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Injection molding machines have ‘base’ and ‘process’ loads and an idling machine is not ‘free’, it is costing large amounts of energy and money.  

Clamping force calculation is essential for injection molding projects to avoid expensive corrections later.

IKV has consistently pushed the boundaries of knowledge, fostered interdisciplinary collaboration, and driven progress in the dynamic field of plastics.

Injection molding simulation has already achieved a high level of precision. Industry leaders’ recent collaboration promises enhanced precision in material data, elevating manufacturing efficiency and quality standards.

Glass stands as a high-performance material vital across multiple fields, notably in optics, chemistry, and medical technology industries. However, conventional glass processing faces constraints, particularly in designing very small structures. The new process developed by Glas­somer in Freiburg, Germany, makes it possible to process transparent quartz glass in the plastic injection molding machine.

The first two articles in this series dwelt with the history of product design and the creative process that culminated in hypothetical new injection molded product sketches. The next challenge is to reduce the concept sketches to detailed piece-part drawings or CAD data bases. However, before starting that time consuming process it is highly desirable to determine whether or not the parts of the new product are moldable and what the molds and molded parts will cost.

The process of designing a plastic product to be made by injection molding is the same as designing a product for any other manufacturing process or material. Each combination of material and manufacturing method has its own unique design guidelines. However, the design process itself is independent of the kind of material or manufacturing method being used.

If the plastics industry wants to continue to be a part of that stream of commerce it is important for all engineers to know how to design high quality plastic parts and product that can be efficiently produced.

The plastics industry mainly uses PFAS as polymerization aids and this would be the main cause of PFAS emissions related to the life cycle of fluoropolymers.

The successful design of plastic parts is complicated, primarily as they are made of plastic. Plastics create a significant challenge not only to manufacturing but also to part design and performance. We commonly overlook the degree of complexity as the benefits of using plastic overwhelm their negatives. However, many have accepted the shortfalls rather than trying to advance beyond these limitations.