Plastic injection molding is one of the most widely used manufacturing processes for producing plastic parts and components. It's performed using raw resin materials alongside specialized molds. Both large- and small-scale manufacturers use this simplified technique to fabricate various complex components without sacrificing the accuracy of dimension and shape.
The importance of plastic components and devices in everyday products cannot be overstated. After all, they’re used in several industries, from medical equipment to consumer electronics. As a result, the global plastic market is projected to reach $810 billion by 2030.
Manufacturers of plastic parts tend to prefer plastic injection molding, as this process offers several advantages that make it suitable for mass production, to learn more check out the Complete Guide to Plastic Injection Molding.
Continue reading to learn about the numerous benefits of plastic injection molding.
Plastic injection molding is incredibly cost-effective compared to other techniques on the market. In addition, the incredible precision and predictability resulting from this method allow for a faster production cycle time.
Thanks to its efficiency, plastic injection molding is the go-to manufacturing technology among many old and emerging industry manufacturers. It’s particularly beneficial when used to produce plastic components in bulk and at scale. Another advantage of plastic injection molding in terms of improved efficiency is the ability to use automation and robotics arms on the production line.
Changes in design tend to cost manufacturers a small fortune, especially if they require drastic adjustments after the steel is cut for the injection mold. However, plastic injection molding offers much more design flexibility. Although ensuring your part design adheres to the injection molding principles for ideal manufacturing, an injection molder would need experienced mold designers to perform design for manufacturing (DFM) analysis.
Your parts' and components' consistency and quality can make or break your reputation as a trustworthy manufacturer. Plastic injection molding is excellent for ensuring your plastic parts meet the mandated quality standards.
You can upscale operations while maintaining the original design's exact measurements, dimensions, and details in all resulting pieces.
One prominent example of plastic injection molding is the manufacturing of a surgical device. An injection molder must meet the ISO 13485:2016 certified standard because of the delicate nature of their work on patients. Injection molding ensures that surgical instruments and tools won’t damage the human body but also helps with ease and efficiency for a surgeon to use comfortably. The same applies to several other industries, such as defense and pharmaceuticals.
Sustainability is a vital interest for manufacturers, both small and large. Not only is sustainability important for upholding your company’s environmental consciousness and lowering its carbon footprint, but it’s also essential from a business and financial standpoint — the less material you waste, the less money is going down the drain.
There are numerous advantages to using injection molding, from improved resource efficiency and minimization of waste material to a greater capacity of recyclability and reuse, both in-factory and alongside third-party recycling facilities of plastics and metals.
As for the plastic itself, you can reuse most scrap plastics from molding projects — depending on the industry and applications — in future projects or send them to recycling.
In a way, plastic injection molding is a best-of-both-worlds solution for manufacturers. Not only can you nurture and maintain a sustainable and environmentally friendly reputation, but you’ll also be able to do that while reducing business expenses and improving the quality of the final product.
Plastic injection molding provides several indispensable benefits, ranging from cost-effectiveness and production efficiency to design flexibility, consistency and quality of products, and production sustainability. By understanding the many advantages of plastic injection molding, you can make informed decisions regarding your company's use of this manufacturing process.
Crescent Industries is a U.S.-based, employee-owned plastic injection company offering integrated single-source solutions for all your plastic custom-molded components and devices.
Resources:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1060583/global-market-value-of-plastic https://www.forbes.com/sites/christophermarquis/2020/12/09/this-zero-waste-plastic-molding-manufacturer-saves-more-than-a-quarter-million-dollars-a-year-by-not-having-trash-bins/