08 October 2012

Plastic Injection Molding: A Primer

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 produced in this way are lightweight, chemically tolerant, sturdy and insulating. Perhaps that's why plastic services and products have generated such glowing recognition worldwide through the years and are fast replacing their metal counterparts.

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 investment levels for a plastic injection molding machine depends on its design, power use and capacity. These days, there are three chief types: electric, hydraulic and hybrid. Electric presses typically cost 10-20% more than hydraulic types, while hybrid models meld the best aspects of both. Hybrids, for example, possess the precision and energy-friendliness of an electric press, with the sheer power of a hydraulic model.

An "economy" plastic injection molding machine can vary anywhere from $5000 to $50,000, while larger machines can list for $375,000 to $400,000 or higher.

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.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...