Monday, October 29, 2012

Plastic Injection Molding: A Synopsis

By Keith Klamer


Plastic injection molding machines, are devices which form plastic products for both business and personal consumption. These machines shape plastic polymers such as epoxy and phenol, known as thermosetting, or polyethylene and polystyrene, known as thermoplastic forming. Plastic injection molding is a process which can make everything from cheap hair combs to high-end touchscreen consoles for the interior cabins of ultra-modern automobiles.

Sometimes referred to as "shot molding," plastic injection molding involves driving melted plastic into a mold cavity to form a product, then ejecting it once the plastic has cooled.

Plastic products molded in this way are lightweight, chemically-stable, durable and insulating. It's for these reasons that plastic products and services are held in such high regard around the world, and are over-taking metal parts in popularity.

Plastic injection molding was invented in 1872 by John Wesley Hyatt, an American. His plastic injection molding device was comprised of two basic elements: 1) a unit which opened and shut the mold, ejecting the rapidly-cooling product; and an injection unit which heated the plastic and shot it into the mold after the solid plastic melted. It's a concept that remains pretty much the same to this day.

The cost of a plastic injection molding machine depends on its design, power consumption and capacity. Today, there are three main designs: electric, hydraulic and hybrids. Electric shot molding devices typically cost 10- 20% greater than hydraulic presses, while hybrid injection molding machines combine the best of both. Hybrids possess the accuracy and energy-efficiency of an electric press with the pressure-generating power of a hydraulic model.

A "low-end" plastic injection machine can range anywhere from $5000 to $50,000, while bigger machines can run $375,000 to $400,000 or more.

Before you decide on the model that's right for you, ask what your real objective is. It's that kind of tough questioning which will make your decision crystal clear and clarify your thinking.




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