Factors to consider when planning your custom plastic molding project

When planning a Projects involving custom plastic injection molding. You must be as specific as possible as you convey your project to the manufacturer in order to get an accurate quote and a reasonable timeline. It helps to have as much information upfront as possible. As you plan your plastic molding project, here are a few factors to consider and to discuss with your manufacturing team:

Cost Limitations

The cost of your project can vary depending on how much homework you’ve done, among other factors. Here are a few examples of cost considerations you should make well in advance:

• Design: Has your project already been designed? If so, have you already created a prototype? If no prototype, do you have your design in digital format or paper? The more production-ready you are when you approach the manufacturer, the more likely you are to have a lower cost.
• Material: Do you have a specific material in mind for your project? If you are trying to keep expenses as low as possible, let the manufacturer know that you are willing to use the lowest cost polymer capable of producing a quality product. More on that below.
• Color and texture: Both of these elements can influence cost. Color, for example, can get costly if you’re expecting a product with a glossy finish. The level of texture detail can also drive up prices, although you have multiple options to keep costs down.

What Material to Use

When determining the material to use, you have to consider both preference and necessity. You can’t always opt for the cheaper option because of the risk of damage either during production or after you’ve received the product. A product that cracks or must be recalled later on can cost your company a huge amount of money — especially when compared with the cost of using the higher quality material in the first place. Plus, don’t forget about your brand’s reputation.

Thorough testing for maximum service temperature, maximum stress and environmental effects ahead of time can help you avoid potentially costly errors. Your manufacturer can help you with each of these, so it’s important to give them that freedom rather than relying solely on datasheets.

Size of Production Run

Naturally, the larger the production run, the more you will pay for material costs. However, larger production runs can save you in the end, as the reduced cost to manufacture in bulk can negate the cost of materials. Speak with your manufacturer to determine when it makes sense to up the size of your production.

Production Speed

How quickly do you need your product? As with any manufacturing process, plastic molding has its time constraints based on the size of the production run, the level of detail and the quality of the end product.

Be upfront about your expectations, and let the manufacturer know how much wiggle room you have. Your manufacturer might be able to suggest a more efficient process or one that can significantly increase the quality.

Jingwei industry has served the injection molding industry for over 15 years and has a team dedicated to providing you with the most cost effective solutions for design and manufacturing custom injection mold.Please visit us at :jweimolding.com or contact us via info@jweimolding.com.

03/01/2017

The Importance of Thermoplastic Materials To Plastic Product Manufacturing

The Importance of Thermoplastics To Product Development & Material Efficiency：When it comes to plastic prototype development or plastic product manufacturing, it is useful to understand which material to use. Typically, there are two types of plastic materials: thermoplastic and thermosetting resin.

To make a long story short, thermoplastic materials can be melted, cured (cooled down such that they become solid), melted again, cured again, and so forth. There is a limit to the number of times this process can be repeated depending on the particulars of the given material but the point is that thermoplastic materials can be melted multiple times without significantly degrading the material.

Thermoset materials, by contrast can only be melted once. After a thermoset material cures, attempting to heat it again to its melting point would cause it to burn (rather than melt) the material. It is useful to think of a 2-part epoxy when trying to understand thermoset plastics. An epoxy, like a thermoset material, is liquid prior to setting. Once the resin dries, however, it is not possible to melt it again.

When it comes to plastic injection molding, it is easy to misjudge the importance of thermoplastic and thermosetting materials. By the way, both thermoplastic and thermosetting materials can be injection molded. The major difference, when using a thermoplastic or thermosetting material, applies after the injection molding cycle when the molded plastic solidifies. During the molding process, plastic is heated and injected into a metal mold. To get to the cavity of the metal mold, however, the molten plastic first needs to pass through an array of entry points and tunnels known as sprues, runners, and gates. The plastic cools within the mold cavity as well as inside the channels that lead to the mold cavity. The plastic that solidifies inside the channels is not the component or part of the final product. It is just a waste.

Now, what happens to the “waste” during plastic injection molding?

Thermoplastic Materials

If a thermoplastic material were used for injection molding, the waste could be recycled and used again. The solid plastic left within the sprues, runners and gates can be combined with the raw material that goes into the injection molding machine. The same thing can happen with the material from rejected plastic parts. All the waste plastic can be collected and recycled back to the onset of the process. This all sums up into higher efficiency, and eventually means, lower costs of the final product and better margin for the producer.

Thermosetting Materials

If a thermosetting material were used for injection molding, the solid plastic from the sprues, runners, and gates is simply a waste, which has no practical use whatsoever. This means that the cost of the final product will be more.

To conclude, thermoplastic materials offer some major benefits to plastic product manufacturers, consumers, and even the society，as such materials are recyclable that we are more responsibly stewarding our natural resources. Indeed, when it comes to plastic prototype development or plastic product manufacturing, the manufacturer should choose and use thermoplastic materials.

Jingwei industry has served the injection molding industry for over 15 years and has a team dedicated to providing you with the most cost effective solutions for design and manufacturing injection mold.Please visit us at :jweimolding.com or contact us via info@jweimolding.com.