Products Made From Injection Moulding

Products Made From Injection Moulding

Plastic products have become an integral part of our everyday life and have found place in each and every facet of our lives be it shopping, at home, at office driving a vehicle, electronics, white goods, etc, plastic products are present in one form or another.

These products are manufactured using different processes, among which the most predominant one is Plastic Precision Injection Moulding. prefer Injection Moulding over other processes due to its cost-effectiveness and reproducibility with high precision for high volume production. Let us see what products can be made by the Injection Moulding process.

Injection Moulding is used by a variety of industries to manufacture a variety of products which include toys, consumer packaging products such as Bottles, Containers, Pouches, Bags, Caps, etc.,surgical equipment industrial storage containers material handling systems, and even automotive dashboards, a range of automotive parts and spare parts. In fact the share of plastic products in a typical car / vehicle is growing at an exponentail rate and the day is not far wherein we may see a car made from complete plastics / compoiste materials. Many industries are dependent on Injection Moulding for small components used in the final products. A lot of products require details that are otherwise impossible to create by any other manufacturing process at a competitive price.

Following are the typical examples of component parts manufactured using Injection Moulding process.

1. Snap Fits: a stunning illustration of injection-moulded plastic products that is used to maintain the integrity of a design, or, in simpler words, a locking mechanism to assemble two separate parts into one perfect fit without using any type of fasteners. Injection Moulded snap fits are more flexible and can tolerate the rough handling of parts while assembling and disassembling with ease. Snap fits are designed in such a way that the parts can snap together easily and pull apart easily with a simple push or pull action.Typical examples are consumer electronic products which use snap fits.
   
   
2. Living Hinges: Tethered Bottle Caps are an innovative design that keeps the cap attached to the Bottle while using the contents of the bottle or tube. It lessens the possibility of losing the cap or forgetting to replace it, keeping the product from spoiling or becoming contaminated and makes it easier to recycle.. This design also makes it simpler to dispense the product without completely removing the cap. Injection Moulding is possibly the best and cost-effective way to make living hinges. While it is also the quickest way to manufacture the hinged caps, it also gives a finer finish to the final product. Plastic containers like tiffin boxes, stationery boxes, etc typically use hinges so that the lid is integrated with the container and elimiates the need for external hinges and assembly thereof.

3. Threads: Commonly observed on the neck of bottles, tubes, and plumbing units, threads are again exclusive examples. Manufacturers use Injection Moulding to make both internal and external threads on various types of components. This has greatlyimpacted the cost of plumbing components.
   
   
4. Press Fittings / Insert / Outsert Moulding: Insert / Outsert Moulded Compoents made using injection moulding process help guarantee a cost-effective way of timely, and clean assembling of parts. Molded-in inserts are created inside the moulded plastic parts that can hold the parts with excellent force and ensure a perfect fit.

Some of the commonly used products made using Injection Moulding

1. Caps / Closures: Injection Moulding is the process of choice for many manufacturers making caps / closures for bottles, tubes, containers, since it is a cost effective process and high precision method for mass production in a very short time. Whatever the type of cap such as cap and spout, cap with shoulder, or flip top cap, pull out spout type cap, Injection Moulding ensures design integrity without any variations. These are very helpful for packaging foods, liquid or viscous cosmetics, and personal care items, making the products easier to use.
   
   
2. Zippers and Sliders: Very innovative closure solutions for pouches and bags that raised the value of the product and improved customer experience. These are very simple to use and provide a high level of convenience while operating, ensuring the contents of the pouch are secure and always remain fresh. Plastic zippers and sliders are more popular in food packaging. Compared to metal zippers and other methods of sealing which are cumbersome and costly, injection moulding makes it possible to manufacture plastic zippers, sliders at significantly lower costs, thus lowering the overall manufacturing cost of the finished product and enhancing the customer experience and being competitive in the market place.
   
   
3. Casings : These casings are often made from plastic (due to cost reasons) and provide protection or used to organize items such as electronic equipment, machine tools, medical equipment, mobile phones, spectacles, etc. The cost of producing these housings using injection moulding is significantly lower than using any other process. The casings produced using Injection Moulding are very easy to assemble and convenient to use, provide a very good aesthetic finish, offer a variety of colors and finishes.
   

4. Electronic Parts: Another common example of Injection Moulded Plastic Products are electronic parts, light switches, computer parts, home appliances, knobs, adapters,sockets etc. Plastic parts are very resistant to the heat produced by the electronic equipment and thus improve its serviceable life span. Injection Moulded plastic parts have an efficient and uniform design, durable and of consistent quality. Moreover, they are cost-effective and can be produced in large quantities, making them ideal for the mass production of electronic devices. Additionally, plastic parts can be customized to fit specific design requirements and can be easily moulded into complex shapes and sizes. Typical examples seen are the modular switches used at our homes which have completely changed the look and feel of the switches used at home. Most of the industrial electrial products use a large variety of injection moulded plastic like MCB casings, Contactors. etc.
   
   
5. Vehicle Dashboards and other parts: Injection molding is used to produce various components for automobiles such as dashboard parts, door handles, steering wheels, and interior trim. Automotive parts require high precision and tolerances, which makes injection molding an ideal choice. Injection Moulding is the ideal method to manufacture these components due to the flexiblity offered by the proces which results in manufacturing of large products like complex dashboards It is crucial to adhere to the design norms for proper functioning of the parts incorporated in the dashboard while also maintaining the aesthetics, such as airbag frame, electronics panel, AC ventilators, and sub-instrument panel body. Injection Moulding ensures the design criteria are met with precision. Plastic Injection Moulding has numerous applications that have enabled many industries to use it as a primary manufacturing process for producing high-quality and complex plastic parts at a low cost.

Important industrial applications include:

Automotive

Injection molded plastic products help in enhancing the fuel efficiency and reduce the overall weight of the vehicle and improve its aerodynamics.The automotive industry uses injection molded plastic products for various applications such as air intake systems, interior components, under-the-hood components, and exterior parts. For example, the air intake system is a critical component of a vehicle that filters air and directs it to the engine. Injection molded plastic parts are extensively used in the air intake system as they excellent thermal and electrical insulation properties, increasing the efficiency of the Engine. Interior components from dashboard to door panels, the interior of the vehicle has a plethora of injection molded plastic parts. These plastic parts have several benefits first, they provide an excellent surface finish and superior quality. Secondly, the plastic parts are durable and long-lasting. Lastly, they are cost-effective and easy to produce in mass quantities.Under-the-hood components such as coolant tanks, engine covers, and oil pans are also made of injection molded plastic products.Finally, the exterior parts of a vehicle, such as bumpers and body panels, are also made of injection molded plastic products. The reason for using plastic parts for exterior applications is that they are lightweight, easy to produce, and can be painted to match the vehicle`s color.

Food and Beverage

Plastic materials are widely used in the food and beverage industry to make product packaging and containers like PET Bottles for the Beverage Industry, HDPE Blown Moulded Containers for the Edible Oil and Condiment segments, Injection Moulded Containers for food applications and Various types of Closures. Plastic injection moulding is an obvious choice which guarantees that various stringent safety specifications and requirements are met Another area where injection molding has made a significant impact is in the production of plastic utensils and cutlery items like forks, spoons, and knives.

Medical & Pharmaceuticals

Plastic injection moulding widely used to manufacture single use disposable syringes which has revolutionized the medical sector thus preventing infections reulting from multi use syringes. Another commonly used injection molded product in the medical sector is drug delivery devices. These injection molded devices are designed to deliver medications and drugs through different routes such as inhalation, transdermal, or oral routes. These devices are precisely engineered to ensure the accurate dose of medication is delivered to the patient. Medical implants such as dental implants, artificial hip joints, and pacemaker casings are also injection molded products. These implants are specifically designed and manufactured to meet patient-specific requirements, making them an essential part of modern medical treatment. Moreover, injection molded products like catheters, tubing, and connectors are necessary for the proper functioning of medical devices. These injection molded products are designed to maintain the hygiene and safety of medical equipment, making them an indispensable part of the healthcare industry.

Household Products

At our homes, right from Clocks, Calculators, Electronic devices like laptops, mobile phones, domestic appliances, Televisions, Furniture, there is no area left where one cannot find plastic products being used. To summarise Injection Moulded Plastic Products rule our lives at home in ways more than we can imagine and have bettered the lives of millions of human beings on our Planet.

Agriculture

Earlier, the agriculture industry was dependent mostly on metal-made components simply because they provided a durable solution. But today, with the advent of plastic industry, reinforced plastic options are available due to their unique characteristics like UV-resistance, impact-resistance, humidity resistance, and extreme environmental tolerance, making them a more viable choice. Plastic injection moulding has enabled the agriculture industry to produce a range of products that can withstand the tough conditions prevailing in outdoor farm Conditions. Typical examples are a range of products used in Drip Irrigation such as HDPE Pipes, Sprinklers, Laterals, Drippers, Misters, Polytubes, Foggers, Valves, etc which are typically manfactured using Injection Moulding and Extrusion Technologies.

Electronics

In the electronics sector, injection molded products can be classified into different types based on their specific applications. One such category is the housing products which provide a protective barrier to the internal of the device. These products need to be designed to guarantee the safety of the device from the external elements while making sure the product is visually appealing. The second type of product is the electrical and electronic component products. These products are used to enhance the electrical and mechanical properties of a particular device. For instance, the switches, buttons, knobs, and connectors need to be ergonomically designed to provide a tactile feel and efficient functionality. The third category of products is the lens and optical component products. These products are of utmost importance in devices such as cameras and sensors as they are for providing superior image quality and sensing capabilities. These products need to be made with precision to ensure their accurate function. Additionally, the injection molded products used in electronics have specific requirements for their material and tolerance levels. They need to be able to withstand high temperatures, UV radiation, and corrosive environments while maintaining their shape and size. In conclusion, injection molded products are a critical aspect of the electronics sector that enables the production of high-quality devices. The different types of injection molded products cater to specific purposes, and their design and functionality play an important role in the success of a device. The proper selection of materials, precise dimensions, and efficient production processes ensure that the end product meets the high standards of the electronics industry.