Think injection molding (IM) and you immediately think, plastic;sackfuls of little green army men and building blocks. However, metal, glass and even chocolate can be used in this process. Everything from DVD holders to Easter Bunnies is manufactured using IM technology.
Mobile phone covers, toy bricks, plastic forks, styrofoam cups, metal scissors and the fans that go inside computers to keep them from overheating while you are playing Candy Crusher, all of these items are fashioned using IM technology. The process, which was first used in the mid-19th century, is amazingly versatile and yields gizmos and widgets for everything from kitchen gadgets to the International Space Station.
One use for IM with which we are all familiar is in the making of military miniatures and collectible toy soldiers. In many cases, the pieces are intricately designed and crafted to the specifications of a particular war. Enthusiasts are able to create exact replicas of battles. Prices vary with the rank of the soldier and the complexity of the design. For example, the Duke of Wellington sitting on horseback can fetch a price of around $200, while lower-ranking troops cost a fraction of that price.
Electric train enthusiasts are another market for this genre of art and technology. Along with little engineers and little villagers, trees and parts of buildings can be manufactured in this manner. The level of detail and authenticity can be very impressive. These are usually the product of a metalworking process.
To manufacture parts from metal, the starting material is first ground into a fine dust and then combined with a binder to form a feedstock that is fed through a hopper into a heated tube. The mixture is pushed through the tube using a linear actuator, something that looks like a screw. The material then goes into a mold, is cooled and then ejected.
The range of objects that can be manufactured using this technology is amazing. There are a lot of parts that one would not intuitively think were made this way. Even the parts for the machines that do the injecting and molding have injected and molded parts inside them.
The industry relies on a vast number of other industries for its survival. Software, polymers, additives and the molding machines themselves are all related industries. It is going to be fascinating to see how this industry stands up to new developments in 3D printing technology.
Mobile phone covers, toy bricks, plastic forks, styrofoam cups, metal scissors and the fans that go inside computers to keep them from overheating while you are playing Candy Crusher, all of these items are fashioned using IM technology. The process, which was first used in the mid-19th century, is amazingly versatile and yields gizmos and widgets for everything from kitchen gadgets to the International Space Station.
One use for IM with which we are all familiar is in the making of military miniatures and collectible toy soldiers. In many cases, the pieces are intricately designed and crafted to the specifications of a particular war. Enthusiasts are able to create exact replicas of battles. Prices vary with the rank of the soldier and the complexity of the design. For example, the Duke of Wellington sitting on horseback can fetch a price of around $200, while lower-ranking troops cost a fraction of that price.
Electric train enthusiasts are another market for this genre of art and technology. Along with little engineers and little villagers, trees and parts of buildings can be manufactured in this manner. The level of detail and authenticity can be very impressive. These are usually the product of a metalworking process.
To manufacture parts from metal, the starting material is first ground into a fine dust and then combined with a binder to form a feedstock that is fed through a hopper into a heated tube. The mixture is pushed through the tube using a linear actuator, something that looks like a screw. The material then goes into a mold, is cooled and then ejected.
The range of objects that can be manufactured using this technology is amazing. There are a lot of parts that one would not intuitively think were made this way. Even the parts for the machines that do the injecting and molding have injected and molded parts inside them.
The industry relies on a vast number of other industries for its survival. Software, polymers, additives and the molding machines themselves are all related industries. It is going to be fascinating to see how this industry stands up to new developments in 3D printing technology.
About the Author:
Genevive B. Mata has taught plastics molding techniques for over 15 years. He specializes in injection molding and thermoforming. If you are interested in learning more about buy plastic pallets then he recommends you visit his friends at PTM: Custom Plastics Injection Molding Company.
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