You’re starting on your new idea that will fit a niche in your industry. You have a timeline put down on paper, a complete schedule of when designs end, when tools can begin, and when final production should be ready to ship out. You’ve already started your patent paperwork as well. The one question you…
If you’re familiar with injection molding, you can envision the molding machine running. It opens, ejects a formed part, closes the mold, then makes another part. I bet you’re seeing the mold open horizontally, parallel to the floor. If you see that in your mind, you’re only seeing half of the potential picture. Injection molding…
When it comes to injection molding, there are many ways to lower injection molding costs that can be monitored with a strategic plan and a good quality system. That starts with a good injection mold design, through the daily operations of the molding process, adding in secondary manufacturing, and logistical shipping to the customer. …
A prospective new customer comes to you with an idea and asks that you design the injection mold for their new injection molded part. After going through a big discussion on the function of the part for their end-user, what resin they may need to ensure quality and durability, and the surface finish they need…
Injection mold maintenance is a key step in increasing the longevity of the mold and ensuring good product is created. It’s more than just cleaning and repairs. The process says a lot about your strategy for business, and the quality program your company has in place. If you want to ensure smooth operations and future…
The development of engineered resins over the last decade has brought new opportunities for plastic injection molding to become a dominant manufacturing process for many industries. Every year plastic injection molding becomes more complicated with designs that were not possible previously. New resin formulations are developed every year to increase strength, decrease weight, and add…
In the world of resins and injection molding, there are thousands of options available. Some resins offer strength, thermal stability and chemical resistance, and yet others offer electrical resistance and ease of printing. Perusing several online databases, such as the UL Prospector (formerly IDES), MAT Web, and The British Plastics Federation, can offer a starting point, but…
You’ve probably seen or heard the word ‘quality’ used in slogans and advertising over and over again. “Quality is Job 1” is one that comes to mind pretty quickly. The question isn’t if quality control is important, but really what does using the term ‘quality control’ mean? It starts with the specifications, and then the…
There is no doubt that the forecasts and expected trends for 2020 were upended in the first quarter of the year. We’ve been in the plastic injection molding business for nearly 30 years, and our expectations for 2020 didn’t go exactly as planned. We expected recycling to become a big issue, and it did. We…
2020 has been a tough year all around. Layoffs, businesses closing, and plenty of bad news in the headlines. The economy has seen a shift with customer demand in many industries. Many businesses are bringing their manufacturing back into the United States, which means that skilled employees are needed to increase capacity and output. With…