Introduction
Unlock the potential of prototyping with cutting-edge technologies! From CNC machining to 3D printing and injection molding, ADDMAN excels in all realms of innovation. However, if you’re seeking an unmatched combination of affordability and speed for your medium-batch or short-run production needs, look no further than quick-turn injection molding. At the forefront of our injection molding capabilities is our dedicated team at HARBEC, harnessing over 45 years of experience. Here, we explore the world of prototyping with injection molding, including its definition, process, and the numerous benefits it offers as a manufacturing option.
What is Injection Molding?
Injection molding is a manufacturing process that involves injecting molten material into a hollow mold. The material fills the mold completely, cools, and solidifies. Once hardened, the mold opens, and the finished part is ejected. The entire cycle can take just a few seconds or minutes, depending on the part complexity and material used. Each cycle produces a fully functional unit of the designed part.
How the Process Works
Quick-turn injection molding follows the same principles as full-scale injection molding but with lower costs and stakes. Full-scale production typically utilizes hardened molds capable of producing over a million parts. In quick-turn injection molding, softer materials are used for the mold, which may last only a few hundred or thousand cycles before replacement. Typically, a molding insert, such as a single-cavity insert, is created to fit into an existing tool setup, enabling fast mold changes for accelerated production.
Prototyping injection molds are less permanent, making them more affordable, easier to produce, and providing quicker turnaround times. To initiate the process, you provide a 3D model of your desired part, along with tolerance specifications and material characteristics, then the mold fabricator takes care of the rest.
Benefits of Using Injection Molding for Quick Turns or Prototyping
To understand the advantages of injection molding for prototyping projects, let’s review some key benefits:
- Material Options: Injection molding offers a wide range of material choices. This allows you to create prototypes that closely resemble the final version of the part, providing a more realistic representation of its performance.
- Medium Quantity Production or Prototype Runs: Injection molding is particularly advantageous for medium-sized production quantities, ranging from tens to thousands of parts. If you need 100 to 1,000 parts for testing, demonstration, or stakeholder presentations, quick-turn injection molding is an excellent choice. The produced parts are consistent in dimensions and functionality, and you can explore different materials and colors to determine the best fit for your needs.
- Real-World Testing: Introducing a new product to the market often involves multiple rounds of testing, including cyclic and stress testing. Injection molding produces production-grade parts in larger quantities, allowing you to thoroughly test the parts until they fail, providing valuable insights. Testing 3D-printed parts may yield inconclusive results or waste time.
- Cost-Effective: Injection molding is the go-to method for affordable mass production, and this cost advantage extends to the prototyping stage. By choosing injection molding, you can quickly and more affordably obtain 100 parts compared to other manufacturing options. As production scales up, the per-unit cost decreases significantly. While prototyping costs may not reach the same level as mass-produced parts, they are still more economical than CNC-machined parts in similar quantities.
- Reduced Risk: Prototyping injection molds often use softer materials, such as soft metals or hard plastics. This flexibility allows for iterative design changes as your product evolves. In contrast, full-scale production molds are made from hardened materials that are difficult to modify. By opting for injection molding in the prototyping phase, you can iterate and fine-tune your design before investing in the master mold, saving both time and money.
Check out this Case Study to learn more.
Designing for Injection Molding
Designing for injection molding is a critical phase in a product’s development program. It requires careful planning, consideration of thermoplastic rules, and expertise in injection molding. Even seemingly simple parts can require complex molds and analysis to be effectively produced in mass production. Replicating a part based on samples or scans without understanding the inner complexities of the mold can lead to issues. Proper cooling, ejection, and cam action are essential for a well-built mold. Variations in part-to-part production are normal, and defining expectations upfront is vital.
During the Design for Injection Molding (DFM) Phase, engineers examine various factors, including wall thickness and uniformity, required draft angles, thoughtful design of undercuts, ensuring structural integrity through the use of bosses or ribbing, and appropriate material selection. Transitioning from a single-cavity mold to a multi-cavity mold requires careful planning and consideration. While some design challenges may have been resolved in the single-cavity tools, transitioning to higher cavitation molds introduces new challenges, risks, and constraints that need to be addressed.
The design for the injection molding phase plays a critical role in ensuring the reliable operation of the mold. It involves thorough analysis, adherence to thermoplastic rules, and the expertise of experienced injection molders to create a mold that meets the requirements for successful mass production. By investing time and effort in the design phase, potentially avoided expenses, issues, and risks can be minimized, leading to a smoother production process and higher-quality end products.
Conclusion
Quick-turn injection molding offers a fast and cost-effective solution for prototyping and medium-batch production runs. With a wide range of material options, the ability to produce consistent and functional parts, and the opportunity for real-world testing, injection molding stands out as a reliable manufacturing method. Its cost-effectiveness and flexibility make it an excellent choice for efficiently bringing new products to market. If you’re considering injection molding for your prototyping requirements, don’t hesitate to connect with HARBEC. With HARBEC’s decades of unwavering dedication, you can expect superior strength, exceptional product durability, rapid production speeds, and the capability to meet any volume of production demands. Discover the difference that HARBEC brings to the table and embark on a journey toward success in your manufacturing endeavors.
Additional Resources:
3 Secrets to Lowering Injection Molding Part Costs Webinar