Complex: Injection molding

Today we’re going to cover a manufacturing classic — Injection molding.

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This process involves in the process of melting plastic pellets, which are being fed through a hopper (a cubical version of a funnel) into a cylinder equipped with a heating-coil. A screw located inside the cylinder will transfer the pellets along the cylinder as they are heated into a gel form, which then being injected into a steel mold via it’s gate into the runner (which is the part that resemblance the contour of the desired part) Once the plastic part has been cooled off with water, the mold is open and the newly established part will be removed from the mold.

Recently they have also introduced WIT, or Water Injection Technology. This new technique allows an easier forming process when it comes to the compression of the melted plastic into the mold in terms of providing an additional pressure for the compression sequence (similar to how water is converted into steam to turn the turbines and power electric generator in a coal or a nuclear powered power plant).

Apart form the disadvantages of high investments and long run, Injection Molding is a completely automated process as it provides a range in different molding shapes.