Tag: Plastic Injection Mold Build

The Life Cycle of a Plastic Injection Mold

Posted on January 16, 2017 by - Blog

The Life Cycle of a Plastic Injection Mold

If you’re a molder, your injection molds are one of the most important pieces of equipment you use. Because your molds are so vital to you, it goes without saying that you want them to last as long as possible. Molds are expensive to replace, so knowing more about the life expectancy of your molds can help you plan ahead financially for when a mold will need replacement. Getting a new mold made to replace one that’s at the end of its life, but still in use, can help you keep production going. That way production can keep going, and a mold that breaks down doesn’t have to slow you down.

Plastic Injection Mold Lifetime

Truth be told, determining the lifetime of a plastic injection mold is easier said than done, as many factors contribute to the life expectancy of a plastic injection mold. Plastic injection molds operate under harsh conditions, and while a good mold should be built to last under the conditions it will be operating in, even the best mold will take some wear and tear.

Generally though, the lifetime of your mold will depend on a number of factors. Molds that have a faster turnaround can finish more cycles in a day than molds with slower cycle times. Because the life expectancy of plastic injection molds is measured in cycles – as opposed to measuring mold life expectancy by considering the time a mold has been operating – molds that can complete more cycles in a shorter amount of time will generally have a somewhat shorter life expectancy.

While a shorter life expectancy might seem like a bad thing, the difference between a mold with a fast turnaround and one that’s slow isn’t necessarily that big. If both molds can complete approximately 250,000 cycles before breaking down, both are equally good. What mold owners should understand is that the lifetime of a mold is measured in cycles rather than the time a mold was operational. This makes more sense, because knowing how many parts a mold can produce in its lifetime helps molders determine whether or not a mold will be able to cover its own costs.

How Many Cycles Can a Mold Complete?

It’s impossible to know exactly how many cycles a mold will be able to complete in its lifetime. As with anything in life, there’s no way to look into the future to foresee any and all things that could possibly go wrong. Just as no one knows when a car will break down, no one can tell you what the exact life expectancy of your plastic injection molds will be.

But for the purpose of keeping better track of your molds, you’ll need an estimate. The estimation of a mold’s lifetime will help you determine whether or not a mold lived up to its estimated performance. If the estimated life expectancy of a mold was 250,000 cycles and the mold only completed 180,000 before breaking down, your mold clearly didn’t come close to its estimated 250,000 cycles. The reason for this under performance could vary. It might be that the conditions the mold was operated in led to faster wear and tear, but the problem might also be the mold itself.

To ensure that your molds complete roughly the same amount of cycles you’d expect them to, the most important thing you have to do has nothing to do with how you take care of the mold. More importantly, you should see to it that you buy your molds from an injection mold maker that can deliver quality molds. Your plastic injection mold maker isn’t just a company you buy molds from. As a molder, your mold supplier should be your trusted business partner. A good mold making company will be able to tell you exactly how to take care of your molds to keep them running for longer. Your mold making company should also be able to tell you roughly how many cycles you can expect from a mold.

The estimated amount of cycles a mold can complete will vary depending on the molds you use, as well as the quality of those molds. Generally, a plastic injection mold could complete anywhere between a 100,00 to 1 million (or sometimes somewhat more than a million) cycles in its lifetime, so it’s important to learn about the life expectancy of a mold before buying it.

Maintaining Your Molds

If you want to get the most out of every mold, you should stick to a mold maintenance plan. Without proper maintenance, even the best mold won’t complete nearly as many cycles as you’d expect it to. The company you bought your molds from should be able to help you set up a mold maintenance schedule. This helps prevent downtime, where a mold breaks down unexpectedly and all the production you were expecting from it comes to a halt.

Mold maintenance schedules will usually be determined based on the amount of cycles a mold can safely run before needing to be sent off for cleaning and other maintenance. As a molder, you might sometimes end up overworking a mold to complete orders in time, unfortunately that’s almost sure to happen at some time or another.

To avoid damaging an overworked mold you should, however, get a good estimate from your mold supplier about how much will be too much. Overworking a mold a bit before finally sending it off for maintenance might not do much harm, but overworking it too much will almost surely lead to a breakdown. Most mold suppliers will tell you not to overwork your molds at all, as they can’t really accept responsibility for damage to molds that were overdue for maintenance, but asking them how many cycles similar molds typically run before breaking down could help you get a better idea of the risks levels of overworking your molds.

Plastic Injection Molding for Automobiles

Posted on December 26, 2016 by - Blog

Plastic Injection Molding for Automobiles

Plastic injection mold makers have developed technologies for producing quality parts over the years. With so many thing that are made from plastic nowadays, it’s hard to believe there was a time it didn’t exits. Plastic injection molding is used a wide variety of things. Everything from children’s toys to medical equipment and household items are made using plastic injection molding techniques. What many people don’t realize is just how much plastic injection molding has developed.

Plastic Injection Molding in the Automotive Industry

In the automotive industry, plastic injection molds are used to make a surprising amount of vehicle parts. The interior of most cars are filled with plastic. The dashboard, inside door panels, ashtrays, buttons and even the carpets and bumpers are all made through plastic injection molding processes. But even when you take a look under the engine cap, you’ll see a good deal of plastic molded parts.

In recent years the use of plastic has become especially popular in the automobile industry. And this shift from using metal components to plastic is about more than just saving on production costs.

Car manufacturers constantly strive to design vehicles that are lightweight. These lightweight vehicles have been proven to be environmentally friendlier because of their lower fuel consumption. It’s been estimated that every 10% reduction in vehicle weight can lead to a 5-7% increase in fuel efficiency.

In order to make vehicles more efficient, the automotive industry is trying to revolutionize the way plastics are used in cars, aiming to make as many car parts as possible from durable, lightweight plastics. Even though an average modern car consists 50% of plastic, the plastic molded parts only account for roughly 10% of its weight, which shows how for the automotive industry has already come in using plastic improve car performance.

But the use of plastics in cars also has other benefits. By using durable plastics, car manufacturers can also avoid common problems associated with using metal, like metal fatigue and rust. The fact that plastic is lightweight, highly affordable and sometimes even more durable than metal makes it the perfect choice auto manufacturers.

The use of plastics has helped car manufacturers design and produce cars that are safer, cheaper and more eco-friendly. The best part is that these newer, more fuel efficient cars are both cheaper to buy and drive when compared to their older counterparts. Back in the day when cars still largely consisted of metal, it wasn’t as common for an average middle class family to have their own transportation.

Automotive Mold Design and Manufacturing

When it comes to molding car parts, molders need the best possible plastic injection molds to assure every part will perform well. Good molders already know how to mix polymers for maximum durability while producing parts, but there’s an essential step to producing quality parts that can’t be overlooked.

If you’re a molder, producing automobile parts your clients will be satisfied with begins with the molds you use. A good mold is one of the key things you need to run a successful plastic injection molding company. Your mold making company should be your trusted business partner who will guide you through the design, manufacturing and maintenance process every step of the way.

Keeping your molds properly maintained is necessary if you want to consistently mold durable parts for automobiles. Without proper plastic injection mold maintenance, your parts will eventually develop faulty spots and become structurally weak.

American Plastic Injection Molds for the Automotive Industry

Injection molds are expensive pieces of equipment. The mold making process requires precision engineering and manufacturing standards to create molds with tight tolerance that will serve your business for years to come. A good mold shouldn’t be a finicky piece of equipment that sporadically breaks down. After all, you can’t afford to regularly have an unscheduled halt in production of parts simply because your mold won’t function as it should.

Many plastic injection molders make the mistake of working with foreign companies that can produce molds for much cheaper. But when it comes to buying plastic injection molds, you really do get what you pay for.

If you buy a mold at a fraction of the price you’d pay in America, it’s not just because you’re buying from a country with a weaker currency. A large part of the the discount you think you’re getting is because workers producing the molds aren’t equally skilled. Companies that cater to a cheaper market aren’t set on giving you the best worth for your money in the long-term. They’re simply looking to reduce your immediate expenses, even if it ends up costing you more in maintenance and repairs in the long-run.

While the initial cost of buying a local, American-made mold might seem like a large amount to pay upfront, it’s an investment that can make or break your company. Buying a good mold from a company that will help you keep it properly maintained according to a maintenance schedule you can plan in advance (as opposed to a mold that breaks down when you need it most) will help you run your company in a way that’s within your control. A reliable mold can help you stay on top of part production and streamline your processes for maximum results.

Learn more about the automotive plasic industry!
Check out our local McMinnville office.

How to Pick a Plastic Injection Molding Company

Posted on November 28, 2016 by - Blog

How to Pick a Plastic Injection Molding Company

Plastic injection molding is a booming industry, but picking a mold making company for your business to work with is a key factor if you want to mold high quality parts. You should choose your mold manufacturer carefully. Opting for the cheapest manufacturer can end up costing you more. If a mold manufacturer delivers a mold that doesn’t live up to your expectations, fixing it will significantly hike up its cost. Eventually, a mold you thought would be cheap may end up costing more than even the most expensive mold. The worst part is that it probably won’t ever perform at the same level.

To avoid an injection mold catastrophe, you have to pick the right manufacturer to make your mold. There are a few things to consider when partnering with an injection mold manufacturer.

American-made Molds Are Best

China is known for producing large quantities of molds that are available at reasonably low costs. But there are many reasons why an American-made mold will be best for your business. One of the advantages of choosing an American mold manufacturer is that your mold won’t have to be shipped abroad for maintenance. This not only saves you money on postage, but also means your mold won’t be away for long periods of time whenever it’s being serviced.

The other benefit of American plastic injection molds is that they’re usually of a higher quality. Although a Chinese mold maker could deliver a high quality mold, you never really know what you’re going to get until your mold arrives in America. And when your mold manufacturer is in China, sending your new mold back for repairs could take many weeks.

At Quality Mold Shop, we offer pickup and delivery services for molds weighing 12,000lbs or less, meaning you won’t have to worry about mold transportation.

Precision and Injection Mold Making

Your needs will have a huge influence on the mold manufacturer you choose. If you don’t need precision molds that are accurate to a fraction of a millimeter, then almost any manufacturer will be able to help you. But the more precision you need from your injection mold, the more you should shop around for a good manufacturer.

Ask your manufacturer about their mold making processes and the precision of their molds. For the best results, you should communicate your needs clearly to help the manufacturer understand whether or not they can deliver a mold that’ll suit your requirements.

Remember, you don’t have to go with a mold making company that can deliver precision to a fraction of a millimeter if that’s not what you need. Although this precision could indicate better manufacturing processes are used during production.

Mold Manufacturer Production Scale

Don’t just assume that large scale mold manufacturers are the best. Different injection mold manufacturers target different customers. Often times, really large scale manufacturers prefer to work with larger businesses that place large orders. If that’s the case, your order won’t necessarily be prioritized above larger ones. This could depend from one manufacturer to another, the best manufacturers will prioritize all their customers regardless of how many molds they order.

Aim for a mold manufacturer with a production scale that matches your business. You need one that can keep up, but that doesn’t have to be the largest manufacturer around.

Some people might be concerned that smaller manufacturers aren’t as good, though. But the production scale your mold manufacturer can take on isn’t an indicator of how good the molds will be. Sometimes, companies that make fewer molds can do better quality control and produce very high quality molds. The quality of molds an injection mold making company produces will depend on the expertise of the staff and machining tools, not on their production capacity.

Trustworthiness in the Production Process

You should aim to find out more about the production processes of every mold making company you’re considering to work with. Learn more about how long it takes to make a single mold and what steps every mold goes through before it’s ready for use.

Once you have a proper estimate of how long it takes to make a good mold, you’ll know if your mold isn’t delivered within a reasonable time. In that case, you can ask about what caused the delay. But remember that not all molds are the same. Some molds need much more work before they can be used than others, and if you’re working with a good company, you shouldn’t have to worry much about the production of your mold. It’s better to wait a little longer if you’ll get a higher quality mold.

Furthermore, your mold manufacturer should be trustworthy enough so you don’t have to constantly check in to see if your mold is being made properly. If possible, you should do some research to find out whether or not past customers have been satisfied with the company. You should learn more about how well the molds a company makes perform and whether or not the company will deliver as promised. A good company makes durable molds that perform well.

Experience in Mold Making

Experience is a good indicator of how reliable a plastic injection mold making company will be. At Quality Mold Shop, we have more than 40 years’ experience in producing high quality, precision molds. We also offer services to design molds as well as helping customers with injection mold maintenance plans and repairs.

Our team of experts have designed and produced molds for the automotive, medical and appliance industries. If you need a durable mold and reliable customer support, Quality Mold Shop is the ideal partner for your business to work with.

What makes a quality mold?

Posted on July 27, 2016 by - Blog

What makes a quality mold?

Tightest Tolerance And Highest Level Of Detail Make Quality Molds

Since the invention of the first plastic molds, both the synthesizing of better polymers and manufacturing of better plastic injection mold machines made plastic a much better, more versatile material that could be shaped for a broader range of uses. However, there are still factors that contribute to the ease with which plastic components can be created. One of these factors is the quality and precision of the mold itself, another is how well the mold is maintained.

Plastic Mold Making – Micro Laser Technology

With micro laser technology, many mold makers are now able to create, repair and maintain molds to with more attention to detail than ever before. This is especially useful for the production and maintenance of molds that have small detailing.

QMS_BladeImageLongThe results that mold makers are able to attain using micro lasers can be accurate to 0.025 of an inch. This means that mold makers who use micro lasers will often be able to both repair and create molds that are much more accurate than those without a micro laser.

The use of a micro laser also makes repairing slots, contours, and angles easier, and makes it possible to repair thin walls of a mold without warping them even slightly. In addition, micro laser technology can be used for mold components that are from various alloys, such as steel, aluminum, copper and titanium.

Because of the exactness of the work that can be performed using a micro laser, mold makers who own such a machine can occasionally repair molds that other mold makers have been unable to. When choosing a company to work with for creating and maintaining your molds, you should look to choose a company that gives you the most benefits and can repair even the finest details on your molds. By working with a company that owns a micro laser machine, you can be certain that your mold is in good hands.

Buying A Mold

When buying, the quality and precision of a mold is definitely the biggest factor to consider and shouldn’t be overlooked. While even the best plastic molds need to be maintained properly, maintenance won’t improve molds that weren’t properly designed and made with the necessary precision to start with.

For this reason, buyers need to consider the quality of a mold before purchasing it. Important factors include the quality of the materials used to make the mold and the precision with which the mold itself was made. Precision is especially important for plastic molders needing more than one mold for producing a single plastic part so that all of their molds will produce identical parts.

In most cases, plastic molds are designed and made according to the specific needs of every buyer. Many buyers are interested in producing plastic components with a high level of detailing, and while exact design isn’t always equally crucial, it’s better to know how precise the mold manufacturer is able to detail molds. Better molds always make for better parts.

Why You Should Choose Your Mold Manufacturer Wisely

When you buy a new mold from a manufacturer, your business relationship with that company has only begun. In the future, you will most probably still be working with that same company whenever a mold breaks down and has to be sent for repairs.

But for the best results, plastic molds need to be maintained properly to prevent damages that could ruin them entirely and some manufacturers will assist their clients by keeping track of molds and their due maintenance dates. This is especially useful for plastic molders so that they’re able to know exactly when a certain mold won’t be operating rather than to wait till it breaks down, in which case a mold might be gone for weeks without any prior notice – a very harmful scenario to any plastic molder’s production of a certain part.

It should be noted that plastic molds are very expensive pieces of equipment and they should be properly taken care of to prolong their longevity. No manufacturer of plastic components likes to find out that a mold is irreparable. To a company that produces plastic goods, optimally functioning plastic injection molds are the most indispensable part of creating their molded product.

And despite the fact that most mold owners send molds to the manufacturer for repairs and maintenance, many mold manufacturers are completely able to help plastic molders fix broken molds even if it wasn’t made by that specific mold manufacturer. And advanced technologies might even enable certain mold manufacturers to repair molds that the original manufacturer wouldn’t have been able to.

Ultimately, choosing to work with an injection mold manufacturer that’s better equipped can save you money, as they might be able to fix a mold that otherwise would’ve needed to be entirely replaced.

But of course, it takes more than advances machinery to deliver good results. Professionals who are dedicated to doing good work that yields the desired results can make or break the quality a repair on a mold.

At Quality Mold Shop, we’ve been building, maintaining and repairing plastic molds for many years. Our team of engineers and tool makers are highly qualified professionals, insuring that every mold we make and repair live up to our customer’s expectations.