How can you benefit from small batch plastic molding?

When we think of plastic molding, we first think of injection molding, and about 80% of plastic products in daily life are injection molded. Injection molding is the use of injection molding machine, combined with the use of aluminum mold or steel mold for production, the mold is composed of a core and a cavity. The injection molding machine heats the resin raw material until it melts, uses pressure to inject the molten plastic material into the cavity of the mold, then the core and cavity separate, and the product is ejected from the mold.
The resin pellets are loaded into barrels, then they are finally melted, compressed and injected into the runner system of the mold. The hot resin is injected through the gate into the mold cavity and the part is molded. Thimble helps to move the part out of the mold and into the charging silo. Also known as rapid injection molding, prototype injection molding, or bridge tooling, it provides a better option for customers who need to mold parts in small batches. Not only can it produce hundreds of production-grade plastic parts close to the final product for validation testing, but it can also produce end-use parts on demand.
Here are a few other more common plastic molding methods that we hope will help you choose the right molding method for your project.
Hot press forming
Hot press forming is a kind of vacuum forming, plastic plates or sheets are placed on the die-casting mold, and the plastic material is extended on the surface of the mold by heating and softening the material, while using vacuum pressure to form it. This molding method uses relatively simple molds and equipment, and is usually used to create thin-walled, hollow plastic samples. In industrial use, it is usually used to produce plastic cups, lids, boxes, and opening and closing packaging, and thicker plates are also used to manufacture automotive body parts. Only thermoplastic materials can be used for thermoforming.
Reaction Injection Molding (RIM)
Reaction injection molding is often used in the automotive industry because it produces products that are lightweight but have a hard surface, and can be painted into body parts, dashboards or other components. This molding method can only process thermosetting raw materials. The thermosetting plastic raw material undergoes a chemical reaction in the mold, stretches like foam, fills the entire mold cavity, and after the chemical reaction is over, the plastic solidifies into a finished product.
Blow molding
Also known as hollow molding, it is a manufacturing process that forms hollow plastic parts. In general, there are three main blow molding methods: extrusion blow molding, injection blow molding, and injection stretch blow molding. The blow molding process begins with melting the plastic and forming it into a parison, or in the case of injection and injection of stretch blow molded (ISB) preforms. A parison is a tubular plastic piece with a hole at one end through which compressed air can pass. It is a molding method that uses gas pressure to inflate thermoplastics closed in molds into hollow products, and is used to manufacture hollow products.
Advantages of low-volume plastic molding
1. Cheaper mold cost
2. Accelerate product launch
3. Reduce investment risk

Choose the right injection molding partner and benefit from small batch production
Thermoplastic injection molding is the standard process. More knowledge, skills and expertise, as well as appropriate equipment and tools. There are many important elements that need to be monitored in real time, including temperature, pressure, material flow rate, clamping force, cooling time and rate, material moisture content and fill time, and the correlation of part characteristics with key molding variables. Design and manufacturing from the initial tool part to the production of the final product involves a range of knowledge, and this process is the culmination of years of experience by highly trained skilled engineers and mechanics.