Plastic injection molding machinery has come a long way in revolutionizing the manufacturing industry. In this article, we would like to introduce some knowlogy about injection molding machinery, the technological advancements and latest innovations about the plastics manufacturing process. As we known, industry 4.0 is talkd for years again and again and everybody may hear times about it. Here we will introduce how the plastic manufacturing industry was affect about it and how it will be going. Smart facotory with industry 4.0 will be the develop trends for the plastic machinery going.
What are Plastic Injection Molding Machinery?
In a word, plastic injection molding machinery is a set of machines and equipment involved in the plastic injection molding manufacturing process.
What Machines Are Included by Plastic Injection Molding Machinery?
There are lots of plastic machines is involved by plastic injection molding machinery. To make it easier understand, we are trying to introduce the plastic processing machines step by step with plastics injection molding process.
Plastic Injection Molding Machine:
Plastic injection molding machine is the most important plastic injection molding machinery in the full chain of plastic injection molding process. The injection plastic machine offer the main requirement like mold clamping device, plastcs melting and injection functions what plastic molding injection process needs. It was said that the plastic injection machine is the mother machine for plastic molding industry. And the small injection molding machines with clamping force between 100 ton to 400 ton shares the market more than 60%.
Material Handling Systems:
As we known, most of the plastics are thermoplastics and the raw material comes in granule. Before we can mold the platics we should feed it to the injection moulding machine. In this process, there is the material handing systems handling the raw material supplies. Some absorbent plastics has a lot moisture but the injection molding will be affected and may destroy the products charaters. The PET resin is the well-know raw material needs to be dryed about 4~6 hours. Or the PET preform will be NG as it can not used for bottle blowing. Below are the plastic injection molding machinery need in material handling process:
Hopper Loaders: Automatically load plastic pellets or resin into the different plastic machine’s hopper or container.
Material Dryers: Material dryers is used to remove moisture from plastic materials before they are processed.
Material Conveying Systems: Material conveying systems is used to transport plastic pellets or resin from storage to the machine’s hopper.
Material Mixers and Blenders:
Plastic injection molded products are most colorful, some are the raw materials original color but some needs colorants to work together for different colors. So there are material mixers and blenders are need in the plastic molding process. Below are the functions of plastic injection molding machinery in material treatment process:
Color Mixers: Color mixers is used to blend the colorants or additives with plastic materials to achieve desired color or special characteristics.
Material Blenders: Material blenders is used to mix different types or grades of plastic materials to create custom blends with specific properties.
Temperature Controllers:
Plastic injection molding manufacturing will sure have injection mold in used. The plastic injection molds are have different technologies like cold runner and hot runner systems. Hot runner molding is used more in more recently as it can reduce the waste of raw material, shorten the cycle time and good for energy saving. A smart factory will be sure running with hot runner plastic molds.
Mold Temperature Controllers: Mold temperature controllers is used to regulate and maintain precise temperature conditions for the mold, ensuring consistent part quality.
Hot Runner Controllers: Hot runner controllers is used to control and monitor the temperature of the hot runner system, which is used in multi-cavity molds.
Thermoplastics injection molding manufacturing will need to cool the mold to eject the molded products. We mostly use cool water to take out the heat from the mold. In order to have fast production line, cold water is requred and then water chiller is appeared. It is must have machines especially in the hot area and have limited water regions. Or the efficant machine maybe not work. There are water flow and compressor adjust distributor may be used for some plastic molding production with multi-cavity mold.
Water tower: Water tower is the equipment to put outside the workshop where may have winds a lot. Due we use the winds to cool the water.
Water Chiller: Water chiller is like the are conditioner which use eletric compressor pump to cool down the water. It have air cool, water cool, screw cool types for selection.
Adjustable water distributor: Adjustable water distributor is used to ensure the mold cavities cooling down in the same speed and temperature level. So to have stable quality products.
Granulators or Shredders:
Running a plastic molding factory there will be production tails before it`s running automatic. At the begining there are some NG goods/products molded by recyclable plastics. Then we will need the granulaters and shredders to recycle the material and add it to the plastic mixer and use it again with the brand new plastics.
Granulators: Granulators is used to reduce/turn rejected parts, sprues, and runners into granules for recycling and reprocessing.
Shredders: Shredders is used to shred rejected parts, sprues, and runners into smaller pieces for recycling and reprocessing.
Mold Storage and Handling Equipment:
Every plastic injection molding company may have dozens to thousands of injection plastic molds. So there will be some mold racks and mold transport carts in used.
Mold Racks: Store and organize molds in a controlled and efficient manner.
Mold Transport Carts: Safely move and transport molds within the facility.
Mold Cleaning Equipment:
Plastic injection molding mold is a very complex system and should bear impact with high injection molding speed. Most of plastic molds have many plates for different functions. Especially for some thin-wall products and big intricate complex plastic molding products. So the plastic mold will need the maintenants offen like every month. Monthly mainenance is need for most of molds.
Mold Cleaners: Remove residues, oils, and contaminants from the mold surfaces.
Mold Polishing Tools: Polish and maintain the mold surfaces to ensure smooth part release and minimize defects.
Water Channel Cleaning Machine: Mix the Air and Water then flush the inner wall of the water channel with high-pressure and speedy flow. Repeated pulse to peel off the scale and rust attached on the wall, to clean the pipe fast and efficient. It can be used for all the factory water pipe system as well.
Robots and Automation Systems:
Smart injection molding manufacturing and industry 4.0 is the trends for plastic injection molding machinery developing trends. So there are more and more automatic machines and monitoring system will be used in the plastic molding industry. Below are some of machines may involved:
Sprue Pickers: Remove sprues and runners from the mold.
Part Removal Robots: Automatically remove finished parts from the mold and place them on a conveyor or in a designated area.
Insert Placers: Position and place inserts into the mold before injection.
Quality Inspection Systems: Perform visual inspections or use sensors to check part quality and detect defects.
Packaging Systems: Package finished parts into boxes, bags, or containers.
Other injection molding auxiliary equipment
Automation: Air Compressor, Air dryer
Eletric Treament: Voltage transformer, voltage regulator
How to Sellect the Right Plastic Injection Molding Machinery
Choosing plastic injection molding machinery right is an science and economic question for a plastic manufacturing company. As it will affects a lot on whether the busines is worthy for investment and whether can runs for a long time.
Below we will explore the key considerations that plastic molding manufacturers should keep in mind when selecting injection molding machinery for their specific applications and production requirements.
1. The plastic molding manufacturer should make it clear for what kind of products they want to produce. The requirment information may includes the products picture, size, weight, running material, mold cavity preferred, production output capacity per hour, Autodesk drawing or 3D model file may be involved for better understanding.
2. Your factory situations should be specificated like the square size, roof height, what the power supply and water situations. And whether already have the basic required machines like compressed air, cooled water, machines and goods transport tools, etc.
3. Check with plastic injection molding machinery supplier for a turnkey solution. You should find a trustable plastic molding machines manufacturer in the first steps. A long history factory may have reach experience in the plastic molding industry. Visit their website and check their blog will be a great idea to sort out the information. That may show your how they run the business and experience level in the field of plastic molding.
You can contact our experts for some advice or ask for plastic injection molding manufacturing solution by filling the right side table.
Plastic Injection Molding Machinery Developing Trends
The develop trends of plastic injection molding machinery is mostly up graded to be smart manufacturing with industry 4.0 integration. Plastic products manufacturing is criticle important for modern industry. Below are some developing trends in the field of plastic injection molding machinery.
Industry 4.0 upgraded can leave the plastic injection machinery behind. Plastic machinery integrated with industry 4.0 technologies, enabling connectivity, data exchange and automation are the solid trends for it`s development. There are lots of plastic machinery manufacturers had develped their machines with functions likereal-time monitoring, remote control, and predictive maintenance. By doing this, the plastic molding factory and the machinery manufacturer can collect and analysis of data for process optimization, quality control, and overall operational efficiency.
- Smart Manufacturing Features
- Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
- Advanced Injection Systems
- Robotics and Automation
- Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)
- Additive Manufacturing Integration
- Material Advancements
