As we begin to merge into 2023, organizations are scrambling to find the best plastic injection molding companies, and then choose the one that will best help them hit their growth goals as a manufacturing partner. If you are a US-based organization in need of plastic injection molding, regardless of your industry, you will likely want to partner with a local manufacturer in order to avoid all of the inconveniences that come with overseas logistics and communication. From design support to our wide range of in-house capabilities, there are a number of reasons why Laszeray has the reputation of setting the bar when it comes to plastic injection molding, and design quality is just one area where we excel beyond the scope of other plastic injection molding companies. Here are four practices Laszeray is dedicated to when creating custom parts with plastic injection molding that serve as a testimony to high quality.
1. Design Intent is Incorporated into Every Step of the Plastic Injection Molding Process
While some manufacturers brief designers, engineers, and workers on the part they are creating, its intent, and then plan the manufacturing approach, the best plastic injection molding companies will push design intent forward and center through every state of the process. When you have a team of industry experts creating custom parts that are meant to provide a specific function, there is always room for design improvement, so that strategy enables a broader opportunity for design enhancement.
It is critical to clearly document design intent and make it a present force of awareness in the consciousness of everyone involved in the project, and there should be clear communication with a member of leadership to ensure everyone understands it. One should define the part’s design requirements that must be precise in order for the part to function properly. Any potential constraints on how a specific feature can be designed must be made to forecast potential limitations around the materials used in the plastic injection molding process. In some cases, restraints are in place that manufacturers will have no control over, such as material availability. Finally, before executing the design features for the plastic part, all requirements are confirmed, and all potential constraints are acknowledged with solution-based side strategies.
2. Determine How to Strengthen the Part, and Protect Its Integrity
Plastic injection molding companies must ensure their parts are rugged and won’t suffer any damage when coming out of the mold, and these parts must be designed to remain durable after years of use. That said, the design must keep strength in mind, and one of the best approaches for parts made in the plastic injection molding process is to create a draft angle. A draft angle is used to strengthen parts, make it easier to remove from molds, and it is designed to reduce stress. The part wall will have an angle that transitions into another surface. Also known as a negative draft angle or an undercut, draft angles in the design will help to improve the party’s strength while enabling a superior product at the end result.
Other ways to add strength to a part is to include ribs and gussets to enhance the piece’s durability and strength. If the part requires a high degree of stiffness, gussets and ribs can also enable this for parts that need to be stiff enough to tolerate heavy loads.
Designers must know the part’s intention inside and out when determining where to place the gussets and ribs because they can impact other aspects of the piece’s design and its performance. Rib thickness will determine how much material is required in the regions where ribs have been removed or are not required.
3. Using Threads in Cavity Walls
Another design consideration that also plays into enhancing the part’s strength is the use of threads in the cavity walls. If you are tasked to reduce stress concentrations, this can be achieved by placing threads in the cavity walls. Threads provide a major solution that’s commonly found in a design challenge in which plastic injection molding has been used. Consider that stress concentrations are points of high stress, so if you have a part with multiple points it can be challenging for the part to take on all of that stress without failing. Threads can resolve this because they can be used at the bottom or top of the cavity wall where there aren’t any directly applied loads.
4. Plastic Injection Molding Wall Thickness
The cardinal rule to designing a plastic part is to ensure the wall thickness is consistent throughout. This can be a very complicated thing to achieve if the part requires complicated proportions such as an irregular surface of a very specific shape with multiple intricacies. Regardless of the shape or surface, all parts must have the same wall thickness to prevent them from cracking during use, or in the production process.
There are three things that determine the recommended minimum wall thickness:
- The amount of materials needed to produce the part
- The part’s target strength level
- The design’s length / width ratio
Some parts may require a greater surface area than depth, for example. When keeping the part’s intended use top of mind, and determining the design details and how they will accommodate the intended use, the right wall thickness and other considerations can be made to ensure the part is of the highest quality.
Call Laszeray for Plastic Injection Molding Services Today
From the aerospace industry to consumer products and medical devices, Laszeray is a leading US-based manufacturer offering the best plastic injection molding services deployed by the greatest engineers. Give us a call so we can learn more about your project, and how we can help you navigate the waters of 2023 and beyond with the best plastic injection molding services that always stay within budget, are flawlessly executed, and that bring a quick turn-around time.