Is it just me, or did 2019 fly by? Where did the year go?
Although Team Ferriot has been very busy this past year, we made sure to cover a number of important topics that help our customers and soon-to-be customers achieve successful results in their injection molding projects. We’ve covered the gamut, from structural foam molding and custom mold design to ultrasonic welding and selecting custom resins.
Below are featured the best blogs of 2019. These are the blogs our visitors, subscribers and customers have read the most in the past year. Enjoy!
- What is Structural Foam Injection Molding?
Structural foam molding is an option available to manufacturers who are looking for a way to create stronger, more rigid plastic parts. It is also a method used to reduce potential part weight for larger parts. Almost any type of resin can be used with this type of injection molding. Structural foam injection molding uses lower pressure and a foaming agent mixed in with the resin. The foaming agent expands within the resin, leaving a dense outer and inner wall with a foam or honeycomb-like center. This cellular core in the part is what contributes to the decreased part weight. During the expansion process, internal shrinkage or “sink” is reduced which creates a more uniform and aesthetically pleasing part. This process can also contribute to less internal stress in the part with better stability.
- Expanding Options with Structural Foam Molding
Structural foam molding offers an alternative to traditional injection molding. Here at Ferriot, we’ve been proud to be a leader in thermoplastic injection molding since the 1940s. Our clients turn to us for professional assistance with contract manufacturing, custom injection molding, painting and assembly. Structural foam molding is another capability we offer when traditional injection molding may not meet part design requirements. The structural foam process creates parts with a high strength-to-weight ratio and is often used for large parts and in metal to plastic replacement.
- Custom Mold Design (Parts 1 and 2)
Designing custom molds for your injection molded products can be a complex process. However, working with the right team can greatly reduce the complexity and cost while improving the quality of the completed part and minimizing the length of the production cycle. Take the time to answer the following questions before you attempt to design molds for injection molding.
- How will the part be used?
- How will this component integrate with other parts in the final assembly?
- What kinds of loads and pressure will it be subjected to?
Aside from determining core function and structural features, the injection molding process itself is a factor to consider.
- 7 Eye-Opening Benefits of Plastic Injection Molding
Plastic injection molding is perhaps one of the most popular forms of manufacturing today. Engineers and manufacturing companies from virtually every industry around the world have found that using injection molding to manufacture their products is one of the most cost-effective ways to go.Cost effectiveness is not merely limited to the initial materials and machining costs, though. Other considerations have a direct effect on this claim including plastic part durability and longevity, customer and client satisfaction, part tolerances and overall labor costs. Read on to learn more about the top 7 benefits of working with an injection molding contract manufacturer.
- Why Ultrasonic Welding Services are Best for Plastics Manufacturing
When it comes to plastics manufacturing, choosing ultrasonic welding services compared to traditional welding and adhesive methods offers a variety of benefits.
- Traditional methods of welding plastic components require higher temperatures or chemical adhesives.
- Ultrasonic welding takes less time.
- An ultrasonic welding machine doesn’t require as much power and/or fuel.
- Results of ultrasonic welding are more reliable than order methods.
In short, ultrasonic welding is faster, safer, and cheaper than other means of bringing plastic components together.
- One Size Does Not Fit All: Why Use Custom Resins for Injection Molding
Injection molding is a tried and true manufacturing method that has experienced small, incremental changes over the years. It used to be, if you had a product or part to be manufactured, your injection molding manufacturer would provide you with a list of polymers to choose from. Your design and engineering team would work together along with the injection molding team to select a resin that would suit your needs. A variety of factors would be considered including durability, cost, flexibility and cosmetics.
Ready for a secret? It still works like that.
With most manufacturers, you are going to need to select the resin for your part from a list of available options. However, modern facilities have moved into a more advanced method of providing an option not previously available on that list—custom engineered resins.
In our next blog, I’ll share with you our 90th Anniversary Recap.
Is there a challenge or problem you’re facing with one of your injection molding projects? Or do you have a question you’d like to ask? Feel free to use the form below or Contact Us and we’ll be glad to get back to you. We may even feature our answer in a future blog article.
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