We have covered a few of the most common plastic manufacturing processes including processes like thermoforming. Every process has different pros and cons, and as a company you need to decide which system is best for your needs. Generally speaking, many of the pros and cons come down to cost vs quality and consistency over time. Today we will look at how aluminum die casting compares to injection molding in regards to pricing and materials used.

What Is Aluminum Die Casting 

Similar to injection molding, aluminum die casting starts with similar steps. Aluminum die casting involves creating an aluminum die in the form of the part you plan to create. Metal is then liquified and using extreme pressure it is injected into the die. The die is then cooled and the die is opened to reveal the finished product. The key difference between aluminum die casting and plastic injection molding is the material used. Aluminum die casting creates metal products whereas injection molding creates plastic products. 

Pros And Cons Of Using Aluminum Die Casting

Aluminum die casting provides metal components that have some benefits over plastic components created through injection molding. Aluminum die casting can create metal parts efficiently and to a high degree of accuracy. Also in some cases, metal has a high tolerance and greater durability than plastic pieces. However, the materials are much more expensive as well as labor costs. Over time those costs will add up with each run of the product. Metal pieces are good when absolutely needed and for smaller and shorter runs. 

Pros and Cons of Using Injection Molding

We have spoken at length on how injection molding provides value to manufacturers. Generally, injection molding allows for the consistent mass production of a plastic piece. By using metal molds, intricately designed pieces with complex geometry can be mass-produced again and again with little to no mistakes. Plastic resin is inexpensive compared to its metal counterparts and parts can be made quickly. As for durabilities, fillers can be used in plastic molds to increase the strength of the final product. Plastic is also a more flexible material, both in its pliability and also the variety of advantages it can give a manufacturer. Plastic pieces can be fine-tuned based on specifications need for strength, durability, bend-ability, and other factors whereas metal cannot. Plastic production is also quicker than metal production and plastics do not rust or corrode. However, in certain circumstances, metal components are needed and aluminum die casting is the better option. 

Plastic Injection Molding in Massachusetts

Learn more about plastic injection molding and the best manufacturing process for plastic parts from Lee Plastics Inc. in Massachusetts. Our team would be happy to answer any of your questions on manufacturing plastic components or make a bid on your manufacturing project. Give us a call or contact us online to learn more. 

When it comes to manufacturing products there are many options. From 3D printing to thermoforming or custom injection molding. Every process has its pros and cons, and generally speaking the process you choose is best based on the requirements and specifications of your project. For this article, we will focus on the differences between thermoforming and custom injection molding for plastic components. 

What Is Thermoforming?

Thermoforming involves taking a sheet of plastic and heating it while it pressed against a female or male mold. A female mold would be a mold that is indented, whereas a male mold is a mold that protrudes. In either case, the plastic cools and is removed from the mold after it was heated. Both vacuum molding and pressure molding are popular types of thermoforming. Thermoforming is often the method chosen for small scale production and shorter production runs. When a product needs to be prototyped and does the same mold will not be used for multiple runs, thermoforming has advantages. 

Advantages of Thermoforming

Thermoforming’s chief advantage is that it requires a lower tooling cost than custom injection molding. Thermoforming is often used for quick runs and prototyping since molds are less expensive than the molds and tooling used for custom injection molding. 

Disadvantages of Thermoforming

Thermoforming cannot handle intricate designs to the degree that injection molding can. Thermoforming is not as efficient as custom injection molding. Although the molds are less expensive, there is more waste in thermoforming than custom injection molding. Thermoforming is also not ideal for multiple runs or large production quantities. 

What Is Injection Molding?

Injection molding is the process of injecting heated molten plastic into a stainless steel or another metal mold. The plastic then cools and is extracted from the mold. This process is perfect for large production quantities as the molds can be used again and again without error. Molds are durable and last long term. Injection molding provides high-quality consistent results for even the most detailed designs. 

Advantages of Injection Molding

The chief advantage of injection molding is that it can be used for mass production for multiple runs. A mold is an investment. And although the tooling for injection molding is more expensive, that investment pays off over time. There is a higher degree of quality in injection molding than almost any other system. 

Disadvantages of Injection Molding

The molds used for injection molding are an investment for a reason. Because molds are made from stainless steel it is not cost-effective to use injection molding when a part’s shape and design is not finalized. This is why some injection molding companies provide design support upfront. This way companies do not need to worry about making a mistake in their design that would require them to replace their mold. 

Custom Injection Molding Company in the Northeast

Lee Plastics Inc is an industry leader for custom injection molding. If you have a project that requires efficiency, high quality, and great customer service, we would like to make a bid. Contact us online to learn more about our services and capabilities. 

If you are interested in getting plastic parts manufactured on a large scale, you are probably interested in understanding all of the cost factors involved. Obviously, with any manufacturing project, there will be many different factors that influence pricing, so it is not possible to create a blanket statement for how much a manufacturing job would cost. Every part is unique, the processes needed to create the part, the timeline of the project, and other factors will greatly change how much you can expect to pay. That is why it is always recommended to find a plastic manufacturer and get a quote or bid on your job. But even before that, there are a few things to know about what increases the cost of manufacturing your plastic part.

The Cost Of Creating A Plastic Injection Mold

Injection molds are the highest upfront cost in injection molding. A uniquely designed custom mold is the most expensive component of the process, (unless you intend to buy your own plastic manufacturing machinery), which is why your mold is an important investment.

• Materials Used: Molds are made from steel and the type of metal used influences prices. Generally, cheaper metal alloys are less durable and will shorten the lifetime of the mold. Many molds that are not made in the United States cut costs by lowering material grades which will save money in upfront costs but actually lose money in the long run. That said if you have a short run planned and do not need a highly durable mold that will last years, using aluminum as a core metal can greatly lower costs.
• Complexity: Another aspect that will affect mold pricing is the complexity of the parts. The more cavities that are needed in a mold the higher the price will be to make the mold. And the more intricate details required will also raise prices. Simple parts with simplistic geometry easily translate into molds, while complex pieces do not.
• Cavities: More cavities require more tooling. In the past, some manufacturers recommended family molds. A family mold was designed to increase the value of a mold by creating one mold that had cavities for multiple parts. Generally speaking, for the longevity and durability of a mold, molds should be designed on a 1 to 1 ratio with parts. Family molds tend to produce inferior products and also cause frequent maintenance issues.

Other Costs in Plastic Manufacturing

When it comes to injection molding there are a few other costs to consider. Many manufacturers offer a few extra value-adding services like hot stamping or adhesive backing. These processes will add to cost but also add to the functionality of your parts. Beyond that, delivery schedule and engineering support can both increase costs for plastic manufacturing.

Contact Lee Plastics Inc.

Want to know what your project would cost, give us a call. We would be happy to make a bid or give you a free quote for your plastic parts job.

Plastics are everywhere, from toys children play with computer components to important medical devices. But have you ever wondered how millions of tiny plastic parts are made? Well, there are dozens of different processes and machinery available to create plastic pieces, but it all begins with a custom plastic manufacturer. Over the last few decades, the plastic industry has continued to grow and evolve to allow for more customizability and stronger plastics. At Lee Plastics we provide injection molding services to create our plastic components. There are many steps in the injection molding process, but regardless of the process you use, it all begins with prototyping.

Prototyping New Plastic Parts

The first key step to any plastic part is designing and prototyping. This can be done with any plastic manufacturing process. Some companies will even 3D print their prototypes before using injection molding or another process for mass production. One reason for this is creating a plastic mold can be very expensive, so multiple rounds of prototyping can cost a lot of money. However, with the advent of digital technologies like mold flow analysis, entire rounds of the prototyping process can be skipped by using digital tools to predict and recommend necessary structural improvements.

What Is Injection Molding

Injection molding involves injecting molten thermoplastic resin into molds made of metal. The plastic then cools and separates from the mold creating the part. Molds can be used hundreds of times to create large amounts of plastic components. The benefit of this system is that it is easy and relatively inexpensive to create large quantities of identical parts. Molds also eliminate the risk of irregularities. In order to use injection molding, a manufacturer has to follow the following steps.

• Mold Design: Molds are designed based on the shape of the plastic component. Molds are designed to optimize space so they are produced at the lowest price point. In order to do this, molds will be designed digitally before being developed.
• Plastic Extrusion: Small plastic pellets are melted and pulled through a heated area using a screwlike device.
• Molding: The liquid plastic is then brought into the mold. A plastic mold may have intricate shaping based on the shape of the plastic piece. Some molds require inserts to be placed robotically or by hand to shape the plastic.
• Cooling: The plastic cools over time and once solid it is ejected from the mold either by using compressed air or a mechanical device.
• Processing: If any irregularities occur pieces are cleaned of any flash or other protrusions. Otherwise, the pieces are removed if the protrusions cannot be easily fixed.

From start to finish this process takes 2 to 4 months to develop molds, but once developed, pieces can be easily created in a matter of a few hours.

Work With Lee Plastics

Lee Plastics is a New England leader in Injection Molding. Our team can mass produce any needed plastic components and provides a variety of value-adding services. Contact us to learn more.

Whether it is sports, medical services, or plastic molding every industry has its jargon. And if you are new to plastic molding or manufacturing it helps to know what each of these words means and how they relate to the manufacturing process. Even if you do not have much connection to custom injection molding, if your company relies on plastic parts, understanding these core concepts will help you communicate.

Resin

Resin is the core component of all plastic parts. Resin is the material that is shaped and molded into a plastic part. There are literally hundreds of different engineering resins on the market that have different features and prices. Working with a plastic manufacturer, you will be able to get recommendations on what resins are best for your part’s needs and budget.

Mold & Mold Cavity

Molds are often made from stainless steel and they have resin injected into them to form the plastic part. Molds are most commonly used for mass production of a plastic part, and once a mold design is settled on it can be used over and over again. Custom molds can be expensive which is why it is important to settle on a design before developing molds. Mold cavities refer to the hole in the mold that is used to shape the plastic parts. Parts with more intricate designs need more mold cavities which makes molds more expensive. Experienced plastic manufacturers will work to maximize your mold design to get the shape and detail that your design needs with optimized mold intricacy.

Family Molds

A family mold is a single mold that can be used to create different parts. A family mold consists of one large piece of stainless steel with multiple individual mold cavities. In theory, a family mold is designed to save money. Instead of one mold for each part, a family mold can be used to multiple parts. However, family molds will sacrifice quality which is why not every manufacturer recommends them.

Flash or Burrs

Flash or burrs are imperfections on a plastic part that appears as thin protrusions. This is caused when excess resin escapes a mold cavity. This could happen because of too much injection speed or pressure, which has an easy solution. However, most commonly flash is caused by poorly designed or degraded molds that no longer work. The best solution is retooling or redesign.

Wall Thickness

A mold’s wall thickness has a significant impact on the cost. Generally the thinner walls a mold has the less money a mold will cost to build. Uniform wall thickness is also preferred because it allows for the resin to flow easier and increase the quality of a product.

Questions About Plastic Molding?

If you have questions about plastic molding. Contact Lee Plastics Inc. We would be happy to discuss our process in greater detail.

Plastic manufacturing serves in many different industries. There are thousands of companies that rely on plastic manufactures delivering high-quality plastic parts on a regular basis to their location. That is why partnering with the right manufacturer is so extremely important. Obviously, you want to work with a company that respects your business, your delivery schedule, and makes getting parts easy and convenient for you and your plant. But when should you consider hiring a different plastic manufacturer. For many companies the most important factor in their partnership is the cost of the project, however, high or exponentially rising costs is not the only reason to reconsider your plastic manufacturing contract.

Project Timeline

One of the key factors to a successful relationship between your business and an injection molding company is their project timeline. As the old saying goes; time is money. And you want to save money by having parts shipped to you as often as possible. You do not want to work with a manufacturer who does not respect your schedule and is not working to make sure your delivery schedule is met. If your manufacturer is consistently late on deliveries, makes excuses, and just generally does not respect your delivery schedule that is a red flag. A good manufacturer not only manages their project load carefully, but they also offer multiple delivery timing options to make sure their clients get what they need.

Plastic Part Quality

The most important factor in plastic manufacturing is the quality of the plastic parts. If quality is lacking or if pieces are no longer being sent with the same high quality that you started with at the beginning of your contract it may be time to consider a new manufacturer. Not only should plastic manufacturers consistently provide you high-quality plastic parts, but they should look for areas to improve their molds and tooling to improve your parts even further. Great manufacturers have a vested interest in working with their business partners and helping them improve their products over time.

Other Services

Is your manufacturer only doing the bare minimum? One of the benefits of working with a good plastic parts manufacturer is getting engineering support, mold flow analysis, and other extra services for your plastic project. Getting engineering support can save you money in the long run as well as save your manufacturer supplies and time on maintenance. That is why professional plastic part designers provide optimization support for parts.

Contact Lee Plastics Inc

If you are looking for a plastic manufacturer that works hard and is dedicated to providing consistent quality and customer support contact our sales team at Lee Plastics. We would be happy to bid on your plastic project and design a plan that works for you.

When it comes to designing parts, plastic injection molding provides many benefits. Overall, plastic injection molding consistently provides higher quality plastic parts at an affordable cost. There are many benefits to using plastic injection molding technology or utilizing a plant that provides custom molding services. That is why we have compiled this list of eight of the most substantial benefits that companies can expect when using injection molding.

Making Plastic Parts with Complex Geometry & Detail Orientation

When utilizing the right tooling, injection molding can produce thousands of plastic pieces with a high level of attention to minuscule details and complex geometric shapes.

Producing Stronger Plastic Parts

Over the last few decades, research into designing lightweight plastic parts that have higher levels of durability has continued to provide greater results. Modern plastic can withstand more stress than earlier counterparts, giving companies more options when designing their products.

Producing Flexible Plastic Parts

Plastic injection molding also allows for more flexible plastics. Working with a plastic manufacturer allows a company to have complete freedom in part design and create parts that meet their product’s needed specifications for both strength and flexibility.

Saving Money on Plastic Parts

Custom injection molding allows companies to save money when mass producing plastic parts. Not only can companies save money through part consolidation but the molding process allows for a design to be fully optimized before it is mass produced. Once a design is optimized it may require less material and companies can save money on replacing tooling further down the line.

Precious Plastic Molding

Plastic injection molding is designed for precision. The best equipment can make designs with less than a 0.001-inch room for error. For companies with intricate parts that need to be made precisely, again and again, utilizing plastic injection molding techniques will deliver the best quality.

Producing Plastic Parts Quicker

Plastic Injection Molding is a learning process. After a few batches, machines and tooling can be calibrated, and pieces can be manufactured and delivered at a faster rate, giving companies a more comprehensive delivery schedule.

Produce Higher Outputs of Plastic Pieces

If you need one large run of plastic pieces, plastic injection molding will garner the best results. The injection molding process is designed to make hundreds of plastic components quickly and effectively.

Color Design Elements

Using plastic injection molding, you can choose any color from transparent to black. Plastic molding companies have a plethora of design options that they can deliver on.

Contact Lee Plastics Inc.

If you have a parts project that could benefit from plastic injection molding, contact Lee Plastics Inc. We would be happy to make a bid for your parts project.