High volume injection molding is one of the most common usages of the manufacturing operation and injection molding itself lends favor to support large scale production programs through easily repeatable manufacturing.
It’s more than just easily repeatable manufacturing, however, in the way that high volume production supports large scale programs. Engineering capabilities, tooling maintenance, and plenty of communication all has to take place for large scale production programs to be supported.
Agape Plastics highlights how high volume injection molding supports large scale production programs.
Why High Volume Scales are Favorable for Injection Molding
Injection molding is often considered one of the most cost-effective manufacturing methods, in high volume applications. The costliest aspect of injection molding is the creation of the mold and tooling operations associated with the beginning of the program. Components created through injection molding can be done so quickly through fast cycle times when identical parts can be created in as long as 60 seconds. Cycle times depend on part shape, material selection, wall thickness, cooling requirements, and shot sizes of course, but even the most complicated part designs can take mere minutes, and identical components are created.
The largest consideration to note with high volume injection molding is how it offsets the heavy upfront costs with tooling, and how those costs are offset throughout the life of the program. With more parts manufactured from a single, well-maintained mold, the price of each part drops and the largest influence on costs become materials, press time, labor, waste, and logistics.
Maintaining Quality at High Volumes
When a single injection molding run produces high volume amounts, up to millions of components, quality cannot be sacrificed in the name of volume. In order to ensure this, manufacturers have to be sharp with their quality management and control procedures. This can include performing a thorough review of DFM to account for all design aspects particularly nominal wall sections, draft, gate location, and any risk for defects such as shrink or warp. Create a documented process window for melt temperature and mold temperature along with fill speed to allow for proper and accurate filling amounts into the cavity or cavities.
All equipment that tracks real-time monitoring during manufacturing for factors such as pressure, temperature, cycle time, screw position, and material flow need to be inspected and reaction plans should be in place in the event that something goes wrong.
Partner With Agape Plastics for High Volume Injection Molding Operations
Agape Plastics are experts in custom injection molding operations, especially high volume injection molding programs. In our 50-plus years in business, we’ve created millions upon millions of components for numerous OEMs and Tier 1 supplier programs in the automotive, agriculture, appliance, powersports, and furniture industry to name a few.
Our injection molding programs are backed by modern engineering tactics where we’re able to perform full design analysis and optimization services, support mold design, and perform value analysis-value engineering to create a high-quality component at a cost-effective rate.
Quality is central in all of our operations at Agape Plastics. We thoroughly review and perform testing on all of the components that we manufacture to ensure they are ready to serve in their intended application and won’t slow down operations once in the field.
Contact Agape Plastics today for more information regarding our high volume injection molding operations and how we can serve your program.