Advances in the development of new and improved polymers have led many engineers and product designers to re-think their use of more traditional materials in the manufacturing process.Parts once thought of as impossible to create using plastic, are now being designed with polymers at a higher rate than ever before.
Plastics have historically offered many advantages over other materials, particularly metal.Plastic parts are lighter and afford more design flexibility.They tend to be less expensive than metals and need little if any finishing or additional assembly.And today's innovative polymers are developed with the environment in mind.Usingbio-based solutionsand easily compostable materials, the goal is to leave as little impact on the planet as possible.
Our eBook "An Introduction to Plastic Injection Molding" will give you everything you need to know to get started. We developed this eBook with designers, engineers and purchasing specialists in mind. It is written to provide a basic understanding of plastic injection molding presses, processes and costs. Our goal is to make our customers and readers more knowledgeable about what goes into making a plastic part.You candownload your copy of the free PDF here.
This article was written by the Vinyl Division of Teknor Apex and originally appeared in the Teknor Apex, Pellets2Parts blog on August 2014.
REACHstands forRegistration,Evaluation,Authorization and restriction ofChemicals and it took effect on June 1, 2007.It is a regulation of the European Union (EU) and it establishes the procedures for collecting and assessing information on the properties and hazards of substances!it is a system for controlling chemicals in the EU.Any company can be affected by REACH so it is important to understand where your company fits in the supply chain – this will determine what you have to do and when you have to do it.Under REACH, companies play one of four roles: manufacturer of chemicals!importers buying from outside the EU!downstream users using chemicals within the EU!and those companies outside the EU doing business with importers.To comply with the regulation, companies must identify and manage the substances they manufacture and market in the EU.
There are four key factors that go into making a high-quality plastic injection molded part: part design, tool building, material selection and manufacturing.
In this article, we will start at the beginning of the process, with the part design.
The process ofis designed to produce precision parts at a low cost. The part design must be developed to maximize the efficiency inherent in high-volume molding. With the right design, parts can be made consistently and with quality. Without a good design, costly processing mistakes can be made.
How do you achieve just the right shade of grey in yourplastic part? It's all in the masterbatch. A masterbatch is a concentrated mixture of pigments and/or additives encapsulated during a heat process into a carrier resin*.The resulting product is used to color raw polymer materials and provide other desired characteristics to the final part such as UV light resistance, flame retardants, slip agents and anti-stat agents.
We all know the importance color plays in our lives. And for manufacturers, getting the color right is an integral part of product quality. Unlike metal or other base materials, plastics lend themselves to a wide array of colors and additives. They are used in everything from bottle caps to medical devices. Each plastic application requires specific properties from the chosen polymer.
In today's world, the green movement is more important than ever.No matter what the industry, it's a company's responsibility to make changes and choices that support the environment.When you're looking for a plastic injection molding company, there are several things you can check for to be sure you'll be working with an environmentally responsible business.
Certification
ISO 9001 Certification is a way for companies to keep a close eye on their production processes.Meeting the International Standards for Quality Management ensures the company has been thoroughly audited and is fully in control of its' procedures so that no part of the production process "slips through the cracks."
Waste Reduction
Make sure the company you work with is minimizing waste.During the molding process, excess plastic is generated.What does the company you work with do with it?Look for a company that has a system to recycle all excess plastic.
What about boxes?The efforts of cardboard recycling make a huge difference.AtRodon,we conserve 150 tons of cardboard per year, enough to fill 3000 cubic yards of landfill space or 3 football fields about a foot deep! Using servo robots to incrementally stack parts, we reduce part distortion while tripling or quadrupling the number of parts packed into the same size carton.Rodon's customers are also offered a returnable/reusable packaging program to further reduce cardboard use
The Rodon Group was busy in 2014 providing information to help companies make better decisions about their plastic manufacturing.With nearly 80 articles on our blog post, we covered a lot of territory.
So, we thought we would take a moment to highlight our top sellers!the articles that got the greatest response from our readers.
Like anything in life, there are degrees of perfection.This is true in plastic injection molding. Some molders specialize in lower volume parts that don't require a high level of detail or precision. This type of manufacturing may be suitable as some projects don't require a perfect part based on the application.
Take disposable cutlery for instance. Because of its "use and toss" status in this world, plastic knives and forks don't need to maintain a high level of perfection. They can have a bit of flash around the perimeter, and no one gives it a second thought.
When purchasinginjection molded parts, it is important to understand some of the common but scary problems and defects that impact product quality. Being familiar with these imperfections and their causes can help you work with injection molders to insure the highest quality part production is achieved.
