There are 3 significant steps of injection molding
Injection molding making, known as a prominent manufacturing method, has proven to be invaluable to people in the consumer product development industry because plastic is a significant component of several consumer products. Injection molding is a manufacturing process used in creating production parts by injecting molten material into a mold.
Background Information
The three significant steps of injection molding include:
- Product Design
Design is a critical facet of the entire production process since it is the earliest chance to prevent expensive mistakes in the future. And of course, establishing whether you have a viable idea is a crucial step towards creating a perfect product for your consumers. There are several objectives to have a design for. They include function, manufacturability, and assembly.
In many cases, the right design to go for is one that reaches the standard preferred by most consumers prefer. In that case, it takes creativity to accomplish that because product design is always accomplished using computer-aided design software for quicker reiterations.
If you want to avoid costly mistakes in this phase, you should plan for standard wall thickness. Where changes in depth are unavoidable, you need to transition from one size to the other gradually. Also, it is crucial to avoid building stress on design.
A design team of skilled engineers should be in a position to brainstorm and improve the design to meet the complexities of a project.
- Model Design
After the feels-like and looks-like phases have been tested for production, the mold should be designed for manufacturing. Molds are made from three major types of metal, namely:
- Pre-hardened steel which does not last several cycles
- Aluminum metal- this is commonly used for a single cavity when a smaller number of parts are required for testing
- Hardened steel which is costly to use in the design process
- Beryllium-copper alloy which is used in different areas of the mold
Notable: the cycles needed and the material should help drive the process of decision making.
- Manufacturing
This is the last phase of the injection molding process. When the product is fully developed and approved, it is time to begin the manufacturing process.
Thermoplastic material is fed into a hopper and a heating barrel. The content is then heated to a specific temperature and then driven into the mold.
When the mold is filled, a screw is used to exert pressure into the mold. At this point, the screw is removed, and the mold opened. Some parts are then ejected. The cycle is repeated over and again to create thousands of various components in a short time.
Bottom Line
So you want to make a custom plastic product but have no idea how to have it done? Is it small or large? Do you need a mold to achieve this? Injection mold making is used to produce thin-walled plastic parts for different applications, with plastic housing being the most common. This guide has highlighted various kinds of molding processes that help you discover the perfect procedure for that product.
