What are the advantages of production molds for your plastic injection needs?
- It offers complex shapes with higher tolerance
- Its production only takes seconds
- It provides high reliability and repeatability
- It can be used with a wide range of materials and colors
- The excess plastics can be recycled
Production molds offer a variety of benefits for manufacturers and businesses in different industries. These molds provide consistency in the production of parts, allowing for uniform dimensions and specifications. They also offer high production capacity, enabling manufacturers to produce large quantities of parts quickly and efficiently. Over time, the use of production molds can result in significant cost savings, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses.
This blog focuses on the advantages of production molds. Read on to learn more.
It offers complex shapes with higher tolerance
Production molds allow the production of large volumes of uniform, complex parts. However, achieving precise parts requires careful attention to several key factors, such as vent and gate placements, weld lines, corner transitions, wall thickness, and rib and boss design.
Other design elements must be carefully considered, too, for proper ejection of the part from the mold and to achieve accurate tolerances. With this, it is possible to produce parts with repeatable tolerances of ± 0.500 mm (0.020’’) or even tighter tolerances of ± 0.125 mm (0.005’’), which makes the molded parts comparable to parts produced through 3D printing or CNC machining and suitable for a wide range of applications.
Its production only takes seconds
The process of 3D printing or CNC machining a single part can be time-consuming, taking minutes or even hours. In contrast, the injection molding cycle is much quicker, typically lasting only 10 to 60 seconds. Even if the molding of a complex geometry takes around 120 seconds, it is still possible to mold several smaller parts in one larger mold, maximizing efficiency and reducing costs. This allows for the production of hundreds of identical parts in an hour, making injection molding a cost-effective solution for large-scale production.
It provides high reliability and repeatability
When it comes to mass-producing identical parts, plastic injection molding offers a cost-effective and efficient solution. With its high repeatability, a single mold can be used to produce thousands of parts before it requires maintenance. The longevity of mold is typically between 5,000 to 10,000 cycles, while a full-scale steel production mold can last for over 100,000 cycles, making it a durable option for large-scale production. Using the same mold for each part also guarantees consistent quality and appearance, ensuring that every product meets your standards.
Production molding also offers a wide range of material options, with over 25,000 engineered materials that can be used. This includes thermoplastics, thermosets, resins, and silicones, allowing you to find the perfect material for your specific needs and requirements. Common materials used in injection molding include acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and polypropylene (PP).
You can also combine materials to achieve the desired physical, mechanical, and chemical properties, such as adding glass fibers to a thermoplastic to create a composite with enhanced strength. Additionally, you have various options when it comes to color, including pre-colored resins, liquid colorants, and salt and pepper blends, giving you the flexibility to achieve the exact color you want.
The excess plastics can be recycled
Lastly, production molding is known for being a highly efficient manufacturing process, producing less post-production waste compared to other methods. However, there will still be some excess scraps generated during the process. Fortunately, these scraps can be easily recycled through a process known as regrinding, where the sprues, runners, or other leftover plastic parts are melted down and reused. This not only saves on material costs but also reduces waste, making injection molding an environmentally friendly choice for mass production. In this way, you can enjoy the advantage of production molding while making a positive impact on the planet.
Key Takeaway
In conclusion, there are numerous advantages of production molds that manufacturers and industries can reap. With this molding, you can create complex shapes with high tolerance, achieve quicker production, high reliability and repeatability materials, can be used with other colors, and recycled, too.
If you’re looking for the best injection molding company in China, look no further than Richfields today!
We at Richfields offer high-quality and affordable injection molding products and services and can help you with all your plastic mold-making needs. You may also read our other blogs here to learn more about how our plastic injection molding process works in China and why it’s suitable for your future projects.
