In 2024, custom injection molders have introduced a series of groundbreaking innovations that are transforming the manufacturing landscape. Advancements in sustainable plastics have been pivotal, with biodegradable composites and recycled materials becoming commonplace in injection molding, significantly reducing environmental impact.
Functionalisation and greening of raw and modified materials
With the continuous implementation of carbon neutrality and carbon peaking, green production and processing technologies for plastics are receiving more and more attention, such as researching and promoting the use of green additives, green flame retardants, green plasticisers and so on. Meanwhile, the use of bio-based plastics, which are widely available, environmentally friendly, low-carbon, easily degradable and easily recyclable, is increasing and will be widely used in packaging, tableware, home furnishing, stationery, mother and child products, electronic information and other industries. Although the domestic and foreign PLA planning line, capacity and production continues to record high, but still not than the growth rate of the downstream market, raw materials and modified material products in the long-term supply and demand.
injection moulding equipment high-end, precision, intelligent, energy-saving
In recent years, the industry’s key technologies continue to make breakthroughs to injection moulding machines, large-scale two-platen, full-electric and the gap between the developed countries continue to narrow. Such as green and intelligent large-scale pure two-plate plastic injection moulding equipment research and development and industrialisation, breaking the monopoly of Germany and Japan; solid waste polymer materials online processing system, reducing energy consumption and improving economic efficiency; integrated intelligent production system oriented to the needs of end-use applications to achieve intelligent unmanned production line for injection moulding. The future of domestic injection moulding equipment must also work towards the following aspects.
1. To develop and industrialise injection moulding systems with high precision, stability and expandability for high-end and complex applications, such as non-contact, fully-automated moulding systems for medical and other high-purity requirements; precision injection moulding systems for engineering plastics for 5G applications; large-scale, fully-automated injection moulding systems for automobiles; and full-electric moulding plastic machine base systems for high-precision requirements in the electronics, electrical appliance and mobile communication industries.
(2) Developing an expandable injection moulding system to meet the needs of composite moulding, and achieving high efficiency and high precision in composite moulding and processing.
(3) Development of special moulding plastic machines for special engineering plastics such as PEEK, PI, PPS and other high-performance special engineering plastics to meet the needs of advanced applications (e.g. electronics and information, aerospace).
(4) High-performance injection moulding systems combined with various advanced injection moulding processes, such as high-capacity high-speed hot runner bottle blank machines, microcellular foam moulding plastic machines, custom-touch multilayer composite injection moulding machines, thermoplastic fibre reinforced composite injection moulding machines, screwless ultrasonic plasticising micro injection moulding machines, one-step injection moulding machines with automatic clamp force compensation, and intelligent moulded-plastic integrated manufacturing systems (3D photocopiers).
(5) High-precision optical lens injection moulding machine with extremely high mould accuracy and stability requirements, applied to mobile phones, automobiles, security and other image monitoring fields.
(6) Intelligent TPE corner joint moulding plastic machine, mainly used in automotive sealing system, to consolidate the leading position of C-type injection moulding machine in the industry.
(7) Energy-saving and environment-friendly moulding plastic machines, such as recycled plastic online configuration and remanufacturing of green injection moulding technology and equipment.
Product Design Lightness, Simplicity, Integration
Injection moulded products are closely related to home life, such as small household appliances. These products are many types, high demand, frequent replacement, personalisation, customisation requirements, fierce market competition, relatively thin profits, in order to compress the cost as much as possible, and promote low-carbon green life, the product in order to meet the premise of the use of the product is often made lighter and lighter, to reduce the amount of metal and plastic used, from the structural design and mould links have begun to reflect. At the same time, in order to meet the market demand for multiple varieties and small batches, many production processes in factories are gradually automated and intelligent, but the product assembly line still relies on a large number of manpower, which is not conducive to enhancing the competitiveness of enterprises and products. To solve the problem of assembly inefficiency, there is an important idea is to standardise, unify, simplify and even integrate the injection moulded parts, reduce the use of punching and screwing, thus simplifying the assembly steps.
Production, management and decision-making methods of digital, networked, intelligent
Injection moulding enterprises to improve quality (product quality, service quality), reduce costs (raw material procurement costs, inventory costs, personnel costs, production costs, management costs, service costs, etc.), increase efficiency (production efficiency, communication efficiency, collaborative efficiency, etc.), it is the traditional manufacturing industry to implement intelligent manufacturing, do a good job of the main purpose of digital transformation, but also in the fierce market competitors to stand firm, to re-establish the development of power and advantage of the important magic weapon. Important magic weapon. With the new generation of information technology and industrial Internet, injection molding enterprises will gradually achieve the optimal allocation of resources, improve total factor productivity, and realize the profound transformation and restructuring of business, management and business model through the new manufacturing mode of intelligent production, digital management, networked collaboration, personalized customization and service extension.
Cooperation, clustering and ecology of technological innovation and industrial development
After the trade war, the country attaches more importance to key technological innovation, advocating a return to the source of innovation, breakthroughs in a number of chain technology, completely break the US blockade. In the field of injection moulding industry, there is a need to break through the synthesis technology of high-performance raw materials, production technology, modification technology, hardware and software technology of Custom Injection Molders equipment and accessories, manufacturing technology of high-end equipment, software technology and so on. Through the relevant national and local departments in recent years, innovation is the main driving force for development, in which technological innovation is the core, the main body of innovation and the way will be more diversified, in addition to some of the traditional research institutes, key laboratories, there will be a variety of innovation centres, innovation services complex, innovation community, industrial development consortium, etc., while accelerating technological innovation with the help of networking and software to accelerate efficiency and quality, through platform, synergistic, and the use of platforms and software.
At the same time, the efficiency and quality of technological innovation will be accelerated through networking and software, and the main body of innovation will be enriched through platform and synergy, so as to fully draw on the strengths of all, and create and share. At the same time, the development of the industry from the traditional agglomeration will gradually move towards the development of clustering, the majority of small and medium-sized Custom Injection Molders enterprises will rely on the advantages of clustering, make full use of the Internet + manufacturing industry, and continue to build, strengthen and complement the chain to build an ecological system of industrial development, which will truly form the characteristics and advantages of China.
From here, it is easy to see that the future of synergy is not only limited to the synergy of various departments within the enterprise, the synergy of the upstream and downstream industrial chain, there will be a personal synergy with the platform, the synergy of the enterprise and the platform, the synergy between the platform. At the same time, the enterprise alone will go further and further away from the model, the need to establish their own eco-partners, enterprise development will also go ecological or integrated into the ecosphere.
Custom Injection Molders Trends in innovation
Digital Manufacturing and Smart Manufacturing:
The injection moulding industry is gradually undergoing a digital transformation, introducing smart manufacturing technologies to improve productivity and quality. Through sensors, data analytics and real-time monitoring, manufacturers can track the production process in real time and adjust parameters in time to optimise production. In addition, smart manufacturing involves the introduction of automation, robotics and adaptive control into the manufacturing process to make production more flexible and efficient.
Sustainability and the environment:
Increased environmental awareness is driving the Custom Injection Molders industry to focus on sustainability. Manufacturers are increasingly favouring the use of recyclable materials, biodegradable plastics and other environmentally friendly materials. At the same time, optimising production processes to reduce energy consumption, waste generation and carbon footprint has also become a direction for the industry.
Multi-component and composite injection moulding:
Multi-material combination and composite injection moulding technologies are widely used in the context of increasing product design and performance requirements. By combining different materials, multiple properties such as strength, electrical conductivity and wear resistance can be achieved in a single component. This is particularly common in sectors such as automotive, electronics and aerospace.
Convergence of 3D printing and injection moulding
The convergence of 3D printing and injection moulding is creating new manufacturing opportunities. By combining the free-form manufacturing of 3D printing with the high-volume characteristics of injection moulding, manufacturers can produce customised parts faster and achieve flexibility in prototyping and low-volume production.
Use of simulation and emulation technology:
Simulation and emulation software is increasingly being used in the injection moulding process. They can help predict how plastics will flow, fill and cool during the injection moulding process, thereby optimising mould design and manufacturing parameters, improving product quality and shortening development cycles.
Nanotechnology and advanced materials:
The application of nanotechnology has brought many new properties to injection moulding materials. Nanofillers can improve the strength, thermal conductivity and flame-retardant properties of plastics, expanding their application areas.
With these innovative trends, the Custom Injection Molders industry is moving towards greater efficiency, environmental friendliness, versatility and intelligence. These trends will not only give manufacturers a greater competitive advantage, but will also lead to more and better product choices for consumers. Whether it’s digital manufacturing or eco-friendly material applications, the future of the injection moulding industry will continue to be driven by innovation. Daoben machinery is a professional manufacturer for injection molding machine worldwide.
