Introduction

Preface : Plastics are everywhere. And there are different ways to make plastic products. One of the most popular ways is injection molding. injection molding machine is the key equipment for manufacturing injection molding project , Manufacturers use this process because it’s cheap and makes good parts. So, what are some things made with injection molding?

There are lots of things and industries that use injection molding. For example, toys, bottle caps, surgical instruments, jewelry boxes, and even car parts like dashboards. In this article, we’ll talk about plastic injection molding process examples, applications, products, and the benefits of manufacturing process to make things.

What are Some Examples of Injection Molding Products?

Now that we’ve gone over the application industries for injection molded products, let’s talk about some examples of injection molded parts.

Snap-Fits

Snap-fits are a great example of plastics made using injection molding. They’re used in plastic parts to keep the design looking good. Plus, snap fits from injection molding are usually more flexible and can take more abuse when you put parts together and take them apart.

Snap fits made with injection molding help designs return to their stress-free position after they engage with a mating component. However, if it is not possible to return to a stress-free position, an injection molded snap fit can remain under stress. However, that stress must be below the maximum stress acceptable for the designed material, which is usually 50% of its elastic limit.

But with injection molding, engineers have developed snap fits that can easily snap on and off with a simple push-pull motion.

Living Hinges

Injection molding is the best and cheapest way to make living hinges, especially when you’re making a lot of them. There are a few reasons why people use injection molding to make living hinges.

The first reason is that you can make living hinges much faster using this process than any other plastic production method. The second reason is that living hinges made using this process have better surface quality than those made using CNC machining.

Threads

Threads are one example of plastic injection molding. You often find them on the necks of containers and plastic bottles. Manufacturers use injection molding to create both internal and external threads.

To make external threads using injection molding, you need to create a mold that has half of the threads in the plastic core and half in the cavity. This also makes it easier to separate the molded plastic from the tool. You can see a thin line where the threads meet, showing you where the two halves of the mold come together.

But getting internal threads is a different story. Here, you use a removable thread core or cavity. You put this thread core in the mold and shoot the plastic into the mold. The plastic hardens and you have threads.

Threaded Inserts

Threaded inserts are a type of injection molded product that helps provide reusable threads. Another benefit is that it keeps the integrity of the bolted joint during the application. Also, they make sure that thread stripping doesn’t happen by allowing the right installation torque to be applied to the screws.

There are two main types of plastic materials that engineers use for threaded insert installation: thermoplastics and thermosets. Thermosets include polyester resins, urea, epoxy resins, and Bakelite. This type of plastic is heat resistant and tough. Once it is formed, it cannot be reformed using pressure and heat because the chemical change is irreversible. This type of plastic is ideal for making press-in, mold-in, and self-tapping inserts.

On the flip side, thermoplastics are solid at room temperature but soften at higher temperatures and have a melting point. Common plastics in this category are ABS, polyamide, polycarbonate, and polyvinyl chloride. Engineers use thermoplastics to make heat/ultrasonic inserts, press-ins, and molded and self-tapping inserts.

Press-Fitting

Press-fitting with injection molding is a great way to save time and money on assembly. One way to make sure your press-fit is successful is to use molded-in inserts. These inserts help create a really strong bond between the molded plastic and the insert.

Living Caps

Living Hinges are hinges made from the same material as the parent part. Living Hinges made by the injection molding process are very strong. They can be bent 180 degrees or more than a million times without breaking.

Also, living caps don’t involve assembling different parts because it’s one piece. There are also four main types of caps here: straight or flat, child-resistant, double or triple, and butterfly.

Device Housings

Device housings are protective enclosures, usually made of metal or plastic, that protect the product. Making device housings using the injection molding process is cheaper than using any other plastic production method.

This is especially true when manufacturers want to mass produce device housings. Also, manufacturers use this process to make housings for devices in different industries, from computer electronics to medical devices.Another thing that makes injection molded device housings cool is that it’s easy to get to the product because you can just take the housing off.

Insulators

Another use of the injection molding process is to make insulators. This is what injection molded parts do in electronic products. As insulators, these parts help to keep electrical conductors apart, stopping the flow of electricity.

For example, we make electronic housings, light switches, and other electrical components out of plastics like PC and ABS.

Deck Fasteners

Deck fastener manufacturers use injection mold to coat stainless steel inserts with strong polymer materials like polypropylene and polyethylene. This combination makes deck fasteners resistant to UV rays, so they’re very durable no matter what the weather’s like where you live.

Another advantage of injection molded deck fasteners is that they allow the deck wood to expand and contract freely.

Instrument Panels

The instrument panel is one of the most common parts in the development of automobiles. Injection molding makes the production of this part easier. Structures such as airbag frames, interior panels, air ducts, mobile ashtrays, sub-dashboard bodies, dashboard lower bodies, etc. are also easier to integrate.

There are different injection molding processes used in the production of automotive dashboards. They include gas-assisted injection molding, sequential valve injection, and compound injection. Other processes are dashboard insert molding, two-color injection molding, and dashboard two-color injection molding.

Phone Cases

Phone cases are one of the most popular things to make with injection molding. The most common plastics used for this process are polycarbonate, polyurethane, and polypropylene. These materials are also used to make strong phone cases.

What are the Advantages of Injection Molding?

There are a lot of reasons why manufacturers turn to injection molding to produce parts. Here are a few.

Value for Money

Injection molding is a cheap process that doesn’t waste much because Injection molding machines minimize waste by using recyclable materials. Plastic is usually cheaper than other things like metal and rubber, so people like to use it for a lot of things. Plus, if you recycle the extra plastic, you can use it again later and save even more money.

Once you get past the upfront cost of designing and making the injection molds, labor costs are usually low. It’s a high-productivity process, so you can say the molds pay for themselves over time. That’s why it’s a great way to make high-quality, high-volume plastic parts.

Versatility in Design

Injection molding is a process that allows manufacturers to produce parts with complex shapes. To make sure that the parts come out the way they want, manufacturers adjust the settings on the machine. They change things like how fast the plastic goes into the mold, how hot it is, and how much pressure they use.

Also, machinists can use simulation software, automation, and 3D printing. These technologies help design and test molds, process parameters, and molded parts. However, the design versatility of injection molding depends on the plastic material, part complexity, and mold design.

Works With a Variety of Materials

Nowadays, engineers have more than 50 materials to choose from for injection molding. With all these options, it’s easier to find a material with the properties you need. Plus, injection molding lets you combine two or more materials to make parts with a variety of material properties.

Saves Time

An injection molding cycle can last from 10 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on how complicated the shape is. This is good because you can make lots of copies of a part in an hour and it doesn’t cost much.

Low Waste

The plastic injection molding process produces very little post-production waste relative to traditional manufacturing process. Any waste plastic typically are usually comes from the gates and runners. However, any unused or waste plastic can be reground and recycled for future use.

Highly Accurate

No matter how complex the geometry of the part you are producing, injection molding is highly accurate. This process can easily achieve tolerances between 0.005 in. and 0.020 in. However, to achieve this over a period of time, you must consider weld lines, wall thickness, corner transitions, and rib and boss design.

High Volume Production

One of the great things about injection molding is that you can make a bunch of parts before you have to do anything to the mold. This is especially true when you’re using hard tools, which you can use for over 100,000 cycles before you have to do anything to them.

High Production Efficiency

Plastic molding is fast and efficient. It’s great for making a lot of stuff at once, which saves money. It’s also good at making the same thing over and over again, so you don’t waste as much material.

A single mold can make hundreds or thousands of parts before it needs to be replaced. Many aluminum molds last up to 10,000 cycles, while steel molds can last more than 100,000 cycles. This ensures a repeatable, high-output process that meets tolerance and aesthetic requirements. Keep in mind that production speeds are often dependent on the size and complexity of the target injection molded part.

What are Some Industrial Applications for Injection Molding?

Plastic parts are everywhere. They’re cheap, strong, chemically stable, wear-resistant, insulating, and thermally conductive. That’s why you see injection molding in so many industries. Here are some examples.

Automotive Industry

The injection molding process is used to make parts for cars and machinery. The industry uses these plastic parts for a number of reasons. One of the main reasons is that they last a long time. Plastic parts don’t wear out or break down and can usually last a long time.

Also, plastics are light compared to other materials. This lightness helps cars use less fuel because the heavier the car, the more fuel it uses.

Also, plastic parts can resist UV exposure and corrosion, making them perfect for making automotive parts like radio controls, cup holders, bumpers, and dashboards.

Medical Industry

The medical industry relies heavily on injection molded plastic parts. The industry often requires high-volume production of precision parts. Furthermore, it values mass production as most of the plastic products produced here are single-use, which helps prevent the spread of diseases and bacteria and maintain sterility.

Also, the industry makes things like disposable plastic syringes and IV connectors using injection molding. They also make things like prosthetics and dental implants that are safe to put in your body. They also make things like handles and triggers that can be cleaned. In addition, common medical grade plastics include plastic resin such as silicone, polypropylene, polyethylene and ABS

Electronics

Plastics don’t conduct electricity, but they still have a place in the electronics industry. The industry uses injection molding to make electrical panels and other electronic devices.

Also, the plastics that manufacturers in the electronics industry use usually have great electrical resistance and are long-lasting. Injection molding applications include making remote controls, computers, medical instruments, televisions, key fobs, and more.

Agricultural Products

Agriculture still needs injection molded parts. The industry uses plastic injection molding products that are tough and can handle different environmental conditions.

Also, parts made by injection molding have many advantages for the industry. One of the biggest is that they are resistant to corrosion, which is a big deal for farms. Unlike metals, plastics don’t corrode from things like rain. They’re also lightweight, which means they last longer and cost less to make for agriculture.

Household Goods

Most of the consumer goods you find in your home are packaged using injection molding. But why do manufacturers use this process? Because plastic products made using the injection molding process are generally very strong. Another reason is that they can handle different temperatures and weather. They can also be recycled, which helps manufacturers save money on making more stuff.

Also, injection molding is used to make household plastic products like bottle caps, toilet seats, outdoor furniture, drinkware, barbecue accessories, and more. Injection molding is also used to make long-lasting, colorful, and easy-to-clean household items like children’s toys.

Consumer Goods

The consumer goods industry also uses injection molding to make parts. For example, they make plastic bird feeders and skateboard storage racks that are really strong. Other consumer products made using injection molding include; mobile phone cases, baking trays, game controllers, USB drive housings, etc.

Conclusion

Injection molding is a cheap and fast way to make plastic stuff.Injection molding machines are used to produce a wide variety of products, including toys, bottle caps, automotive parts, and medical devices. The cool thing about it is that you can make a lot of complicated parts really fast and not waste a lot of material. It’s used in a bunch of different industries, like cars, medicine, electronics, and house stuff.