Plastics shaped through the process of injection molding in order to make customized plastic parts are called custom injection molded plastics. Not only is the process of injection molding widely used, but the demand for custom injection molded plastics is high in an increasingly customized industrial world.
The process of injection molding begins with an injection molding machine. The machine first receives resin through a hopper. For colored plastics, colorants are usually added directly after the hopper. Through what is called a feed throat, the resins enter the injection barrel where the resin is heated to the preset melting temperature. From there, the liquid resin is into the custom mold for the particular job by a ram injector or reciprocating screw. The molds are held together by either hydraulic or mechanical force, and are cooled continuously so as to allow the resin to solidify to plastic and be cool to the touch.
The entire process results in finished parts known as custom injection molded plastics. These custom pieces are used by many industries including agricultural, medical, electrical, and aerospace to name just a few. Products range from custom syringes, electric insulator components, and component housings to specialized conduit. Because custom injection molded plastics can be made so rapidly and to even the most stringent specifications, the pieces are in high demand. Also, because of the streamlined process, injection molding is lower in cost than other methods of molding plastics.
Custom injection molded plastics give companies a competitive edge. By giving companies flexible logistics and reduced time to market, they can save money with custom injection molded plastics. The process of injection molding, as opposed to rotational or blow molding is conducive to customization and so the cost for a custom piece is not as high as in other industries, making these customized pieces a great value to most any industry making use of plastic components.
