Earth Day, observed each year on April 22, serves as a celebration of the birth of the modern environmental movement. Started in 1970, Earth Day was sparked by the country’s burgeoning understanding of how contemporary industrial practices were negatively impacting the environment. The celebration was designed to bring awareness to many of the dangers affecting the environment — air pollution, water contamination, habitat destruction, and so on — and to encourage people to take action in protecting their surroundings.
Plastic injection molding is an extremely versatile method of producing plastic parts and has multiple advantages over other methods of plastic molding. Not only is the process simpler and more reliable than others methods, but it is also extremely efficient.
Let's take a look at the top six advantages of this process:
Injection molding is the most common plastic molding process and is used to create a wide variety of complex parts of different size and shape. Whether it’s an overcap for a water bottle or a vinyl window part being manufactured, injection molding is efficient and economical, especially if high volumes of parts are being produced.
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.
