A BRIEF OVERVIEW ON PLASTIC INJECTION MOLDING: USES, MACHINE TYPES & ADVANTAGES
Injection molding is the most universally used manufacturing process to produce plastic parts. A large variety of plastic goods that greatly vary in their size, complexity, and application are manufactured using injection molding. The injection molding course requires the utilization of an injection molding machine, raw plastic material, and a mold. The injection molding machine melts the plastic which is then injected into the mold. This molten plastic is then cooled and solidified to take the shape of the final product.
Uses of Injection Molding:
Injection molding is used to create thin-walled plastic elements for a large variety of applications. Its applications can be found in plastic housings. They could be a thin-walled enclosure, typically requiring several ribs and executives on the inside. These housings are used in a variety of products such as household appliances, consumer electronics, power tools, and automotive bumpers/dashboards. Injection molding is additionally used for manufacturing everyday products like toothbrushes, bottle caps or tiny plastic toys. Medical devices, such as valves and syringes, are also some of the products made from injection molding.
Types of Plastic Injection Molding Machines:
Different industries and applications require different machines. Simply put all types of injection molding machines are made up of two parts first an injection unit and second a clamping unit. Though it may appear simple they offer wide-ranging needs of the end-user. Listed below are some of the types.
1) Fully hydraulic machine: They provide high clamping force that’s required for large plastic part production.
2) Electrical machine: They are excellent for short injection times and supply the best production cleanliness.
3) Hybrid machine: They have excellent energy efficiency and supplies more freedom for innovative mold design.
Over the years, multiple machines have been designed to suit every application that has conferred itself within the injection molding industry.
Benefits of Plastic Injection Molding:
1) Plastic injection molding is a very versatile method of manufacturing parts and products. It is extremely simple, reliable, and an efficient method over other methods of plastic molding.
2) The injection molds are subjected to extremely high pressure which makes it possible to add a large amount of complex shapes and details into the design. These geometrical designs otherwise would have been too complicated to manufacture.
3) The plastic injection molding process takes less time which allows more parts to be manufactured from a single mold. The high production output rate makes plastic injection molding cost-effective and efficient.
4) One of the major advantages of using plastic injection molding is the use of co-injection molding which makes it possible to use different types of plastic.
5) Plastic injection molding is an automated process. It is carried out by robotics which acts as a sole operator to control and manage the process. This minimizes manufacturing costs, as the overheads are considerably reduced.
6) With abundant R & D into this space, plastic injection molding today is an environment-friendly process. The scrap plastic generated during the production process is reground and re-used, ensuring that the process generates very little waste.
If you are in the plastic injection molding business, then Plastivision is a great platform for you to showcase your product range and network with industry professionals. Book your booth today!