The manufacturing process for Plastic Injection Parts is extremely complex. Understanding each limited detail of the mold closing mechanism or the difference between each polymer substance used in injection molding is important to you, but understanding the following 5 terms will make the conversation with potential plastic manufacturing partners More simple.
Precision machining
In injection molding, precision machining refers to the process of creating injection molds with very narrow part tolerances. Create a fit mold with a tolerance of +/- .0005 inches to prevent flashing of liquid plastic (such as penetrating into the gap and damaging the final part).
- 3D printing
3D printing is an additive manufacturing process that deposits a layer on a layer of material to form a part. Although 3D printing has become mainstream, it still cannot compete with the speed or absolute yield of injection molding. However, it does play an important role in the injection molding process and is often used to prototype design concepts so that customers understand the appearance of their final product.
- Quick tools
Quick tools describe the process of quickly creating a mold using a 3D printer or more traditional machining methods. The problem with fast tools is part accuracy and tolerances. Although a 3D printer can create a mold accurate enough to produce a tight replica of a part, the mold will not have the tight tolerances required to make hundreds of thousands (or millions) of perfectly shaped plastic parts.
- heat
To make thermoset parts, cold materials are injected into extremely hot injection molds. This process cures the part so it never melts. This heat resistance is the main function of thermoset materials (most commonly silicone), but thermoset materials cannot be recycled.
- thermoplastic
To make thermoplastic parts, plastic materials are melted and injected into injection molds. Once the part cools, the mold opens and the part falls off. Thermoplastics such as styrene and polycarbonate can withstand warm and high temperature conditions, but at certain temperatures they will eventually melt again and can therefore be recycled.
