Injection molding uses metal molds to produce parts from materials like plastic, rubber, or metal. The molds are expensive and designed by skilled workers. Injection tools are commonly made of steel, but aluminum or beryllium-copper alloys may be used. Rapid injection molding is used for prototypes or small runs. The process was patented in the US in the 1870s and grew during WWII. Injection molding companies are located worldwide.
In injection molding processes, injection tooling consists of the metal mold and fixtures into which a material, such as plastic, rubber, or metal, is injected to produce parts. This equipment allows parts to be mass-produced at a relatively inexpensive cost per part. These parts are used in many industries, such as automotive, healthcare, and consumer goods. A bottle cap is an example of a part created from injection molded plastic.
Injection tools are complicated and expensive to make. Injection molding and custom tooling are designed and manufactured by skilled workers. When designing tooling, things like the material thickness of the part, the tolerance of the part, the number of parts you expect to produce, and the requirements of the injection molding machine are taken into consideration.
Injection tooling molds are commonly made from steel, which is usually a hardened or pre-hardened steel. When you plan to produce small numbers of a part, the mold might be made from aluminum. Aluminum is less expensive than steel, but it may not last as long. In situations where the material to be used is sensitive to the heat generated in the injection molding process, a beryllium-copper alloy may be used instead.
An injection molding prototype can be developed to ensure that the parts produced by the injection tools meet specifications. The injection molding process for the part in question can also be fine-tuned during prototyping. Building a prototype is less expensive than building production-quality injection molding tools meant to stand up to heavy use.
The basic process of rubber and plastic injection molding is using an injection molding machine, setting up the injection tools, and filling the hopper of the machine with the rubber or plastic material. The machine will move the material from the hopper to the fixture, heat the material and melt it. A set amount of material, known as a “stroke,” will be injected into the mold. When the molding process is complete, the mold opens and the parts are unloaded.
Rapid injection molding is a process that speeds tooling design and part production. It is appropriate for the generation of prototype parts or for small production runs. For large print runs, this process may not be cost effective.
The first piston injection molding machine was patented in the United States in the 1870s. The demand for injection tooling grew rapidly during WWII because parts were needed for warfare. With this growing demand came the development of the screw injection machine. This type of machine was capable of producing better quality parts than the earlier style of plunger.
Injection molding companies are located all over the world. Some of the countries that produce injection molding parts include China, the United States, Germany, and Japan. Parts can be shipped elsewhere for assembly.
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