This is one of the prime processes for producing plastic parts and articles. It is a fast process and is used to produce large numbers of identical items ranging from high precision engineering components to disposable consumer goods.
Most thermoplastics are produced by injection moulding using the following materials (with alloys like FR, GF, MF, CF, blends etc.)
■ PPS : Poly Phenylene Sulphide
■ PES : Poly Ether Sulphide
■ PPO : Poly Phenylene Oxide
■ POM : PolyOxy Methylene (Acetal)
■ PA6/66 : Polymides Nylon 6,6/6,plain and glass filled
■ PA11/12 : Polymides Nylon 6/12.11,12 transparent
■ PA 46/PPA : Polymides Nylon 46 stanyl
■ PC : Poly Carbonate
■ PBT : Poly Butylene Terepthalate
■ PET : Polyester
■ TPU : Polyurethane
■ TPE : Thermoplastic Elastomer
■ ABS : Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
■ SAN : Styrene Acrylonitrile
■ PMMA : Acrylic
All general plastics like PP, PS, LDPE , HDPE , HIPS Parts to be injection moulded must be very carefully designed to facilitate the moulding process; the material used for the part, the desired shape and features of the part, the material of the mould, and the properties of the moulding machine must all be taken into account. The versatility of injection moulding is facilitated by this breadth of design considerations and possibilities.
Advantages of Injection Moulding
■ Fast production – can produce an incredible amount of parts per hour
■ Material and Colour flexibility – Once we have a tool made, without too much difficulty, we can change the material and colour of the part being produced
■ Low labour costs – An automatic tool runs on an injection moulding machine without much difficulty thus readying the parts with little manual intervention
■ Design flexibility
■ Low waste – Most plastics recycle, so we can reuse it thus reducing the waste