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Injection Molding

6 Important Features to Pinpoint When Creating Plastic Parts for Injection Molding

by Ralph
written by Ralph

You have a new plastic product or an improvement on an existing product. You want to find the best way to manufacture your product. One of the most popular methods of plastic part production today is injection molding.  The question to ask, though is, “Is injection molding the right process for your product, and which mold manufacturer is the best choice?” Before making that decision, there are several factors to investigate to ensure the best process and the best mold manufacturer to choose.

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The 6 Features

When it comes to your product there are 6 features or aspects to consider when designing for injection molding2. Those include the physical properties of your product, where it will be used, what your product will look like, if there are any standards or regulations your product must meet, the price of your product, and which mold manufacturer can build the best mold to meet your need.

The Physical Properties

When considering the physical aspects of your product you need to determine how strong your product needs to be. The type of material you choose will be a determining factor in strength, flexibility, and how resistant the product is to impact. You’ll also want to decide if the product should be flame retardant and resistant to scratches and wear and tear.

Where Your Product Will Be Used

Considering where your product will be used is also important. Will the product come in contact with chemicals, humidity, or extreme temperatures? Will it be exposed to adverse weather conditions, like snow and rain? The answers to these questions will also help determine the materials best suited to your product.

What Your Product Will Look Like

Is the outer appearance of your product important to the design of your product? Does it need to be a certain color, have decorations or a finished surface? Material and mold manufacturer are important aspects to consider for this product need. You need to find a mold manufacturer capable of building a mold that will produce the outer designs of your product.

The Standards And Regulations

Is your product required to meet certain agency standards or regulations? If so, you need to ensure that your design meets or exceeds the requirements of any agency you need to comply with2.

The Prices

The cost of your product will also be a factor in determining materials and finding a mold manufacturer. You’ll want to keep the production cost of your product down, so you can determine a good selling price for your product. You’ll want a high-quality material, but also one you can get at a good price. You’ll also want to find a mold manufacturer that can produce the needed mold at a decent price.

Of course, a major aspect to consider is how well your product is suited to injection molding. Are there any features of your product that aren’t feasible with injection molding? Would another form of manufacturing work better for your product, such as a 3D printer? Looking at all options is important when determining production methods for your product.

The Manufacturers

And finally, once you have determined the answers to the previous questions, it’s time to find the best mold manufacturing company to create the mold for your injection molded part. A good place to start would be with Sositar Mould Co., Limited and Eco Molding Co., Limited in Shenzhen China.

 

Sositar Mould is a mold manufacturing company that has been building injection molds for 15 years. The company has 10 injection molding machines with shot capacities ranging from 0.5g to 2kg per cycle3. They also offer custom colors and integrating other components, such as threading for inserts. Sositar Mould have created molds for various industries including automotive, lighting, agriculture, medical and sports equipment. Their mold design team includes special mold designers with years of experience in plastic mold structure and injection mold design. Eco Molding also has a high-quality design team and in-house mold making. With more than 25 skilled toolmakers, short lead times, and experience in all areas of machine processing, Eco Molding offers cost efficient mold design and building1.

 

Considering these 6 aspects when creating a plastic product for injection molding will help to avoid costly and time-consuming problems down the road. Contact with an injection mold manufacturer such as Sositar Mould and Eco Molding will ensure that you have the best design and the correct materials to create the quality product you’ve imagined.

 

Sources
  1. Eco Molding Co., Limited- ecomolding.com
  2. Ferriot- https://blog.ferriot.com/blog/7-key-aspects-to-identify-when-designing-injection-molded-plastic-parts
  3. Sositar Mould Co., Limited- moldchina.com
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Injection Molding

What Specifications Does Your Injection Mold Manufacturer Need?

by Ralph
written by Ralph

Injection molding is an extremely popular method of manufacturing. Most injection molded parts begin as a 2D or 3D CAD drawing or file.  A mold is produced from the data in the CAD files. The process then involves heating a granular plastic and pushing it through a heated barrel to melt it. The plastic is then molded into a part and cooled before being ejected from the mold. If you have a product you want to produce through injection molding, you should know what specifications your chosen manufacturer will need.

CAD Drawing or File

The first step in producing an injection molded part is the CAD drawing or file with the information about your design. CAD files can be either 2D or 3D. A 3D file will have all the data included even though it is not necessarily visible on the screen. A 2D file, or blueprint, looks more like a photo of your design and does not contain data like the 3D file2. Therefore, 2D files should include information from the designer about how the part should function, and what it should look and feel like.

CAD Drawing or File

2D files should include:

  • Dimensions and Tolerances
  • Surface flatness, finish and color
  • Type of material
  • Location and size of holes, and thread type
  • Radii

Specifications in a 3D File

The specifications included in a 3D CAD file should include wall thickness, ribs, corners, draft angles, bosses, texture, any lettering, undercuts and inserts2.

Wall thickness:

Thinner walls make the injection molding process easier. Thin walled parts cool more quickly, are lighter and use less material. Consistency in wall thickness helps reduce warping.

Injection molded parts usually have a range of 0.08” to0.16” for wall thickness, although walls can be as thin as 0.02”. The material used can also affect the walls thickness1. For instance, a ABS resin can have a wall thickness between 0.045” and 0.140”. A Nylon would be between 0.030” and 0.115”.

Specifications in a 3D File

Ribs:

Ribs are used to increase the stiffness when a part bends, which helps keep the wall thickness from increasing. Specifications for ribs should include a thickness of 60% or less of the nominal thickness, a height of 3 times lower than the wall thickness, and a draft angle of 0.25⁰. The specs should also include rounded corners1. Sharp corners can stress in your part or cause a stress riser to form during the molding process. However, round corners reduce stress and the possibility of fracture.

Ribs:

Draft angles:

Including a draft angle helps to reduce drag or punch marks when the part is ejected from the mold. Draft angles should be 1⁰ to 2⁰. If the design doesn’t provide for draft angles, a side action mold should be used1.

Draft angles:

Bosses:

Parts that require fasteners, like screws, should include specs for bosses, which are the areas where the fasteners are attached. Bosses should be 60% or less than the thickness of the wall, have a base radius that is 25% of the main wall’s thickness, and be supported by ribs1. Ribs should also be used to separate bosses that are in corners.

Bosses

Texture:

When creating a part with injection molding it is possible to add texture or lettering to the piece. This can be done for aesthetic purposes or to include branding on the product. Specifications for texture should include a depth of 1.5⁰ minimum per 0.025mm in addition to any normal draft1. These specifications could change depending on what is being molded.

Texture

Lettering specification should include a font with small features, like Sans Serif, that are at least 0.020” thick. The text should be raised instead of cut into the product and should have a depth between 0.010 and 0.015” to help reduce costs.

Undercuts:

Undercuts keep the mold from sliding away along the part. Undercuts are either external or internal and should be minimized. If possible, a feature should be redesigned to avoid undercuts. Undercuts can increase costs of tooling because they require either side cores or core lifters1.

Undercuts

Inserts:

Inserts are where fasteners are placed and where they can be replaced often. Inserts in injection molded parts are usually put in with thermal insertion, ultrasonic insertion or molded in1.

Inserts

Using injection molding to manufacture your parts can save time and money as production costs are low once the original cost of the mold has been paid. Injection molding also cuts down on waste and scrap, and produces a consistent product. Providing both 2D and 3D CAD files can help provide most of the specifications for your injection mold manufacturer. Knowing what specifications your injection mold manufacturer needs will make the process easy and less stressful.

 

Sources

  1. CAD Crown- https://www.cadcrowd.com/blog/how-to-design-for-injection-molding/
  2. Star Rapid- https://www.starrapid.com/blog/how-to-prepare-your-cad-drawings-for-manufacturing/
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