This manufacturing technique is designed to produce high volumes of identical parts by injecting molten material such as rubber or plastic into a closed mould. These moulds will be designed in such a way that the part will be produced in a consistent and efficient manner.
As with any manufacturing technique, there will be advantages and disadvantages to this process. When considering a method to use for producing parts, these are important to weigh up in order to arrive at an informed decision which works within your business.
The Process Explained
Granules of plastic material are inserted into the injection moulding machine using conveying systems. These are then melted and injected at pressure into a cavity. The size and shape of the mould will have been predetermined and created using specialist design tools. Once the part is cooled, it is ejected from the mould in order for the process to repeat.
Advantages
High output of consistently sized and shaped parts is possible at a rapid rate. As the processes involved are machine-based, labour costs are far lower than in many other manufacturing methods.
If you are designing a part with a range of colours or materials, this can still be produced using injection moulding. Whether working with plastic or rubber injection moulding companies such as https://www.meadex.co.uk/ allow for great flexibility.
Another plus point thanks to the flexibility of injection moulding techniques is the small amount of plastic waste which is produced. Given that unused scraps can be ground up and reused, this is in keeping with companies such as Nestle’s commitment to reducing the use of virgin plastics in manufacturing.
Disadvantages
As you may expect, one of the biggest disadvantages of injection moulding is the high start-up cost with specialised machinery and manufacture of moulds. Similarly, if parts are being produced in low volumes, injection moulding may well end up to be less cost-effective than other methods.
There are a small number of design restrictions involved in the use of injection moulding, given the way in which the moulds are created. Consultation with injection moulding specialists can help you to understand and adapt any designs to work within these constraints.
Great for producing parts at high volume and very environmentally friendly, injection moulding could be a fantastic solution for producing parts large or small
