When it comes to various production methods used in manufacturing, injection moulding is a common process that many companies use. For the uninitiated, it is the process of producing parts in large volumes by injecting molten material into a mould. Injection moulding can be completed using various materials, such as thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers, metals, glasses, elastomers, and confections.

There are several benefits of using plastic injection moulding in manufacturing, such as excellent repeatability, fast production time, and low cost due to high volume. In this blog, we will share with you the three major steps taken during the manufacturing process:

1. Product Design

At the concept stage, engineers will brainstorm, and design the product to meet their specific requirements. The objective of the product design stage is to confirm the aesthetics, functionality, manufacturability, or assembly, depending on what you are intending to produce. This initial design is usually accomplished using 3D computer-aided design (CAD) software.

The second design phase is the most crucial element of the design process and involves the expertise of the injection moulders technical team who will refine your design to ensure it can be manufactured successfully, delivering your quality specifications and control of costs. Tell us what you want your product to do and we will use our expertise in plastics injection moulding to advise you of the best solution.

2. Mould Design

Typically, moulds that are designed for injection manufacturing are made from various types of metals. The number of parts required and the materials to be used determines how the mould will be created. The following are the types of metals that are commonly utilised in this process:

• Pre-hardened steel: This material is less costly to be produced but doesn’t last as many cycles as other metal materials.
• Hardened steel: This material is the most expensive to use for mould, but it does last longer than other materials, which makes it ideal for manufacturing products in bulk.
• Beryllium-copper alloy: This material is best for areas of the mould that require quick heat removal or have concentrated shear heat.
• Aluminium: This material is widely used for a single cavity “Prototype Tooling,” where only a few parts are needed for testing.

3. Manufacturing Process

After the product and mould design stages where the product has become die-cast, it will then be ready for the actual manufacturing. Here’s what typically happens in this stage:

• The granular thermoplastic material is fed into a heating barrel through a hopper.
• The plastic is first heated at a certain temperature. It is then driven through the gate and into the mould through a large screw
• The screw stays as is to apply the right pressure for the required cooling time.
• The screw is withdrawn where the mould opens, and the part is ejected.

This cycle of part production will continue repeatedly until the volume required is manufactured. Cycle times will vary depending on the cooling time, size, and complexity of the part.

Injection moulding is highly beneficial in the manufacturing industry. A huge array of parts can be manufactured from a wide range of specialist plastics to suit your products requirements. From product to mould design through to final manufacturing, this efficient method of manufacture produces large volumes of parts in a relatively short timeframe.

We offer a wide range of services, such as plastic injection moulding, extrusion, and tool making. If you’re looking for a custom plastic injection moulding company in the UK, get in touch with us today to see how we can help!