We have all heard about the positive impacts of manufacturing on our economy, but did you know that junior and high-school students are no longer pursuing these well-paid jobs? Well, at The Rodon Group we have put a great deal of effort into getting the word out about STEM education and the great long-term careers this industry provides.
Our eBook "An Introduction to Plastic Injection Molding" will give you lots answers. We developed this eBook with designers, engineers and purchasing specialists in mind. It is written to provide a basic understanding of plastic injection molding presses, processes and costs. Our goal is to make our customers more knowledgeable about what goes into making a plastic part. You can download your copy here.
The Rodon Group is proud to announce the release of our latest publication "An Introduction to Plastic Injection Molding." We developed this eBook with designers, engineers and purchasing specialists in mind. It is written to provide a basic understanding of plastic injection molding presses, processes and costs. Our goal is to make our customers more knowledgeable about what goes into making a plastic part.
Plastic injection molding may not be rocket science, but it comes pretty close.
There are hundreds of injection molding terms used in the industry. We have chosen to highlight the most common nomenclature used when discussing injection mold parts, materials and problems.
Our website is frequently visited by product designers, engineers and purchasing agents who are looking for information on plastic injection molding. With this in mind, we have created a new series of articles that are developed to give our readers a better understanding of the presses, processes and pitfalls in our industry.
Below are a few common questions and answers in regards to plastic injection molding. You can view all of them at our FAQ section.
Worlds Kids Love: Created Daily at Hatfield, PA Toy Manufacturer
Amazement. K’NEX President and CEO Michael Araten says that it is one of the most common reactions he receives when he tells people that K’NEX building toys are manufactured in Hatfield, Pennsylvania. “So many people are used to toys from overseas that they don’t even consider that these products may be manufactured not just in the United States, but in their own backyard,” Araten said. “That is the perception that we’re hoping to change.”
If amazement is the initial response to the news that K’NEX products are manufactured in Hatfield, PA, the sentiment only deepens upon hearing the uniquely American story behind the colorful plastic building sets.
A toy that’s “Made in the U.S.A.”? These days, that might sound like a contradiction in terms, what with so many playthings produced in Asia. Yet, it turns out that one of the most innovative, stimulating, and just plain fun toys in the stores is just that - made in America, with pride, unmatched quality, and total commitment to environmental responsibility, no less.
It’s K’NEX, a construction system comprising hundreds of different building blocks that children of all ages can use to create everything from fully-functional robots to model racetracks to working roller-coasters to ... well, you name it. And every single K’NEX rod, connector and brick - some 30 Billion - have been manufactured in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, just north of Philadelphia. They then travel to over 40 different countries around the world as the various K'NEX construction systems.
This marriage of fun and function started more than 50 years ago when The Rodon Group was founded as a company specializing in a manufacturing process called plastic injection molding. Injection molding was hardly new back then - it actually dates to the 19th century - but Rodon’s founders saw an opportunity to take the process to another level - to make it much easier, that is, to create large quantities of even extra-small parts with unheard-of quality. Until then, the small injection-molded parts were plagued by a host of flaws - bubbles in the plastic, imperfect shapes, and so forth - which greatly limited the yield, or portion of usable parts, in every manufacturing batch. That kept prices high and applications limited.
