Jackie, Author at Ecomolding.com

ABS injection molding properties and conditions

November 3, 2020November 27, 2018 by Jackie

What Is the ABS injection molding Material?

Commonly known as ABS injection molding material, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene is an opaque thermoplastic polymer. ABS is amorphous and therefore has no true melting point. Thermoplastic (VS “thermoset”) describes how the ABS plastic responds to heat. A thermoplastic material becomes liquid when heated to a certain temperature level (105 degrees Celsius in the case of ABS material). Significant degradation will not happen after they go through the process of heating to their melting point, cooling and reheating. Thermoplastics like the ABS plastic will not burn. Instead, they will become liquid, so they can be easily injection molded and then recycled. On the contrary, the thermoset plastic materials only allow for one-time heating (especially during the plastic 1injection molding process). When being heated for the first time, the thermoset materials will set (like a 2-part epoxy), leading to a chemical alteration that is impossible to reverse.

Why Is ABS So Commonly Used?

The ABS plastic is strongly resistant to chemical corrosion, as well as physical impacts. It allows very easy machining and features a very low melting point, making it a perfect fit for the plastic injection molding process and 3D printing via a fused deposition modeling (FDM) machine. And, relatively speaking, ABS is inexpensive, of which the cost usually falls between those of Polypropylene (PP) and Polycarbonate (PC). Because of its low melting temperature, the ABS material is usually not applied in high heat conditions. By virtue of these properties, ABS can be widely used in a great number of project applications across an extensive range of trades.

What Are the Purposes of the ABS Plastic?

The ABS material can be used in a wide range of applications, among which the most commonly seen ones are computer keyboard keys, housing of a power-tool, the plastic protective covering of wall sockets (usually a blend of PC and ABS) and LEGO parts.

Is ABS Toxic or Harmless?

ABS is deemed relatively harmless, since it does not contain any known substances that cause cancer, and exposure to it does not result in any known adverse effects on health. However, ABS is usually not a good fit for production of medical implants.

What Properties Does the ABS injection molding Material Possess?

As its name indicates, ABS is composed of 3 monomers: acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene, each of which passes on different properties: hardness, and resistance to chemical & heat from acrylonitrile; processability, surface gloss and strength from styrene; toughness and resistance to impact from butadiene. With regard to morphology, ABS is amorphous.

Through polymerization, the 3 individual monomers combine into a terpolymer with 2 phases: a continuous phase of styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) and a dispersed phase of polybutadiene rubber. The ratios of the 2 monomers and the molecular structure of the 2 phases affect the properties of the ABS material, which allows product design great flexibility, and subsequently, hundreds of different grades are made available on the market. Thanks to these available grades, varied characteristics, such as low to high impact resistance, low to high surface gloss and low to high heat distortion are made possible.

In the paragraphs that follow, we would like to dive deeper into the ABS injection molding process. ABS features a fluidity that is between that of PS and PC .This influences the injection molding temperature and injection molding pressure, and vice versa. As a result, to lower melt viscosity and improve the cavity filling performance, a higher injection molding pressure is usually applied.

What Are the Injection Molding Processing Conditions of ABS?

Dry ABS tends to absorb moisture, so it is required to be dried prior to processing. It is suggested that the ABS is dried under 80 – 90 degrees Celsius conditions for at least 2 hours, so as to restrict the moisture content of the material to less than 0.1%.
Melting Point: 200 – 280 degrees Celsius; Aim: 230 degrees Celsius
Plastic Injection Molding Pressure: 50 – 100 MPa
Material Pre-treatment: The moisture absorption rate of the ABS plastic is around 0.2% – 0.8%. For common ABS grades, drying must be performed prior to processing. It needs to be dried under 80 – 85℃ conditions for more than 2 – 4 hours or baked in a drying hopper at 80℃ for 1 – 2 hours. Usually, the regrind material should be kept within 30%, while no recycled material should be used for the Plating Grade ABS material.

Gate & vent design: the diameter of the channel should be set at 3mm and the thickness is kept the same as the part, gate length should be less than 1mm, the width of the vents is set between 4 and 6mm, and the thickness between 0.025 – 0.05mm.

Speed of Injection Molding: For flame resistant grade ABS material, a slow injection molding speed should be applied. If product surface is highly required, a high speed or multi-stage injection molding should be applied.

Back Pressure

To avoid wear, the back pressure should be minimized as much as possible, usually 5 bar.

That said, a high back pressure is able to ensure a uniform mixing.

Secondary Operations: The ABS injection molding material can also be used in secondary operations, e.g. ultrasonic welding and decorated moldings, which follows the hot stamping, pad printing or laser marking processes.

Additional Information

After being melted, some grades of the ABS plastic (in particular, the flame retardant ones) strongly adhere to the screw surface, and it will break down after staying on the screw for a certain period of time. Therefore, you need to regularly clean the screw with PS.

That’s all about the ABS injection molding process and I hope this could be of help to you. We are a injection molding manufacturer offering a diversity of plastic mold products. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.

Find a turnkey injection molding manufacturer in China

March 10, 2020November 18, 2018 by Jackie

To produce superior quality tailor made parts, an entire team of skilled professionals is needed; we have to verify and source multiple service providers, such as design & engineering, tooling, troubleshooting, quality control, packaging and shipping providers, while facilitating and organizing the communication among different sides. However, if you choose to work with a turnkey manufacturer, all these sources of stress will be eliminated, which would lead to an all-around one-stop manufacturing solution from an experienced supplier.

The Benefits of working with a turnkey Manufacturer is one of our guides on how an experienced team of professionals is able to streamline all the aspect of a production project, as well as the many benefits that a turnkey injection molding manufacturer brings, such as cost savings and streamlined communication, etc. Now, let’s take a closer look at some of them.

High Efficiency of a turnkey injection molding manufacturer

In a turnkey team, all the members will be working collaboratively to achieve a single target – successfully create the design and build the ideal finished product for you. Without a turnkey supplier, you will have to go through the whole laborious process that includes management of multiple suppliers, sync of supplier schedules, as well as sending (and sometimes resending) plans / prototypes; however, a turnkey team is able to take full responsibility for the production project – from conception to completion – and offer immediate updates upon a simple phone call.

Advantageous Design, Tool-making and Manufacturing Services

It is made much simpler to change the current designs, thanks to the fact that designers, toolmakers and manufacturers work in close collaboration under the same turnkey company. If you don’t choose to work with a turnkey company, you will have to contact your designer and manufacturer separately whenever something needs to be adjusted. On the contrary, handling a single turnkey company makes it easier and smoother to communicate and more quickly to make changes.

Also, a more unified and consistent process is likely to be guaranteed, because the manufacturing, design and tool-making teams might have prior experience working with each other.

Vested Interest in Your Business

In a turnkey team, all the members will be working collaboratively to achieve a single target – help you complete your project successfully. If you can find a trustworthy turnkey supplier, the overall quality across every aspect of the project can be ensured, since the inevitable quality variance associated with working with multiple different vendors can be eliminated. Usually, you’ll probably get a higher level of custom service, as well as a devoted contact for your project.

In addition, working with several supplier may lead to blames on each other if any setbacks take place, while a turnkey provider is definitely held to a higher level of accountability, so a smoother and less stressful process can be guaranteed for everyone involved.

More Savings

If you entrust your project to a dedicated turnkey injection molding manufacturer, you will save not only time, but also money. A full-service provider is able to offer more discounted rates for the services they offer, when compared with other firms who is only able to handle one step in the whole manufacturing process.

Furthermore, a single turnkey injection molding manufacturer can handle your invoicing in a consistent manner, so as to ensure less confusion and an easier job for your accountants.

Learn More about Us

The skilled engineering and designer teams at a turnkey injection molding manufacturer are able to ensure faster production cycles, greater service & savings, and higher-quality work.

Enjoying a history of more than 18 years, the ECO molding is able to offer the best quality turnkey services. We work in close collaboration with each of our clients by leveraging our specialized expertise on high-precision and high-volume tailor-made plastic injection molding, so as to ensure a streamlined and effective process, while adding value to your business on basis our profound experience in the industry. Several of the designers at Eco Molding began as toolmakers, so they are able to accurately create a plastic injection mold for manufacturability.

How to design plastic wall thickness for injection molding product?

March 10, 2020November 15, 2018 by Jackie

When designing a plastic part, its wall thickness must be carefully identified by properly considering the balance among weight, geometry and budget. For instance, though the thick plastic walls offer greater strength, they tend to warp when cooled in the manufacturing process. Among all the design elements, the thickness of a wall exerts the largest impact on production cost, efficiency and the quality of the final product.

A Reasonable Wall Thickness for plastic injection molding

While thicker walls are engineered for additional strength, thinner walls are created for some other benefits. As a matter of fact, you can get more benefits by keeping the part thinner and lighter when the production runs longer. As a result, it is of particular importance to maintain the optimum thickness especially for large volume plastic injection molding projects. If you keep the wall as thin as possible, you can get the following benefits:

Greater warping resistance when cooling
Lower costs thanks to less material usage and faster production
Lighter overall weight, thus much easier for handling, management, packaging and shipping
Shorter cooling cycles for faster and more efficient production

The wall thickness of a part is subject to no restrictions at all, but generally speaking, our ultimate goal would be to create a wall that is as thin as possible while also taking the structural requirements, overall dimensions and the geometry of a part into consideration. Another factor to be considered is the flow behavior and qualities of the resin materials.

Ensuring a Uniform Wall Thickness

During the injection molding process, a consistent thickness is of critical importance to cooling; if some parts of a product are thinner or thicker than the rest, the product might not be strong enough to withstand warping, cracking, twisting and overall failure. A consistent wall thickness is able to minimize shrinkage rate, as well as residual stress of the final product.

If a fully uniform wall thickness is not possible, it is better to maintain gradual thickness variations, so as to maintain design stability. For a product made from high mold shrinkage plastic materials, the variations in wall thickness should not exceed 10%, even with gradual variations to cope with possible stress concentrations.

A consistent wall thickness is also able to guarantee that the resin flows through a tool in the most efficient and uniform way, so as to achieve ideal processing. On the other hand, if there are variations in the wall thickness, air trapping, unbalanced filling and weld lines might be caused, as the molten plastic tends to take preferential flows.

Recommended Wall Thickness By Plastic Resin Types

Resin Type	Wall Thickness(mm)
Acrylic(PMMA)	0.635-3.81
Polypropylene(PP)	0.635-3.81
Acetal(Delrin,POM)	0.762-3.048
Polystyrene(PS)	0.889-3.81
Polycarbonate(PC)	1.016-3.81
Acylonitrile Butadiene Styrene(ABS)	1.143-3.556
Nylon(PA)	0.762-2.921
Polyethylene(PE)	0.762-5.08
Polyurethane(PU)	2.032-19.05
Polyphenylene Sulfide(PPS)	0.508-4.572
Polybutylene Terephthalate(PBT)	2.032-6.35
Rigid PVC	2.286-6.35
Soft PVC	0.635-3.81

What to consider before getting plastic injection molding quotes?

March 10, 2020November 13, 2018 by Jackie

A plastic part can be manufactured in many different ways. If you anticipate a high enough production volume, one of the most cost efficient ways to get the job done should be the plastic injection molding process.

However, there are multiple considerations when you decide on the plastic injection molding quotes process:

Sales Volume
Appropriate Budget
Specific Application
Time Cost

Sales volume

As stated above, the production method is mainly determined by the sales volume. According to experience, if you are going to sell 1,000 or more parts each year according to forecast (on basis of reliable market analysis, not just because someone said he was going to buy one), it will be worthwhile to consider the plastic injection molding process. Though the startup cost can be a bit too high, after the plastic injection mold is created, it will be quite cost effective to produce the parts. We suggest you get a quote and calculate with your own numbers to maximize return on investment.

Appropriate Budget for plastic injection molding quotes

Undoubtedly, even though the return on investment from your forecast sales volume pencils out, you will have to make effective budget for other aspects, such as the plastic injection mold, the early stage production run and marketing expenses, etc. In the circumstances that you are not funded by yourself, you probably need to develop a sound business plan, so as to attract investors. In exactly the same way, the plastic injection molded part producer will not invest sufficient resources in your production project, unless you are able to convince them that your project is promising and will be profitable.

Specific Application

Another critical factor is the specific application of your final product. Although the plastic is a very excellent material that is able to help you save time, money and lives with an improved sterilization performance, it is not always a perfect choice for all projects. For instance, when you require high strength for your part, which is not available with the plastic, or you specifically require an outstanding durability that enables the product to withstand severe conditions for 5 or 6 years, it will not be a wise choice to adopt the plastic injection molding process.

Time Cost

Typically, it will take 4 – 12 weeks of time to build the mold you need for manufacturing of plastic injection molded parts. Factors that influence the time cost usually range from design revisions, communication lag, part complexity, current load of the tool maker, as well as a diversity of unexpected events that may include shipping delay and production part failure, etc. Due to these factors, you need to allow a longer time to get the final parts produced.

Consider Eco Molding

When you are about to kick off a new project, please consider Eco Molding for plastic injection molding quotes. We believe, we are the perfect plastic injection molded part manufacturer who is able to meet your needs for product development, because we offer a lifetime mold guarantee and enjoy 98% customer satisfaction.

What is the advantages of plastic compare to metal?

March 10, 2020November 10, 2018 by Jackie

With the appearance of engineering grade resin materials, the conversion from metal to plastic was introduced in the 1950s. However, until today a lot of manufacturers are still not familiar with the benefits of the technique.

Now, in the ever changing landscape, many different sophisticated and cost effective plastic materials are being researched and developed, while many industries have come to realize the benefits of replacing metal with plastic when producing parts. As a matter of fact, for most companies which have replaced metal with plastic, they can expect cost savings of up to 25 – 50%.

The plastic molded parts are able to offer a great number of benefits to businesses in any industry, thanks to the plastic material that is as strong and reliable as the metal, while able to be engineered to the same level of tight tolerances.

The Advantages of Plastic over the Metal

Now, as more and more industries have come to realize the benefits to replace metal with plastic, part manufacturers quickly opt for high volume plastic injection molding as their process of choice.

Plastic parts have multiple common advantages over the metal, such as:

Able to offer a higher tensile strength than a diversity of metal materials
Lighter part weight
Lower manufacturing cost
Extremely flexible design
Less material waste
More efficient production
Easier to meet various regulatory requirements
Reduced packaging and shipping costs
A service life as longer as six times
Higher resistance to corrosion
Repeatable and predictable manufacturing

In addition to reduced part weight, as well as improved overall part strength and resistance to corrosion, replacing metal with plastic also allows us to consolidate several different metal parts into a single plastic one. Moreover, apart from providing the equal strength and offering the same level of tight tolerances as the metal, fewer secondary operations are required of a plastic part, thus able to save both time and costs.

Actually, it is possible to build a plastic part that possesses higher quality physical and chemical properties than the metal, with the help of specialized design methods.

Applying Plastic Parts for Cost Reduction

As mentioned above, replacing metal with plastic is able to cut costs by up to 25 – 50%, thanks to the following several factors: one single plastic part is able to replace several different metal parts, so subsequent fastener and assembly can therefore be eliminated; it is able to add colors to the plastic melts during production, so the painting or laser marking processes can thus be eliminated.

In addition to cost reduction, the application of the plastic material can also dramatically enhance parts quality. The advantages of plastic part can be optimized in several ways that include:

The plastic materials are able to be reused
Product service life is extended
Design options are more diversified
Secondary processes which are time consuming and costly can be eliminated
Product structural strength is improved
The product is lighter and easier to use

3D Printing VS Injection Molding

November 3, 2020November 7, 2018 by Jackie

We held a discussion on 3D printing vs injection molding. Although the new printing technology has come into existence for quite some time, it has only been about 5 years since the technique becomes known to the public.

During that period of time, the actual capabilities of 3D printing technology has been overshadowed by how the public perceives it. Now, people would like to inquire more about it along with more recognition of it – every industry player seeks to explore the 3D printing technique, with the aim to find an alternative for their future projects, so that they will be able to move on from more conventional methods, such as the injection molding process.

3D Printing VS Injection Molding

Although these 2 processes are similar to each other – both of them are used to produce parts & components from the plastic material, and are able to handle a high level of complexity in geometry – there are significant differences between them too.

Among all the features of 3D printing technology, one of the most attractive one should be the relatively lower costs in the initial stage. On the contrary, the plastic injection molding process requires a much higher initial cost, because it is expensive to create the necessary special dies. Although it might be overwhelming in the beginning, the initial cost can be amortized over the service life of the mold, as well as the duration of the production run. And, in a large volume injection molding project, the initial cost can be amortized over more individual parts, resulting in a relatively lower cost per part.

Apart from the benefits with regard to startup costs,there are a number of limitations that the 3D printing technique has to overcome, especially when in comparison with the plastic injection molding process. The costly and time consuming misprints still tend to be caused by technical and / or software issues. Nowadays, 3D printers are still not commonly seen, the printing process is considerably slower than the injection molding process, and there are also restrictions in the size of 3D printed parts.

Which Method Works the Best for Your Project?

Both of the 2 processes – 3D printing vs injection molding – are able to produce plastic parts with guaranteed high quality and high complexity. To decide which one works better for your future projects, you have consider one of the key factors: the breakeven point.

When we seek to partner with a plastic injection mold maker, there may be a huge startup cost, even for a high volume plastic injection molding order. This is inevitable for the die tooling process, in which the stainless steel is often used for the mold. So, you have to consider the breakeven point — during the production process, whether the initial cost can be amortized far enough to make the plastic injection molding process a more cost effective method than the 3D printing technique. Other considerations include the size and complexity of the part.

When your production volume is lower than 1,500, 3D printing might probably be more cost effective for you project. However, when your volume is higher than that, the plastic injection molding process would be a wiser choice.

Although 3D printing is a very amazing technology, it is only applied to part or product prototyping at the moment, and only able to handle a very limited production volume. Therefore, we would like to encourage the readers of this article to learn more about the injection molding process, which possesses the full capabilities and benefits to handle large-scale production runs.

How to make high quality plastic products in China?

March 10, 2020November 6, 2018 by Jackie

The production of high quality plastic products can be attributed to several essential elements. We have a dedicated team of plastic injection molding experts at ECO Molding who have a clear idea about how to create high-performing and reliable plastic parts. Like no others, we are a precision plastic component manufacturer who is able to provide high quality plastic products that are complete and ready to be used immediately. In addition, we keep designing and tooling all our parts in house, and meticulously monitor each and every step in the manufacturing process.

In the following text, we are going to share with you our main areas of focus in the injection molding process, which allow us to create the perfect high quality plastic parts for our clients, regardless of how complicated or uncommon the specific requirements are.

Design of Mold

To begin with, the design of a mold is of critical importance to make sure that the plastic injection molding process is able to produce plastic parts in a high volume, and with ideal productivity and uniformity. With the dedicated team of engineers at ECO Molding, who are good at the design of molds that ensure good quality plastic parts in an extremely efficient way, the risk of costly delays and material waste can be effectively eliminated.

We now enjoy more than 15-year experience in the plastic injection molding field, and our expertise allows us the ability and ingenuity required to build customized molds of any types even in the most challenging circumstances. With the application of cutting edge technologies, such as CAD/CAM systems, our engineers work in close collaboration with the client to thoroughly understand the key requirements for each part, including functions, applications, dimensions, its relation with other components and the ability to withstand certain conditions, etc.

Equipped with such expertise, our engineers are then allowed to identify the main design elements that are required to guarantee that the plastic injection molding process will go correctly as expected. To create the perfect bespoke mold for the client, we will take all the elements into consideration, including wall thickness, rib design, boss design, corner transition, weld line, as well as gate/vent arrangement.

After the draft design is finished, we will initiate the design for manufacturability (DFM) analysis, so as to make sure that our design meets the highest possible standard of quality. Upon design finalization, our engineers will start the new mold building and testing process.

Manufacturing of Molds

If there is not an ideal mold, it will not be possible to produce high quality plastic products. Therefore, we pay great attention to our mold making process at ECO Molding. Since mold making is a time consuming process and it has to allow for highest accuracy, this procedure always represents the most substantial investment that a company has to make in its manufacturing process. However, precise tooling always plays a critical role in guaranteeing a successful plastic injection molding project.

ECO Molding is specialized in the creation of high-quality, precise and enduring mold products. We focus our mold making process on several key aspects to make sure that we create the ideal molds that the client needs:

Reliable design and engineering
Mold bases and cavities made from high-quality stainless steel to ensure the desirable performance and service life
Application of the most sophisticated equipment to ensure precise machining
Focus on stringent quality standards and strict tolerances

We are clear that creating a high-quality precision mold is a substantial investment for you, so we will make every effort to ensure maximum return on investment for you, mainly from the following perspectives:

Core Metal– All the molds we have made employ stainless steel as the core metal. Over the past decades, our molds have been proved to be able to withstand long production runs, while still meeting stringent tolerance requirements.
Cavity Quantity– We seek to maximize the no. of cavities in a mold to ensure the optimal level of efficiency.
Mold Base– We carry out cost estimation of the mold base, the part that holds all mold components together, including cavities, inserts and more on basis of its size, as well as the type of steel used, to allow for the desired level of customization.
Core/Cavity Machining– Our molds are tailored for the client through specific arrangement of cores, cavities, ejectors and cooling channels, etc.
Part Complexity– On basis of part complexity, we determine the mold cost by taking the surface finish of the final product, as well as the number of undercuts needed into account.

In order to build a mold, we can reverse the design of an existing part, or construct a mold on basis of the drawing or CAD file that the client provides. With regard to tool making, our team makes use of several different types of equipment that includes EDM, CNC mills, lathes and grinding machine, to build the desired part. Upon mold creation, we are then allow to choose the appropriate resin for production.

Selection of plastic resin

It is also of critical importance to choose the right material for the production of high quality plastic parts, so as to ensure a successful plastic injection molding process. Over the previous decades, the development of polymer technologies has allowed us a wider range of available resins, which leads to an increase in the applications of plastics in various sectors, as well as an improvement in available plastic materials with higher strength and durability. Our manufacturing experts possess the experience of working with a diversity of resin materials for different types of applications.

We work in close collaboration with every client to identify key requirements for the resin, including the desired appearance of the product, e.g. texture, color and transparency, as well as the strength, flexibility, rigidity, chemical & environmental resistance, the regulatory requirements and the service life of the product.

Production & Quality

After the mold is created and the appropriate resin is selected, the production process can finally start. We now have several state-of-the-art presses in our factory, with different capabilities and performance for the client to choose from. On basis of mold dimensions, the number of cavities and the resin selected, our team of experts will select the right machine to use.

Following that, we will perform a trial run to ensure that no defects will occur. Once any defects are found, we will make corresponding corrections; if everything goes correctly as expected, we will go ahead with the production process, throughout which our team will continue to carry out quality monitoring, in an effort to ensure that all products manufactured meet the highest quality standards.

At ECO Molding, our team takes high quality as the first priority and it is our aim to offer the best high quality plastic products at the most competitive price.

Why choose plastic injection molding?

November 3, 2020November 5, 2018 by Jackie

The advantages of plastic injection molding

In plastic part manufacturing, the injection molding process is very versatile and possesses many advantages when compared with other plastic molding methods. Plastic injection molding is not only simpler and reliable, but also more efficient than others. Now, let’s see what the advantages of plastic injection molding are:

1.Highly Efficient Production

The plastic injection molding process is proved to be the most commonly applied and most efficient way of injection molding, as evidenced by the several solid reasons. When compared with other processes, The advantages of plastic injection molding is really fast, and more efficient and cost effective thanks to its high productivity. Though production speed is dependent on mold complexity and size, it only takes about 15 – 120 seconds between each production cycle.

With such a short interval between production cycles, a larger number of molds are able to be produced in a very limited time period, thus maximizing revenue and profit for the client. We produce parts 24/7 at ECO Molding by using a material requirement planning system (MRPS). Although this system is not able to replace a manufacturing manager with regard to input and experience, it is really helpful in enhancing production efficiency within the production facility, and in return, this will ensure savings for our clients.

2.Complicated Product Design

The injection molding process has the ability to deal with very complicated product designs, while ensuring uniformity, by making hundreds of thousands of virtually the same parts. During the design process, we will take all key elements into consideration, in an effort to optimize the efficiency of injection molding in a large volume, and at the same time maximize part precision and quality for you. First of all, part design has to be developed with the aim of maximizing the effectiveness of large volume plastic injection molding. When design is done right, the part can be produced consistently with high quality. If a good design is not in place, costly mistakes might occur during the process.

Most professionals in the molding industry see eye to eye that the fundamental design elements in the plastic injection molding process have to work correctly, including wall thickness, rib design, boss design, corner transition, weld line, as well as gate/vent arrangement.

3.Enhanced Part Strength

One of the key elements that need to be identified during the design process of a plastic injection molded part is strength. Designers need to have sufficient expertise on whether the desired part is required to be flexible or rigid, so they can make appropriate adjustments to the integrating ribs or gussets. In addition, it is also very important to know how the client is going to use the part, as well as what conditions the part will be exposed to.

It is better to strike a balance between design considerations, because it is able to help address your needs for part strength and stability. Another key role defining the part strength is selection of materials. In the text below, you can find more information on resin types used in the plastic injection molding process.

4.Flexibility in Both Material and Color

Another 2 factors in construction of plastic parts are selections of the right material and the right color for your production project. However, the possibilities are almost infinite thanks to the almost endless variety of material and color. Over the past years, polymers have been developed to allow a wider selection range of resin materials for the client to choose from. It is recommended that you work in collaboration with a plastic injection mold maker who is experienced with a diversity of plastic materials and their particular applications, including those compliant with FDA, RoHS, REACH and NSF. To make sure you choose the most appropriate material for your production, you have to keep the following factors in mind, including impact strength, tensile strength, flexural modulus of elasticity, as well as heat deflection and water absorption

A variety of coloring systems can be used to color the plastic materials, each possessing its unique features, benefits, and weaknesses, among which masterbatches, “salt & pepper” blends, liquid color, and pre-colored plastic are the four most commonly applied coloring methods.

5.Waste Reduction

When you are looking to partner with an injection mold maker who possesses a large volume injection molding capacity, it is of great importance to consider the manufacturers who advocate the Green Manufacturing initiatives, because these can indicate their commitment to product quality, sustainability and great safety. It is inevitable for the plastic injection molding process to generate excess plastic. So, you need to find a mold maker who has put a recycling system in place for the excess plastics. To minimize waste, transportation and packaging, the most environmentally friendly plastic injection mold makers will look to employ cutting edge machinery to achieve the targets.

6.Lower Labor Costs

The plastic injection molding process is typically associated with a lower labor cost when compared with other molding methods, which should be attributed to its ability to produce parts to a high quality standard and with a high output rate.During injection molding, minimal supervision is required, as the molding equipment usually runs with a self-gating and automatic tool to keep production streamlined and ongoing.The advantages of plastic injection molding can reduce the cost a lot on this aspect.

How to choose resin materials for plastic injection molding product?

November 3, 2020November 3, 2018 by Jackie

In today’s market, there are tons of resin materials available for the client to choose for plastic injection molding project. So, the selection process for plastic materials often seems very challenging in the very beginning.

At ECO Molding, we are clear that each type of plastic material boasts unique features and benefits, so we work in close collaboration with the client, in a bid to explore the most appropriate plastic material for their production projects.

The following are some most commonly used resin materials for the plastic injection molding process:

ABS

As it boasts a remarkable impact and mechanical strength, the ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) is applied in a broad range of industries, from automobile to pipe manufacturing. Metal coatings adheres to ABS easily, so the material is a perfect fit for production of such products as telephones, shower heads and handles, etc. However, the material is not very resistant to chemicals, so it is better not to use it in the applications that require electrical insulation or resistance to UV.

Celcon (Acetal)

Celcon, also known as Acetal, boasts outstanding surface lubricity, resistance to creep (memory) and chemical solvents. It is an ideal material for applications in the food, beverage, mechanical, automotive and household industries. We usually choose this resin to manufacture toy components, as well as gears and bearings. Besides, it is often applied in production of automotive and household products. However, it is not a good choice for applications under high temperature conditions.

Polypropylene

Polypropylene, commonly known as PP, is best known for flexibility in the industries including packaging, fluid management & processing, household products and production of some automotive parts. Although polypropylene is a flammable material and susceptible to UV radiation, it still provides good chemical and electricity resistance. The majority grades of polypropylene are flammable and subject to degradation by UV radiation.

HIPS

HIPS, short for High Impact Polystyrene, is a tough material with a low-cost performance and customizable surfaces. This material is able to be easily printed, glued, bonded and decorated, and is commonly seen in such industries as merchandising, displays, printed graphics, as well as prototypes. Though it is flammable, there are flame-retardant varieties available on the market.

LPDE

LPDE, i.e. Low-Density Polyethylene, is the version of polyethylene with the highest flexibility. It boasts a strong resistance to moisture and a high impact strength. The LPDE material is usually used in production of many consumer products, housewares, as well as medical supplies and electronic wires. However, this material is difficult to bond, so it is better not to use it in extreme weather or high-temperature conditions.

Key Considerations for Selection of Plastic Injection Molding Materials

Keep the following variables in mind when selecting a resin materials for your production project:

Impact Strength – The production of some parts requires a higher base strength than the rest of them, so the IZOD impact strength of a resin material should be identified from the very beginning.
Tensile Strength – We use ultimate tensile strength or ultimate strength to measure a resin’s tension resistance and its capability to withstand a certain amount of load without falling apart.
Flexural Modulus of Elasticity – This term measures how much a material can be bent without being damaged and is still able to return to the original shape.
Heat Deflection – For production of products that requires insulation or tolerance for a relatively wider range of temperature conditions, the heat deflection performance is of great importance.
Water Absorption – It measures how much liquid is taken by a material after 24 hours of immersion, usually measured in percentage.

Selection of Resin Materials for Custom Applications

If you choose the most appropriate material from the very beginning, you will not only save time and money, but also you will ensure the highest possible level of performance and manufacturability. To identify the ideal material choice, we suggest you research your options in a careful manner while consulting with a qualified plastic injection molding maker.

How to find a good injection mold maker in China?

March 10, 2020November 2, 2018 by Jackie

Let me ask you a question: how frequently do you look for an good injection mold maker? Most firms and project managers would reply “seldom”. The benefit is that once you have decided on an injection mold maker to work with, you will probably stay with it for quite a long period, provided that they are able to produce plastic parts with the desired quality.

In the following scenarios, you may need to look for an injection mold maker:

– A newly designed product of your firm requires injection molding

– An existing injection molded part of your firm has been redesigned by your engineers

– The current injection mold maker can no longer meet your requirements for high quality

– Your manufacturing location has changed

As a result, when you are looking for a new mold maker, how can you make sure that you select the right plastic injection mold maker for the job?

We have collected the FAQs and then offered replies to each of them. If you can review these questions before you visit an injection mold maker, you will probably get the information you need, so as to do a proper assessment.

The following are some samples :

Q: Does the plastic injection mold manufacturer possess a qualified in-house mold/tool design and making team?

A: There are several advantages if you partner with an injection mold maker who possesses the in-house capabilities to help carry out your project through from conception to completion.

– During the development process, design refinements are often made in the early stages. If you are able to work with a turnkey mold maker, the refinements can be made and reviewed within a shorter period of time.

– Through dedicated training, designers are able to create the best design for a project. They possess the required expertise to create the molds that will help produce the desired parts in the highest quantity and with the highest quality.

– Look for a plastic injection mold maker that employs the latest technologies in precision CNC and EDM.

Q: What is their product lineup and what are the specs (capabilities)?

A: The mold maker with a larger number of presses is able to cope with more projects within a given period of time, but they also have to have a wider range of machine sizes. The measurement of an injection molding machine is pressure or tonnage. A plastic injection molding machine is able to run from 40 to 4,000 tons. The larger the machine is, the larger mold it is able to accommodate. Yet, not all parts are able to run well on larger size machines. Your mold maker will help you identify the most appropriate machine on basis of the quantity and dimensions of the part, as well as the material selected.

Q: Will they guarantee the mold throughout the life of my project?

A: This question is of critical importance. When you are working in collaboration with the manufacturer who has engineered the mold for you, they should definitely offer guarantees. If you need to make a slight adjustment or repair to the mold, the mold maker should fulfill their due obligation.

It can be a tough task to find an appropriate mold maker for you company from the enormous plastic injection mold makers across the whole world. We have compiled this questions and answers in the hope to help you make a comparison between injection mold makers, so that you can choose the most appropriate one for your future projects.