Taking your customer’s idea and turning it into reality requires a thorough discussion and evaluation options. Despite plastic injection molding’s efficiency for making plastic parts, several factors must be considered before choosing the right approach to ensure continuous production and customer satisfaction. The process involves a variety of options, from resin to surface design, so I went to Wunder Mold’s plastic injection molding professionals to learn more. They gave me the following tips:
Table of Contents
Surface Selection
Considering previous production decisions and materials, surfaces are crucial from both a visual and a functional perspective. Early in the planning process, it is crucial to determine the correct surface finish, as it will have an impact on other design elements. Choosing the right materials can also influence the surface finish.
Parting lines are also blended, and undercuts are created with textures. As well as aesthetic purposes, texture serves practical purposes as well. Further, gas escape during injection affects the paint’s grip and adhesion, so it is essential to allow for this.
The Different Levels of Thickness
In order to maintain the thickness level during the process, it must remain constant. The process could be negatively affected by variations. A steady stream would be ideal between 2-3 mm, but this is almost impossible to achieve.
The Drafting Process
A process called “drafting” is used to release parts from injection molds. In addition to increasing the longevity of the tools, this helps maintain a steady flow without forcing them out of the mold. A fully textured mold should have degrees ranging from 1 to 3. With fast injection molding operations, more draft is vital for removing parts from molds, maintaining quality, and maintaining tool utility.
Choose the Right Material
A variety of factors must be considered when selecting the proper resin. Considering the final product, its use, and the environment in which it will be used are all important. Which material is best to use? Should it be elastic or firm? Is it capable of withstanding extreme temperatures? Safety should also be considered. It is not always the best option to buy an expensive and new product. In order to maintain quality, you should not increase costs.
Present your idea to an engineer who has experience in materials. Depending on your application, they can determine what materials are best. The Ten Most Common Plastic Injection Molding Materials are acrylic (PMMA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), nylon polyamide (PA), polycarbonate (PC) polyethylene (PE), polyoxymethylene (POM), polypropylene (PP) polystyrene (PS)
Flow Is Important
When designing a part, it is necessary to simulate a constant flow. For quality production, as well as for drafting, a well-thought-out flow is vital. The simulation allows you to adjust several elements, including the location of the gate, the amount of water, and the setup of runners. A more complex part requires a more significant amount of preparation and simulation.
Finishes and Coatings
It is important to minimize these as much as possible. By adding texture to a surface, a coating or finish reduces wear.
The level of detail determines how long the production process will take and how much the cost will increase. For quality products to be cost-effective, resources must be available, and complexity must be kept to a minimum.
