Common Challenges in Industrial Injection Molding and How to Overcome Them

Avoid Common Issues with Industrial Injection Molding

Industrial injection molding is a cost-effective way to quickly produce mass amounts of products. However, as with any manufacturing process, there are some common challenges that can get in the way of success. Below, we’re highlighting common challenges you might face with this manufacturing method and offering simple solutions to keep your project on track. Let’s dive in.

Challenges in Industrial Injection Molding

Material Selection and Compatibility

In order for your parts to be fully optimized, you must start with the right material. But, this process is not always straightforward and can be fraught with potential issues. It can be difficult to balance material properties with cost-effectiveness. At the same time, your material must be compatible with your mold and end-use requirements while maintaining minimal material shrinkage and warpage during cooling.

As you can see, there are a lot of things to consider when it comes to selecting your material. You can combat potential issues by conducting thorough material testing and analysis before production. Additionally, your chosen injection molding partner should put your selected material through simulation software to predict material behavior during molding. You can also ask your partner about specialty additives that you can use to enhance material properties.

All in all, it’s crucial to work with an experienced injection molding partner who can guide you to the right materials for your specific application.

Mold Design Challenges

The mold design can make or break production efficiency and part quality. Your chosen injection molding partner should design geometries that will maintain proper flow and cooling and balance part thickness to prevent defects like sink marks and warping. Additionally, the design team should incorporate proper venting to avoid air traps and burn marks. Lastly, they should optimize gate sizes/locations and runner systems for efficient material flow.

Injection mold design is a complex process and requires a team of people who know what they’re doing. Utilizing advanced CAD and mold flow analysis software, along with DFM principles, they can ensure your mold is set up for success.

Part Defects and Quality Issues

Even with careful material selection and mold design, various defects can still occur during the injection molding process. Your team should be able to address sink marks, flash, and short shots quickly to keep your production schedule on track. They should also be well-versed in maintaining consistent part quality across large production runs and managing variations in part dimensions due to material shrinkage.

Your injection molding partner should have robust quality control processes in place to ensure low downtimes. That’s why it’s so important to work with an experienced partner like Deluxe Plastics.

Work with Deluxe Plastics for Your Industrial Injection Molding Needs

The partner you choose to work with for your industrial injection molding needs matters. Deluxe Plastics offers start-to-finish injection molding support, with a team of experts and advanced capabilities to deliver high-quality plastic parts that match your precise specifications, budget, and timeline requirements.

For decades, we’ve delivered exceptional injection molding and secondary services to an array of industries, from the industrial sector to the medical industry, commercial goods, and more. Our expertise has been honed from the variety of projects we’ve taken on, and we have a deep understanding of how to transform a complex concept to a fully finished part that meets the highest standards of quality.

We have three facilities in Wisconsin and one overseas, with advanced technology and expert teams ready to handle your project. Our ISO 9001:2015 certified, sustainable approach helps us handle high-volume projects that stand out from the competition.

Let’s Get Started

Want to learn more about what we can do for you? Reach out to our team for an initial consultation.