Material selection is one of the most critical parts of any manufacturing process. Certain materials are going to work best in specific applications. The wrong selection can lead to numerous problems such as defective parts, re-designs, and costly reorders.
That’s why it’s critical to know your plastics for injection molding. Having the knowledge base of different plastic selections for injection molding can lead to a greater understanding of how your part works as a whole, but there are also other key reasons to be informed during material selection.
Agape Plastics details how to choose the right plastic for injection molding projects.
Different Types of Plastic for Injection Molding
Knowing and understanding the properties and uses of different types of plastics is the first way to elevate your material selection process. While there are many types of plastic, there are seven key groups: polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and miscellaneous plastics.
These groupings are important as they make up a large percentage of plastic that’s used for manufacturing worldwide. Injection molding companies should be able to offer multiple types of plastics to suit your needs.
Agape Plastics currently offers 23 different selections of plastic for injection molding services. But with so many options at hand, here are a few popular choices to keep in mind for injection molding:
- Polypropylene
- Polyethylene
- Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
- Polycarbonate
- Nylon
These five types of plastic offer numerous advantages for injection molded products such as flexibility, weight, durability, strength, and chemical resistance.
Material Application: Know Your Product
Different materials lend themselves to different applications. Selecting the right plastic for injection molding means knowing your product inside and out. Let’s examine a few considerations to make when selecting the right material.
High Strength
Does your product need to be as strong as possible? If yes, consider using polycarbonate (PC) or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).
Temperature Optimization
If your product is going to be in a high-temperature environment, consider using polyphenylene sulfide because of its proven stability.
Chemical Resistance
This is a popular consideration to make as many injection molded products are exposed to some type of chemical. Strong material selection here could include polypropylene or polyethylene.
Why Working with the Right Company Matters for Material Selection
As important as it is to identify which plastic for injection molding services you want to use, finding the right manufacturing partner matters just as much.
The right partner will point you in the right direction in your material selection process before manufacturing begins. Key services can include: engineering, part design feasibility analysis, part design optimization, and even a metal to plastic engineering solution.
More Questions About Plastics for Injection Molding? Contact Agape Plastics Today
Agape Plastics is an industry leading manufacturer in the injection molding market. Since 1973, we’ve devoted resources to improving what we do best, not just with injection molded components, but with our other capabilities as well.
It’s not enough to just produce high-quality parts. We place great value in continuous innovation and constantly strive for improved efficiencies and lower manufacturing costs. Producing high-quality parts starts off with material selection, and we’re here to help.
Contact us today ahead of your next project where injection molded components are needed. You’ll see that our high-quality products, backed by both an IATF 16949 and ISO 14001 certification, separate us from the competition.