Prototype For Injection Molding
Prototype injection molding is a process that involves the use of molders to create components that are molded using a process known as injection. This procedure is usually carried out in order to achieve a certain level of product quality.
Injection molding is a process utilized for the production of plastic parts. This procedure involves the injection of molten plastic into a mold. The mold is formed by two pieces of plastic, which are held together with a high pressure. The plastic is then released and the part drops out. While some metals, like aluminum, can be used in injection molding, it's not very common, and TEAM MFG deals strictly in plastic.
TEAM MFG typically works with prototype injection molding. We typically work with a variety of injection molding techniques such as prototype, pre-production, mass production, and pre-release. As a result, we can create prototypes that are not saleable products. However, as a result, we can also work on designs that are already in production. Instead of creating products that are sold, we work on product design instead of product production. This means that we don't create products that are immediately marketable. However, as a result, we can get blurred when a new product is introduced into the marketplace. We often work with clients who want to see the injection molded part in production instead of a prototype.
After we've developed the product concept, we can either print or CNC cut rapid prototypes. The process depends on the complexity of the part, the environment where the project will be located, and the timeline of the project. If requested, TEAM MFG then produces injection molded prototypes to prove that the part will function the same way as the mass produced project.
When a printed prototype is needed, we make 3 to 4 prototypes per project, or if the process moves to injection molding, we make up to 1,000 parts. In general, the process of making a part is very labor intensive and involves a lot of skilled toolmakers. This process can be done by TEAM MFG's engineers. A tool designer has to make sure that the mold cavity is evenly filled, and that the air is empty before the tool is started.
Unlike injection mold tools, prototype injection molding machines don't have the same capabilities. Instead, they require the ability to produce several times the volume needed to meet the demands of the manufacturing process. Production tools are designed to work seamlessly and are typically used for rapid prototyping.
The process of producing steel molds is known as cavity injection. Steel molds are often called "tooling" or "cavitation" after they're made. TEAM MFG ’s prototype tooling has only one cavity per part. Mass production tooling has many cavities for a lower cost.
The time it takes for an idea to get started depends on several factors. Some of these include the complexity of the project, the number of people involved, and the time needed to gather all of the necessary information. The initial stages of printing and/or CNC cutting prototypes can take up to a couple of weeks. In most cases, the injection molding process can take months.
Once TEAM MFG is done with their portion of the project, the part goes on to be mass produced with injection molding. The client can use our prototypes for FDA trials and sales samples. Sometimes, however, we stop working on the same tooling and continue to fulfill orders while the mass production tools are being made! Although it’s a stopgap measure, it’s still important to remember that manufacturing is still a process that needs to be done in order to get the job done fast and cheaply. When they’re making millions of parts, however, the difference between 15 seconds and 20 seconds is huge.
The 3D files that we use to make our tooling and the tools that the mass production vendor produces are the same.We prove that the design is solid by providing the mass production tool vendor with an injection molded part made from those files. Contact us today to learn more now!
