Millions upon millions of plastic components are manufactured every year, each with their own design, materials, and specific applications. A good portion of the parts are manufactured for the automotive industry and the rise in injection molding automotive parts continues to increase.
Companies like Agape Plastics create injection molded components for OEMs and Tier 1 supplier programs across the country and these customers’ reliance on the injection molding process is a testament to cost-effective business practices for high volume manufacturing.
Learn more from Agape Plastics on the unique relationship between automotive OEMs and injection molding.
OEM Reliance Explained on Injection Molding Automotive Parts
There are overlapping themes in the relationship between OEM reliance on injection molded parts and the injection molding process itself. However, the largest prevailing theme between both is that injection molding can make millions of parts with consistent dimensions, tight tolerances, repeatable qualities, and fast cycle times – especially at scale.
OEMs enjoy the cost-effectiveness of injection molding as the same part is made over and over again, which offsets the initial tooling costs as molds can be repeatedly used especially when proper maintenance takes place.
Manufacturing Advantages
The injection molding process itself for the automotive industry for a few reasons, but largely because of the per-part cost that declines over time. This happens as a result of high-volume orders that can offset the initial high tooling costs, and over time, the cost-per-part ratio shifts in favor of the OEMs as the same molds are used continually.
While costs are some of the biggest factors, they go beyond just budgets. Injection molding also features minimal waste and as technology continues to advance, the reliance on automation support increases. With more automation in place, it allows for faster cycle times and continuous manufacturing.
Additionally, programs at a custom injection molding manufacturer can be shaped to include rapid prototyping so customers can see the initial versions of their products before a full-scale production run begins.
Design Benefits
Injection molding automotive parts enjoy numerous design benefits because of the production method. Automotive parts traditionally feature thin walls, clips, ribs, bosses, textured surfaces, and intricate geometries. All of which are supported by injection molding and if were performed by another manufacturing service would be much more costly and difficult to complete.
This is why common parts such as interior trims, connectors, dashboards, headlight enclosures, and multiple under-the-hood components are made through injection molding.
The Impact on Automotive Manufacturing at Large
Injection molding only plays one role in the automotive manufacturing industry as a whole. Cars, trucks, and vans require multiple materials and manufacturing processes in order to complete an entire vehicle, but injection molding allows for ready parts.
These parts make a positive impact on marks such as performance, visuals, weight reduction, and of course, costs. Weight relationship in parts can bring the overall weight of a vehicle down marginally while material choices all have their own impacts on items such as heat and chemical resistance levels, and durability for challenging environments.
Contact Agape Plastics, Experts in Injection Molding Automotive Parts
Agape Plastics are one of the leading manufacturers in the injection molding space, especially when it comes to automotive applications. We made our name for ourselves through automotive innovation back in the 1980s and that work carries on into this day, only more modern.
Injection molding automotive parts takes time, thoroughness, and a dedicated team of engineers, technicians, and leadership both from us and our customers. We know that parts can be complex, but experience and support quality management systems, certified by the International Automotive Task Force, take complex projects and simplify them.
When your team needs injection molding automotive parts, contact the experts at Agape Plastics.