What You Need to Know about Injection Molding
Although it is quite common these days, many people still have never heard of injection molding, let alone know what it is. Nonetheless, injection molding is an important manufacturing process without which many of the products that we take for granted would not be possible.
The idea behind injection molding is simple. First, a mold of the desired final product is created. Next, a substance like metal, glass, or plastic is heated up in a tempering furnace to the point where it becomes molten. It is then injected using a injection mold machine into the mold where it hardens to the shape of the mold while it cools rapidly. Finally, the injection is removed and the process is repeated as many times as necessary.
Plastic is one of the most common materials used in the injection molding process. However, there are some particularities of injection molded plastics that should be noted. For example, the longer melted plastic sits in the barrel of an injection molding machine, the more it degrades. This can make it harder to create molded products. Thus, the faster the plastic goes from the tempering furnace into the mold, the better.
There are several advantages to working with injection molding. First, is the flexibility that it gives manufacturers. Consider that plastic injection molding is used to create everything from wire spools and bottle caps to automotive dashboards, pocket combs, and even musical instruments. Second, typically the process involves low labor costs. Finally, the injection molded plastic usually involves minimal scrap loss. This makes it cost efficient and environmentally friendly. To learn more about injection molding, search online.
