to determine where a product was made while you're looking for American-made products.
