Author: PT Daijo Industrial (Admin)

One of the most common questions about injection molding is what types of parts or products it can be used to make. There is no simple answer to this question simply because this particular manufacturing process can be customized to suit the needs of many industries and manufacturers.

Indeed, plastic injection molding is an incredibly versatile process that you can use to manufacture a wide variety of different parts. This post will take a closer look at injection molding, why it is such a dynamic process, and which types of injection molding products and parts it is regularly used to create.

How the Plastic Injection Molding Process Works ?
Injection molding is typically used to produce a specific part in large volumes with a high degree of accuracy. The process works by injecting melted plastic resin into a hollow mold until the mold fills with the melted plastic. The mold is then cooled so that the plastic resin inside can harden and take on the form of the desired part. Molds can take on a near limitless number of shapes and forms, which is why injection molding is such a versatile approach to manufacturing and why there are so many types of plastic injection molding products that can be made.

Parts and Products Produced By Injection Molding Machines
Because an injection molding machine can be used to fill almost any mold design you can think of, there is no truly comprehensive list of injection molding products with the types of products or parts made with injection molds.

However, here are a few common and widely used products that, in most cases, come about thanks to injection molding:

Electronic housings : Most electronic devices have some plastic housing that forms both the main exterior body of the product and protects the interior components and wiring from damage. Examples include TVs, computers, remote controls, phones, printers and more. Injection molds are used to manufacture custom plastic housings or enclosures for all these devices.

Industrial parts: Many industrial parts and components are crafted using plastic injection molds. Industries such as oil and gas may rely on durable plastic parts as a reliable and low-cost option for replacing more expensive metal parts.

Consumer goods: So many plastic consumer goods start in injection molds. From toothbrushes to cosmetic bottles to packaging, many of the things you use every day likely originated thanks to injection molding.

Sporting goods : Injection molding is extremely common in sporting goods and parts, including helmets, padding and other protective gear.

Health care supplies : Many health care products are plastic and disposable, and most of those are made through a molding process. Examples include plastic syringes, containers (such as beakers or test tubes), surgical equipment and even implants.

Construction materials : We often think of construction materials as wood, steel or concrete, but plastic often plays a key role in everything from flooring panels to deck fasteners to vents to housings for fixtures.

As we already mentioned, this injection molding products list is not meant to be comprehensive. Instead, we intend to give a basic idea of just how far-reaching the impact of injection molding can be. Because producing molds is easy and inexpensive, and the overall manufacturing process is so replicable, injection molds can provide money-saving opportunities for product manufacturers of all shapes and sizes. In turn, these savings are passed on to the consumer — all without sacrificing design precision, durability or overall quality.

At Daijo, our plastic manufacturers in North Jakarta work with a diverse slate of clients from across a broad range of industries to craft custom molds and provide plastic injection molding services that suit their needs. Contact us today to learn more and receive a quote.

Automated injection molding can improve product quality, increase throughput and reduce employee turnover. While demand for injection molding products grows, manufacturers are grappling with persistent challenges, particularly staffing and output.

Automation is emerging as the key to resolving these issues and transforming the industry. How are manufacturers applying automation in injection molding today?

Why Automation Is Essential For Injection Molding

The injection molding industry is at a turning point today. Demand for injection molding is skyrocketing, with the global market expected to be worth over $419 billion by 2030. Unfortunately, as demand increases, manufacturers are struggling to keep up.

Persistent labor shortages and a growing technical skills gap can limit injection molding companies’ productivity. Employee turnover is commonly an issue due to the safety hazards of handling high-temperature injection molding equipment and parts. Hands-on employee tasks can also contribute to inconsistent cycle times and lower output.

Retaining staff members and meeting increasing throughput goals requires a new approach to the injection molding process. Automation is emerging as the clear solution to these challenges. It can significantly improve safety, increase efficiency, reduce defects and more.

Automated Injection Molding in Action

The most popular and effective automation strategy is connecting machine-tending robots to injection molding equipment. The robot takes on the close-contact tasks an employee would conventionally perform. Robots are either remotely operated or fully autonomous.

Automating injection molding using robotic machine-tenders often resolves manufacturers’ productivity challenges and then some. Manufacturers can commonly exceed their previous maximum throughput while also providing a better experience for employees.

Case Study — ICON Injection Molding

Phoenix, Arizona-based ICON Injection Molding was facing many of the industry’s most pressing challenges: unsafe work, long lead times, high costs and low output. They resolved these issues by collaborating with automation provider Formic.

Formic supplied ICON with a customized six-axis robotic arm to tend their injection molding machines. Adopting the robot resulted in 30% faster cycle times, 24/7 operation and increased employee satisfaction. ICON’s QC personnel also reported more consistent quality from one unit to another.

ICON’s case is a great example of how automation can support employee success. Some injection molding companies may be concerned about adopting automation because they are worried it will result in fewer available jobs for their team.

However, most machine-tending robots today require some amount of remote operation. Maximizing the value and effectiveness of automated cells requires some amount of orientation for employees. Research shows that basic operations and maintenance training is one of the best tactics for reducing downtime with any piece of machinery.

What makes automated injection molding systems stand out is their ease of use. The robots’ controls, programming and UI are all designed to be as user-friendly as possible. So, employee orientation is quick, easy and, most importantly, safe. This means adopting robotics can make manufacturing jobs more accessible in addition to being safer.

Case Study — KC Robotics

Formic is not the only automation provider partnering with injection molding companies. Ohio-based developer KC Robotics helped one of their clients solve some of the same challenges ICON Injection Molding was facing.

This case had the unique challenge of limited floor space. The client needed a safer, more efficient way to transfer units from their presses to the cooling racks. KC Robotics designed a compact two-robot system to fill this need.

The robotic cell resulted in shorter cycle times and higher efficiency. KC Robotics also provided training services to help their client’s employees learn the user-friendly interface for the robots. The client reported increased product quality and employee satisfaction as a result.

Challenges of Automation

Automation is an exciting development for the injection molding industry, but it’s not without challenges. The main speed bumps are employee training and repeatability. Manufacturers can usually resolve training concerns by selecting a robot with a user-friendly interface. Many robotics developers even offer training assistance.

However, manufacturers may need more creativity to address repeatability issues. Defects like flow lines, burn marks and warping have always been concerns in injection molding. Robots can help minimize these quality issues with the right end-of-arm tooling (EOAT).

3D printing may hold the solution. Injection molding professional Richard Savage was struggling to eliminate defects with his robotic cell. He used 3D printing to create a fully customized EOAT unit designed for his robot, machinery and products.

With 3D printing, Savage’s EOAT was 40% lighter and more affordable than a conventionally-made alternative. It allowed him to resolve his system’s quality issues and maximize his ROI.

Robots and Next-Gen Injection Molding

There’s no doubt injection molding is a vital part of modern-day manufacturing. As demand skyrockets, manufacturers need innovative solutions to evolve their operations. Automation is the key to taking injection molding to the next level.

Plastic seems to be popping up everywhere nowadays, and the automotive industry is no exception. High performance plastics used in cars are helping shape the future of transportation while providing us the safety and security we need for our morning commutes today. We’re going to introduce you to some of the plastics at the forefront of automotive design and innovation.

1. Polypropylene
Polypropylene is used the most frequently of any plastic in automotive manufacturing. Being a thermoplastic polymer, it can easily be formed into almost any shape. It has excellent chemical and heat resistance and is generally resistant to impact. Given this plastic’s resume, you will frequently find it in car bumpers, gas cans and even the carpet fibers of your car’s interior flooring. It’s also a more economical alternative to expensive plastics of similar strength and durability, which helps drive down the cost of manufacturing.

2.Polyvinyl Chloride
Polyvinyl Chloride, more commonly known as PVC, is a flame retardant plastic that can be formed into either flexible or rigid components. PVC is another common plastic used in cars thanks to its formability and sleek finish: you’ll often see PVC used for dashboards and automotive body parts.

3.Polycarbonate
Like polypropylene, polycarbonate is so resistant to impact that it is often used for car bumpers and headlight lenses. This kind of car plastic is highly resistant to weathering, able to handle conditions from rain and snow to heat and cold. Polycarbonate is also lightweight, so it reduces a car’s overall weight, which in turn improves vehicle and fuel efficiency.

4.Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
ABS sheet is similar to PVC in that the final product offers a sleek finish. Steering wheel covers and dashboards are often made of ABS plastic. It’s also well-suited to heavy-duty applications, so it can be used for automotive body parts, too. Plastic used in cars, like ABS, helps the body absorb and redistribute energy during an impact, keeping passengers safe.

Learn About Car Plastic & More At PT.Daijo Industrial.

While the varieties of car plastic mentioned here are some of the most common in the automotive industry, we’ve barely scratched the surface of their benefits. To continue learning, and to find the right materials for your business or project, head to our Industry Solutions center or contact us today.