How to choose a large part injection molding company?
- Ensure training and education
- Find out if the molder can keep up with demand
- Know if they can perform other molding techniques
- Define your budget
- Make sure they offer prototyping services
Knowing how to choose a large part injection molding company is crucial to quality-made, yet cost-efficient plastic parts. Large part injection molders understand that injection molding for parts that are bigger in dimensions have varying requirements. The chosen molding firm must have the right equipment at hand that can handle high tonnage or can perform 500 tons and above of clamping force.
For any professionally-injection molded part, you need to find an experienced company that can get the job done for you. However, choosing one can be a hassle, especially if you’re just starting out. Aside from their machine capabilities, your manufacturer should be professional enough to meet your demands and perform secondary techniques as needed. The checklist below will help you determine what to expect and look for, in a plastic injection molding company specializing in large part manufacturing. Read on to learn more.
Ensure Training And Education
One of the first things to look out for when choosing any large-size injection molding company is if they are properly qualified to conduct their services. The company should have proper education and training on your needs. Understanding what to expect from you, being on top of all processing manuals, and knowing other technical aspects of the job are critical in successfully-molded parts.
Ask if the manufacturer consistently makes themselves aware of the new trends and technologies in injection molding. For example, part of proper injection molding training is basic knowledge of machine operation, equipment handling safety, part defect identification, and many more. See to it that their personnel, product engineers, machine operators, and the like, are qualified to assist you in all of these aspects. This is so that when they’re collaborating with you on raw material procurement and the manufacturing phase itself, you can be assured of optimal outcomes.
Find Out If The Molder Can Keep Up With Demand
Manufacturing any large plastic product through injection molding always involves a rigorous process. Molders not only need to have the right equipment at hand, but they should also be able to accommodate large-volume production both for OEM and custom-made parts.
With this in mind, you need to find out that the injection molder can keep up with your demands as a company. When shopping around for large part molding suppliers, ask if they can give you a tour of their plant or factory. This is one sure way of seeing what their processes are like at any given day. It also helps you gain understanding of their business model and production capacities.
Any professional large size molding firm will typically have the right quantity of machinery and mature processes to assure you that they can perform high volume manufacturing. This helps you gauge whether they’re the right fit for your company’s processes.
Know If They Can Perform Other Molding Techniques
Though injection molding is already a complete process on its own, this will ultimately depend on part requirements. Some plastic-molded parts have also been produced through other molding techniques that provide specialty features. These techniques may be one or two of the following: overmolding, insert molding, gas-assisted injection molding, thermoforming, hot runner & cold runner molding, and the like.
Overmolding, for example, involves molding another type of material with another plastic-molded object. This is similar to insert molding, where plastic parts are combined with metal inserts to facilitate easier assembly later on.
Knowledge of these other techniques is essential for any large part injection molding process because they define the completeness of the molding firm’s operations. This also gives you more freedom to create various plastic prototypes that possess features to enhance the quality of the final product.
Define Your Budget
As mentioned before, large size plastic injection molding can be an expensive undertaking because of the many requirements and number of processes needed to perform the job. Knowing this, you should be able to clearly define a budget for you or your firm so as to avoid going overboard with your injection molding expenses.
If you want your plastic parts to last longer and possess other features, then be prepared to allocate a large amount for this endeavor. In much the same way, don’t be tempted to choose a supplier that has cheap rates. Sacrificing quality for a cheap price almost always guarantees poorly-made parts and high costs due to repair and maintenance in the future.
Make Sure They Offer Prototyping Services
Prototyping should always be part of the injection molding process. This is the pre-manufacturing phase that determines not just the buildability of your product, but also resin behavior, rate of shrinkage, and potential for defect formation.
Prototyping services ensure that any large part manufactured in high volumes will sustain their features and quality, even after the 1,000th cycle. Consider choosing a plastic molding company that has capabilities for prototyping, CNC machining, rapid prototyping, and the like. This ensures the consistency of the finished plastic parts, regarding size, quality, color, durability, etc.
Key Takeaway
This checklist on how to choose a large part molding company gives you an overview on what you’ll want to expect from your chosen firm. To reiterate, large part molding is not a simple process. Plastic molders that offer this type of service need to be aware of technologies in large part molding, high-tonnage equipment maintenance, implementation of other techniques, and more.
In order to choose an injection molding company that satisfies all these requirements, be meticulous about the process. Exhaust all your options for high-quality and value-adding large parts to find the right firm.
Leading injection molder Richfields Plastics has been consistently performing large-size injection molding for several decades now. With our mature business model, prototyping services, capabilities for custom and OEM goods, we guarantee only quality manufacturing all throughout. Click here to contact us and find out how our large molding services can support your needs.
