The Rodon Blog - A Focus on Plastic Injection Molding and American Manufacturing

This article was written by the Vinyl Division of Teknor Apex and originally appeared in the Teknor Apex, Pellets2Parts blog on August 2014.

In celebration of Father’s Day on Sunday, we thought we’d focus on the men that helped make this country what it is today. What better way to celebrate this day than to recognize some of the founding fathers of manufacturing and their contributions to modern day technologies? There were many to highlight, and many that contributed to today’s manufacturing growth and development. It wasn’t easy to narrow down the list, but we picked some of our favorites.

We hope you enjoy reading about their contributions and wish all of the dads out there a very Happy Father’s Day on Sunday!

Regulatory compliance has become a focus in recent years.  Products from other countries, particularly China, face additional scrutiny.  From car seats to dog treats, there have been numerous safety problems. 

There are many risks when it comes to selecting OEM suppliers. Understanding them is essential to running a successful business.  In this article, we’ll examine the factors that impact scheduling and time-to-market when using an offshore supplier.

There are many factors that impact the total cost of goods purchased.  On the surface, some offshore suppliers may seem cheaper.  However, the true delivered cost is impacted by many variables.  Using this overview, you should be able to better compare all of your supplier choices.

Once in a while, you find a video that is so well done, so compelling, that you must share. This video, from American Made Matters is a great example. It will make you think twice about where products are made; knowing that the simple act of buying American-made products can have a profound impact on our economy.  It's all about creating jobs. Jobs that are secure and well-paying. Jobs that can help re-build our middle class.

There are four key factors that go into making a high-quality plastic injection molded part: part design, tool building, material selection and manufacturing.

In this article, we will start at the beginning of the process, with the part design.

The process of plastic injection molding is designed to produce precision parts at a low cost.  The part design must be developed to maximize the efficiency inherent in high-volume molding.  With the right design, parts can be made consistently and with quality.  Without a good design, costly processing mistakes can be made.

As an American manufacturer and a family-owned business, we are constantly 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 high school and college tours to students who are interested in careers in STEM related fields.  We bring students in with their educators, and often other administrators to discuss the importance of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).  

It's a wonderful thing to see their eyes light up as we tour them through our automated facility and listen as they ask questions about machinery, robotics, plastic, processes and more.  The majority of the students are curious, interested, excited.  The majority of the students are also male. As a mother to a daughter who is interested in a career in engineering, I know how important it is to get girls involved in these opportunities early on.  So what can we do to help nurture these young women and help set them up for a successful career? 

In celebration of Earth Day this week, we created an infographic showing how we tackle sustainable manufacturing at Rodon. The processes we use in our facility help to minimize packaging, transportation costs, waste, water consumption and energy.

Tell us in the comments section below what efforts your company uses to remain a sustainable business.