Plastic injection molding is a versatile manufacturing process that produces various parts for different applications. Everything you see around you is either made using this method or consists of injection molded parts.
The primary goal of every manufacturer is to achieve the highest quality at the lowest possible cost, and injection molding offers that. It’s a mass-production process that produces thousands to millions of identical parts with high precision and speed. These rapid production capabilities significantly reduce the cost per unit for manufacturers and industries while saving time. Here are some benefits of injection molded plastics and their common examples.
Benefits of Injection Molding
- Design engineersand manufacturers can create complex molds for differently-shaped parts without sacrificing functionality or design tolerance.
- Molds are highly durable and can last for thousands of production cycles, reducing replacement and maintenance costs.
- Rapid production yields high efficiency and profitability for companies.
- Injection molding supports a wide range of applications, materials, and molding methods.
Common Injection Molded Objects
Plastic Bottles
People use several plastic bottles daily for different reasons, and most are made using injection molding. Refillable water bottles, shampoo bottles, cleaning products, etc., all come in a standard shape and size that require mass production. That’s why manufacturers use the injection molding method to produce precise and consistent plastic bottles.
They use plastic materials like PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) to create bottles because this material easily flows through molds. PET also produces strong yet lightweight products, ideal for daily-use bottles.
Lids and Caps
Lids and caps you find on jars, cans, bottles, or other containers are also made using plastic injection molding. Manufacturing these lids and caps is quite easy due to their simple design. Even the twisting mechanism on bottles and jars is created using molding techniques.
Due to the high demand for plastic caps and lids across industrial and commercial sectors, rapid, high-volume injection molding production is the preferred choice among manufacturers.
Computer Parts
Computers consist of many components, and some of them are made using injection molding. While plastic injection molding doesn’t have anything to do with major hardware and circuit boards, it produces other parts like laptop shells, keyboards, speaker housings, monitor bezels, etc. These components require high strength and durability to last longer, and the injection molding method is well-suited for them.
Medical Apparatuses
The healthcare industry relies heavily on injection-molded plastics. These plastics are lightweight, sanitary, easily replaceable, and versatile—therefore, this method is quite effective for medical purposes. Plastic containers, tools, syringes, medication trays, wall mounts, and disposable bins are some common examples. Besides medical facilities, devices and products you use at home (first aid kits) are also made from injection molding.
Automotive Components
The automotive industry requires identical parts in bulk, that too in a short period. These requirements make injection molding an ideal manufacturing method for mechanical engineers and designers. Automotive parts like dashboards, seats, media players, window controls, and even cup holders are made through injection molding.
Traditional injection molding only allowed the production of simple shapes with regular sizes. However, advanced mold techniques and creation offer effective ways to manufacture complex automotive components precisely.
Electronic Housings
Buildings use multiple electrical sockets and require frequent replacements. That’s why manufacturers have to cater to the massive demand for hundreds of thousands of identical products. Injection molding ensures that every socket has the right shape and size and is readily available. Things like electrical face plates and electronic housings for devices also use injection molding plastics.
Plastic plays a crucial role in mitigating electrical hazards because it acts as an insulator. Therefore, the outer casing of extension cords and other electrical outlets is covered with injection molded plastics. Other materials like steel or aluminium cause electrical hazards.
Electronic Switches
Besides circuit coverings, plastic is also used for electronic switches. The circuit breaker switches that control a building’s power or light switches on the wall use plastic. Manufacturers choose durable plastic materials with high electrical resistance for safety purposes.
Furnishings
While wood is still the major material used in furnishings, most modern furnishings have plastic features. Plastic is low-maintenance, durable, and affordable that allows manufacturers to produce low-cost furniture without compromising on the design and functionality.
Injection molding offers an easy way to create large molds for full-sized furniture or small complex molds for other intricate components that users can assemble at home. This method also allows manufacturers to maintain consistency of tolerance value for every production cycle and ensure durability.
Planting Pots and Tools
Plastic flower pots are a cost-effective alternative to terracotta plants. They offer stable space for plant growth while resisting damage from UV rays, high/low temperature, humidity, moisture, etc. Due to their high resistance, plastic pots last much longer than terracotta plants.
In addition, garden products and tools also use injection molding because it’s easier for manufacturers to create the desired shape and also leave drainage holes.
Toys
Toys need to be lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and durable so kids can play with them easily. Plastic injection molding offers all that and more— it creates toys in all shapes, colors, and sizes and fulfills precision requirements. For example, the building blocks in Lego require accuracy in the size and shape of each block, or else it would be impossible for the user to build something with them. Injection molding maintains accuracy and uses a straightforward method of producing them.
Even if the toys aren’t primarily made with the injection molding method, some of their parts use injection molded plastics.
Kitchenware
Injection molding works well for kitchenware as most of it is made using plastic materials. Plastic kitchenware is a cost-effective and durable alternative to traditional glass or ceramic products. Disposable products such as spoons, forks, cups, etc., are all made from this method.
Injection molded plastic is resistant to high temperatures and is easier to clean, making these products dishwasher and microwave safe.
At Connekt LLC, we offer customized plastic injection molding services in Green Valley, Auburn, and other parts of Northern California. We help bring your prototypes to life, ensuring high precision and premium quality. We also offer FEA consulting and rapid prototyping services. Contact us for details.
