INJECTION MOULDING

Injection molding is one of the major methods of producing parts from thermoplastic materials. The process provides economical rapid production of high quality precision parts from a wide variety of plastic materials.

In the injection molding process, plastic granules or pellets are heated until they are melted (typically 350 to 550 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the type of plastic). The melted plastic is then forced under high pressure (usually 10,000 psi or more) into a rigid mold (usually metal, such as aluminum or steel) where it cools and resolidifies to produce a part of the desired shape and dimension. Injection molded parts can be as small as an item barely visible to the naked eye or as large as an exterior automobile body panel.

Because plastic molds must withstand a great deal of heat and pressure, they are of heavy-duty construction and tend to be expensive. Injection molding isn't suitable for jobs where only a few parts are required - volume runs are required to amortize the tooling costs and make the finished product economically viable. Injection molds cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars for a small, simple tool to hundreds of thousands of dollars for a very large complex mold.

The injection molding process came of age in the 1920s, producing cellulose-plastic combs, toothbrushes and small industrial parts. While the basic principles of injection molding haven't changed since then, the development of new plastic materials and the use of computer-controlled molding machines has made injection molding a popular method of producing parts for almost all industries and markets.

Because the molds are precisely made, because today's plastic materials are produced to tight specifications and because present-day injection molding machines can closely control pressure and temperature, the injection molding process can produce hundreds of thousands of parts which are identical in appearance, performance and integrity. This means you can supply your customers with a finished end-product which offers consistent, predictable quality and usability.