A growing branch of the plastics industry, plastic injection molding is the most commonly used process for producing plastic parts. Plastic injection molding is a fast process designed to produce large quantities of the same plastic product in a short period. Materials such as thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers, and metals are used today. High-performance plastics that can withstand high temperatures are gradually replacing metal materials used in traditional plastic production.
Plastic Injection Molding Work Procedure:
Injection molding is widely used to produce plastic components, from medical devices to tools. In the aerospace industry, and especially in the automotive industry, many components are produced by injection molding. Take some time to look around. There may be plastic items nearby. And it was probably made by an injection molding machine.
In recent years, many changes have occurred in the injection molding industry, including shortening the product market cycle. A key business strategy for injection molding machine manufacturers is to work with mold partners to reduce lead times.
Find out now why EAS can be your tooling partner to help you improve your injection molding process for faster and lower production costs.
How does the plastic injection molding process work?
Basic Manufacturing Process of Injection Molding: Plastic is melted in a plastic injection molding machine and injected into a mold under high pressure. The material cools and solidifies inside the mold, and the two halves are then opened to remove the product. This technique will produce a plastic product with a predetermined fixed shape.
To simplify production, the components that function in the injection molding must be carefully designed. Industrial engineers or designers first design products manufactured using injection molding machines. Then a mold maker makes the molds, usually from steel or aluminum. The mold maker takes into account all critical conditions: the material used in the final product, the function of the product; addition, the material of the mold, and the characteristics of the injection molding machine.
The process cycle of injection molding itself consists of the following steps: Place the mold into an injection molding machine (IMM). The injection molding machine closes the mold with clamps [clamping solutions link] that keep the mold closed during plastic injection molding.
Feed plastic in the form of granules or pellets into the IMM. The injection molding machine heats the plastic until it becomes a liquid. The injection molding machine nozzle injects molten plastic into the mold (injection pressure). At this moment, the mold cavity is filled with plastic liquid. These liquids form solid products upon cooling. Finally, an ejector (linked to the ejector system) ejects the cooled product from the machine as a finished part. The injection molding process is now complete.
