Injection moulding complex plastic parts
16 November 2020
With the development of metal 3D printing the complexity of moulds is now virtually unlimited, which means the plastic moulding of intricate plastic components is on the increase.
Multi-cavity moulds can boost production and cycle times
Understanding the possibilities when designing for plastic injection moulding is largely limited by the moulding tooling. The mould tooling is a critical factor when dealing with complex plastic components. The dimensioning and location of the sprue gates, dimensioning of shear edges, flow aids, cooling and ejector techniques, etc, is probably jargon you don't want or need to know. So here's the simple explanation
- 3D printed tooling can create almost any shape for the component needing to be plastic moulded
- 3D printed tooling improvement of mould design adds more potential functionality to the end product
- 3D printing can also provide intricate cooling channels which mean the tooling can be heated and cooled rapidly
- This heating and cooling is called the cycle time and is a key aspect in pricing
- More cycles per hour the better the productivity and more cost effective the plastic part
Shorten the mould manufacturing cycle and lower manufacturing costs
Injection moulds get more sophisticated as it can provide cooling channels which means moulds can be more intricate whilst cooling is more efficient to optimise cycle times and therefore lower unit costs.
Which means a complex plastic part could give your plastic component an edge
Whether you're looking for a unique shape, custom styling or to create a more robust single part product rather than a multi-part plastic components assembly, we can help. Our development team are experts in working with brands to develop their products to enhance performance, aesthetics and improve the value proposition.