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Plastic Injection Molding Process

Plastic injection molding process requires the use of an injection molding machine, raw plastic material, and a plastic mold. In this process, the plastic is melted in the injection molding machine and then injected into the plastic mold, where it cools and solidifies into the final part. Plastic injection molding process is getting popular today.

Plastic injection molding process requires the use of an injection molding machine, raw plastic material, and a mold. In this process, the plastic is melted in the injection molding machine and then injected into the plastic mold, where it cools and solidifies into the final part. Plastic injection molding process is getting popular today. Plastic injection molding process produces thin-walled plastic parts for a wide variety of applications. Injection molding is also used to produce several everyday items such as toothbrushes or small plastic toys. Many medical devices, including valves and syringes, are manufactured using injection molding as well. The following information will describe in greater detail of this plastic injection molding process. The first step of plastic injection molding process is the clamping of the mold. The clamping unit is one of three standard elements of the injection machine. They are the mold, the injection unit, and the clamping unit. The clamp is what really holds the mold while the melted plastic is being injected, the mold is held under pressure while the injected plastic is cooling. Injection molded parts that is used in plastic injection molding process can vary greatly in size and therefore require these measures to cover a very large range. As a result, injection molding machines are designed to each accommodate a small range of this larger spectrum of values. Injection molding machines have many components and are available in different configurations, including a horizontal configuration and a vertical configuration. On the other hand, regardless of their design, all injection molding machines utilize a power source, injection unit, mold assembly, and clamping unit to perform the four stages of the process cycle. Injection molding machines that can be used in plastic injection molding process are typically characterized by the tonnage of the clamp force they provide. The necessary clamp force is determined by the expected area of the parts in the mold and the pressure with which the material is injected. Thus, a larger part will require a larger clamping force. Also, certain materials that require high injection pressures may require higher tonnage machines. The size of the part must also comply with other machine specifications, such as shot capacity, clamp stroke, minimum mold thickness, and platen size. Next step of plastic injection molding process is the real injection of the plastic which is melted. The plastic regularly begins this process as pellets that are put into a large hopper. The pellets are then fed to a cylinder; here they are heated until they become molten plastic that is easily forced into the plastic mold. The plastic stays in the plastic mold, where it is being clamped under pressure until it cools. As with any process, there are advantages and disadvantages associated with plastic injection molding process. The advantages be more important than the disadvantages for most companies; they contain being able to keep up high levels of production, being able to reproduce a high tolerance level in the products being produced, and lower costs for labor as the bulk of the work is done by machine. Plastic injection molding also has the added benefit of lower scrap costs because the mold is so precisely made. However, the disadvantages of this plastic injection molding process can be a deal breaker for minor companies that would like to use plastic injection molding as a way to manufacture parts. These disadvantages are, that they equipment needed is expensive, therefore, increasing operating costs. Related Info to Plastic Injection Molding Process Injection Molding Equipment: Injection molding equipment is equipment that is very important for the operation of injection molding machines. Indeed, all injection molding machines utilize injection molding equipment ...Injection Molding Process: Injection molding process basically is quite simple. The main principle of this type of industrial method is forcing the raw material to be molded in ...Injection Molding Machines: Injection molding machines are quite popular machines used widely in business to produce parts from both thermoplastic and thermosetting plastic materials.  Injection molding machines function
Plastic Injection molding process

Plastic injection molding process produces thin-walled plastic parts for a wide variety of applications. Injection molding is also used to produce several everyday items such as toothbrushes or small plastic toys. Many medical devices, including valves and syringes, are manufactured using injection molding as well. The following information will describe in greater detail of this plastic injection molding process.

The first step of plastic injection molding process is the clamping of the mold. The clamping unit is one of three standard elements of the injection machine. They are the plastic mold, the injection unit, and the clamping unit. The clamp is what really holds the mold while the melted plastic is being injected, the plastic mold is held under pressure while the injected plastic is cooling.

Injection molded parts that are used in plastic injection molding process can vary greatly in size and therefore require these measures to cover a very large range. As a result, injection molding machines are designed to each accommodates a small range of this larger spectrum of values.

Injection molding machines have many components and are available in different configurations, including a horizontal configuration and a vertical configuration. On the other hand, regardless of their design, all injection molding machines utilize a power source, injection unit, mold assembly, and clamping unit to perform the four stages of the process cycle.

Injection molding machines that can be used in plastic injection molding process are typically characterized by the tonnage of the clamp force they provide. The necessary clamp force is determined by the expected area of the parts in the mold and the pressure with which the material is injected.

Thus, a larger part will require a larger clamping force. Also, certain materials that require high injection pressures may require higher tonnage machines. The size of the part must also comply with other machine specifications, such as shot capacity, clamp stroke, minimum mold thickness, and platen size.

Next step of plastic injection molding process is the real injection of the plastic which is melted. The plastic regularly begins this process as pellets that are put into a large hopper. The pellets are then fed to a cylinder; here they are heated until they become molten plastic that is easily forced into the mold. The plastic stays in the mold, where it is being clamped under pressure until it cools.

As with any process, there are advantages and disadvantages associated with plastic injection molding process. The advantages be more important than the disadvantages for most companies; they contain being able to keep up high levels of production, being able to reproduce a high tolerance level in the products being produced, and lower costs for labor as the bulk of the work is done by machine. Injection Molded Plastic Parts also has the added benefit of lower scrap costs because the mold is so precisely made.

However, the disadvantages of this plastic injection molding process can be a deal breaker for minor companies that would like to use plastic injection molding as a way to manufacture parts. These disadvantages are, that they equipment needed is expensive, therefore, increasing operating costs.

Related Info to Plastic Injection Molding Process

  • Injection Molding Equipment: Injection molding equipment is equipment that is very important for the operation of injection molding machines. Indeed, all injection molding machines utilize injection molding equipment …
  • Injection Molding Process: Injection molding process basically is quite simple. The main principle of this type of industrial method is forcing the raw material to be moulded in …
  • Injection Molding Machines: Injection molding machines are quite popular machines used widely in business to produce parts from both thermoplastic and thermosetting plastic materials.  Injection molding machines function

What is Plastic Injection Molding

Injection molding is a molding procedure whereby a heat-softened plastic material is forced from a cylinder into a relatively cool cavity giving the article the desired shape. Injection molding is a manufacturing technique for making parts from the plastic material. Molten plastic is injected at high pressure into a mold, which is the inverse of the desired shape. The mold is made by a Mold Manufacturer China Company from metal, usually either steel or aluminum, and precision-machined to form the features of the desired part. Injection molding is very widely used for manufacturing a variety of parts, from the smallest component to entire body panels of cars.

The process of plastic injection molding



An injection molding machine consists of three basic parts, the mold plus the clamping and injection units. The clamping unit is what holds the mold under pressure during the injection and cooling. Basically, it holds the two halves of the injection mold together.

During the injection phase, plastic material, usually in the form of pellets, are loaded into a hopper on top of the injection unit. The pellets feed into the cylinder where they are heated until they reach molten form (think of how a hot glue gun works here). Within the heating cylinder there is a motorized screw that mixes the molten pellets and forces them to end of the cylinder. Once enough material has accumulated in front of the screw, the injection process begins. The molten plastic is inserted into the mold through a sprue, while the screw controls the pressure and speed.

The dwelling phase consists of a pause in the injection process. The molten plastic has been injected into the mold and the pressure is applied to make sure all of the mold cavities are filled.

Then the plastic is allowed to cool to its solid form within the mold. The clamping unit is then opened, which separates the two halves of the mold. An ejecting rod and plate eject the finished piece from the mold.

Extrusion

A machine used to extrude materials is very similar to the injection-moulding machine explained above. A motor turns a thread, which feeds granules of plastic through a heater. The granules melt into a liquid, which is forced through a die, forming a long ‘tube-like’ shape. The extrusion is then cooled and forms a solid shape. The shape of the die determines the shape of the tube.

Advantages of Injection Molding 



– High tolerances are repeatable 

– Wide range of materials can be used 

– Low labour costs

– Minimal scrap losses 

– Little need to finish parts after molding

Plastic Injection molding
Plastic Injection molding

Disadvantages of Injection Molding



– Expensive equipment investment 

– Running costs may be high 

– Parts must be designed with specific molding consideration.

Overview

Injection molding is a relatively new way to manufacture parts. It is a fast process and is used to produce large numbers of identical items from high precision engineering components to disposable consumer goods. Injection molding is often used in mass-production and prototyping. It produces such small products as bottle tops, sinks plugs, children’s toys, containers, model kits, disposable razors and parts of cameras. The process can even mould such large items as dingy hulls and kit car body shell parts.

What to know more about injection molding? Please go to
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injection_molding to take a look.