Did you know? Regular preventative maintenance of injection molding tools like mold cavities is important to effectively fulfill plastic injection molding demands. Hence, manufacturing plastic products using the mold cavity isn’t the end of your tasks as a machine operator. Instead, once you complete production work, maintaining the mold cavity is just as crucial as the manufacturing process. Besides, poorly maintained molds may produce parts that do not meet standards, resulting in increased downtime, waste of raw materials, and a negative impact on the bottom line.   Mold Cavity Maintenance Checklist: Below are the eight key practices to consider when upkeep molding cavities that you use for plastic injection manufacturing tasks:   Frequently Analyze Mold Cavity Condition: It is imperative to comprehensively inspect the injection molds before beginning a fresh manufacturing cycle. It is important to thoroughly inspect the surfaces of the injection molding die to ensur...

Manufacturers’ task is to produce products that serve a wide range of functional and aesthetic purposes, often turning to multi-material injection molding solutions-more specifically, insert injection molding and overmolding. Because these two processes have some similarities, they are generally considered interchangeable, but there are also some key differences. Understanding the basic differences between insert molding and overmolding will allow you to choose the most appropriate type of multi-material molding for your application.     1. Insert Injection Molding Insert injection molding is a process that requires an insert, usually metal, to be pre-placed in the tool to inject the plastic flow.   Plastic packaging inserts can create a molded plastic sheet, which is generally stronger than a plastic sheet created using secondary assembly.   Insert injection molding can be done by manual insert loading-for very small batch applications or extremely complex pa...

How the Hot Runner Systems Works The cold runner of a plastic injection mold refers to the section between the mold inlet and the gate. The molten plastic maintains its fluidity inside the runner by virtue of the injection pressure and its own heat. However, as a part of the molding material, the runner is not a product. As a result, when designing a mold, we need to consider not only the filling effects, but also the material-saving effect produced by shortening or downsizing the runner; but in actuality, it is not easy for us to have the best of both worlds. Types & Application of Hot Runners When applying the hot runner technology, the proper selection of gate type is of critical importance, because gate type directly determines the selection of hot runner components as well as manufacturing and application of molds. Therefore, the hot runner system can be classified into 3 types based on the gate type, i.e. (1) hot tip hot runner system, (2) sprue gating hot runner system and (...

The Runner Design Concept The runner refers to the melt flow passageway between the end of the main runner and the gate, which is used to change melt flow direction and allocate it to each cavity in a stable and balanced way. The basic design principle of the branch runner is little pressure/heat loss, with the minimum quantity of plastic retained in the runner. Sectional Shapes of the Branch Runner:   –Circular, with the minimum specific surface area (runner surface area/runner volume), but during production, both sides of the mold plate need to be aligned. –The commonly applied forms, trapezoid and U-shape are easy to process. –Semicircle. –Rectangle, larger specific surface area and high resistance to flow, thus seldom applied.   The Principle of the Runner Design The runner is usually designed on either half of the plastic injection mold. When considering the layout of the cavity and the branch runner, it is better to ensure that when projected on ...

What are Machining Tolerances?   Machining tolerances refer to the allowable variation in dimensions, shape, and position of a machined part from the intended design specifications. These tolerances are essential because it is nearly impossible to manufacture parts with absolute perfection. Tolerances are specified to ensure that the machined parts fit together, function properly, and meet the required performance standards. They are expressed as a range of acceptable values within which the dimensions and characteristics of the part must fall.   When it comes to milling tolerances and lathe tolerances, precision is key in achieving accurate and flawless results. Understanding the CNC machining tolerance chart and adhering to tight tolerance machining practices are vital for ensuring high-quality outcomes. Tolerance in machine design, along with compliance with CNC tolerance standards, ensures the proper fit and functionality of machined parts. High tolerance machining requir...

Injection molding is an efficient and effective production method that results in quality products. Nonetheless, you need to choose a reliable injection molding partner if you are aiming to gain a competitive edge in the market.    With a reliable injection molding partner, you will be able to cut costs, get better quality products, and have efficiency in the supply chain. Additionally, the partner can help with the myriad choices, options, and challenges that you might be facing.    While the process of choosing an injection molding partner is not as easy, you can focus on a partner based on their technology, customer service, quality control, and sustainability prowess. In this article, we will explore the top 10 injection molding companies.    1. ProtoLabs Year Of Establishment: 1999 Certificates: ISO 9001:2015, ITAR Registered, Critical to Quality Inspections   Website: https://www.protolabs.com/    Protolabs, Inc Founded in 1999 by Larr...