3D Printing & Injection Molding for New Product Development

3D Printing & Injection Molding for New Product Development

3D printing technology and injection molding technology, both compete with each other. When utilized in synergy, however, these technologies deliver exceptional results. 3D printing and injection molding both help in rapid prototyping as well as in new product development. Despite the trend for different kinds of 3D printing processes is rising, the actual product manufacturing is done with injection molding. On the other hand, 3D printing proves to be a more effective and popular approach for rapid prototyping.

If you want to learn specifically about 3D printing, read this blog. If you want to learn specifically about injection molding, read this blog. If you just want a quick comparison between 3D printing and injection molding, then continue reading.

3D Printing & Injection Molding

Well now, what is the difference between 3D printing and injection molding? 3D printing and injection molding are both completely different. There are different types of 3D printing techniques, but among them, the most prevalent one is Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). The FDM 3D printing technique works by melting the material, commonly plastic, and shaping an object by ejecting the molten material, one drop at a time in succession. The FDM 3D printer follows inputs from a design file, created by the CAD software, and basically “prints” the object layer by layer.

Injection molding, on the other hand, works by melting the material and injecting it with pressure into a pre-designed metal mold. The mold, usually of steel or aluminum, has a cavity of a certain shape in which the molten material is forcefully filled. The molten material in the cavity of the mold stays for a while to cool and harden. Once the material is sufficiently cool, the mold opens, and the material is ejected, as a definite object.

What about the time? 3D printing a single object takes considerable time than a single injection mold cycle. In order to 3D print a complex object, it might take many hours. Whereas, injection molding can produce the same object in a matter of minutes, provided that there is a definite mold for the object, made and available beforehand.

What about the cost? Injection molding, especially for a basic object or part, is substantially more expensive than 3D printing. When it comes to new product development, you first need to design the prototype of your product. In the case of 3D printing, this prototype design will be the first and last step. Once you have the prototype design, all you need to do is upload it to the 3D printer and press “print.” In a matter of minutes or hours, depending on the complexity, you will have your part ready.

In the case of injection molding, prototype design is the first step. After prototype design, the next step is designing and creating a definitive steel or aluminum mold, which helps produce the part. Making this mold is actually very expensive. Nevertheless, with the mold ready, you will be able to create numerous identical parts, which may prove economical in the long run.

What is the future of product manufacturing? Now, one thing is certain, the 3D printing technology is advancing quickly. Currently in the market, there are different types of 3D printers available. Among those, the most common type is a Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printer. FDM can efficiently 3D print plastic parts. It does prove to be ideal and economical for creating plastic parts for product prototypes.

When used in conjunction with injection molding, however, the overall product development or product manufacturing will prove to be efficient and cost-effective. For product prototype development, you should use 3D printing. After developing the prototype and enhancing it to make it free from any defect or error and ready for mass production, you should employ injection molding, through which you can manufacture parts in bulk quantity, swiftly and inexpensively.

New product development is never easy. It demands significant time, money, efforts, and resources. A coherent approach to new product development, however, can ease the heartache of manufacturing new products.

Need help with new product design and product development? Get in touch with GID Development Corporation today. GID Development Corporation is one of the leading product development companies in the US. Based in California, GID Development Corporation provides agile and economical product design, rapid prototyping, product development, product manufacturing, and other product fulfillment services.

No matter how complex the conceived gadget or product is, GID Development Corporation, an expert product development company in California, will help you realize it. To learn more about GID Development Corporation, visit https://www.gidcompany.com/.

Have any questions regarding 3D printing, injection molding, product design, or product development? GID Development Corporation is offering a 15-minute, FREE telephonic consultation. Just call Jim Grimes at 714-323-1052 between 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM PST.

Why Injection Molding Method is the Best Process for Plastic Product Manufacturing

Injection Molding - Product Design Company USA

According to Plastic product manufacturers across the globe, injection molding is the best and the most reliable method for plastic product manufacturing. It helps the product development company to develop new plastic products with 100% accuracy, obeying all the industry standards. When experienced professionals in a plastic product manufacturing company apply their knowledge in high quality injection molding process, business comes up with the best quality products that continue to move forward, yielding constant profit.

Plastic Injection Molding Method

Plastic product manufacturing is a vast industry, and the injection molding is considered as the simplest product manufacturing process. The method of injection molding begins with the plastic pellets that are prepared from a blend of inorganic polymers, along with additives to help the melting process. In a hopper, these small pellets are then mixed with thousands of other pellet particles. This first step initiates the voyage of creating products from a pellet, followed by the next step that is the preparation of plastic.

After several complicated stages, when the molten plastic is ejected into the mold, the pressure on the mold as well as on the liquid plastic is maintained until the subsequent condenses to a desired solid state. Cooling agents are used to boost the process of condensation. By the time the mold is condensed, a giant rotating screw (used for melting the pellets) comes to its original position, collecting the next batch of pellets from the hopper. Once the liquid plastic is condensed, the newly developed product is casted-out from the mold and forwarded for secondary processes such as decoration, sub-assembly, or delivery.

Rewards of Injection Molding Method

There are several plastic product manufacturing processes; however, injection molding is acclaimed as the best and an affordable manufacturing process. Here are the rewards a business can enjoy if it employs injection molding for manufacturing new plastic products, and they are as follows:

  1. It allows easy manufacturing of plastic products with intricate and complex shapes.
  2. It allows rapid development of new plastic products compared to other manufacturing methods.
  3. The mold used for manufacturing custom plastic products is made of metal; hence, it has a long life and can be used for manufacturing the same products in the future.
  4. You can easily manufacture products in different colors
  5. Low manufacturing cost; hence, either small or large, every business can afford it.
  6. Low manufacturing cost means, a low overall price for a newly developed product
  7. Low environmental waste.

If you are an entrepreneur, planning to develop products made from plastic for your targeted customers, then prefer the injection molding method because it enables instant manufacturing of custom plastic products in different colors and shapes. It not only helps in saving time and money but also allows the manufacturing of high-quality plastic products with 100% accuracy.

For more information on Plastic Product Manufacturing and Injection Molding Methods, feel free to contact GID, a product development company based in the USA, at 714-323-1052. To browse our new product design and development portfolio, please visit https://www.gidcompany.com/our-portfolio/.

Plastic Injection Molding Process and Its Advantages, Explained by a Plastic Product Manufacturer

Plastic Injection Molding Process and Its Advantages

For every plastic product manufacturer, injection molding is the most reliable method of manufacturing new plastic products, maintaining 100% accuracy. When professionals at a product development company apply their knowledge with years of experience in high-quality injection molding services and processes, an entrepreneur ends up with the best quality products that continue to move forward the advancements in this internationally crucial backbone industry.

What is the Plastic Injection Molding Process?

In the field of plastic product manufacturing, injection molding is considered to the simplest product manufacturing process, and that’s the reason why, we will probably find hundreds of injection molded parts in our surroundings. The process of injection molding starts with plastic pellets that are made from a mixture of inorganic and organic polymers, along with additives to boost the melting process. These tiny pellets are mixed into a hopper already having hundreds of other pellet particles. This first step commences the journey of making products from a pellet, followed by the next step which is the preparation of plastic.

The pellets are then introduced onto the threads of a huge rotating screw, where they are continuously heated to melting temperatures, approximately around 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Simultaneously, the pellets are kept rolling as the process also requires force and friction. The giant rotating screw is designed to offer both force and friction. The pellets inside the giant rotating screw move along its circumference and smash into each other. The only point to remember is that the higher quality plastic comparatively requires a higher temperature to melt.

Now, as all the necessities are fulfilled, i.e. heat, force, and friction, the pellet starts to melt and the subsequent process of filling begins. At the same time, the screw constantly directs the molten plastic alongside its threads toward a valve. Maintaining extremely high pressure, the valve emits the liquid plastic into a metal mold, prepared from the best quality metal having optimum heat resistance, until every cavity inside the mold is filled. After this step, a mold enters the next phase of product development. i.e. the Holding Phase. The filling and holding are the two most crucial phases in the plastic injection molding process because the quality of the product depends upon the execution of these processes.

The Next Step

Once the molten plastic is ejected into the mold, the pressure on the mold as well as liquid plastic is preserved until the liquid plastic condenses to a desired solid state. This step may take a few minutes because the metal mold expels the heat from the liquid plastic, and in sequence is cooled by cooling agents in its outer surroundings. By the time the part is condensed, the screw regains its initial position, gathering the next batch of pellets from the hopper. After being condensed, the newly manufactured product is then casted-out from the mold and processed for secondary processes like decoration, subassembly, or delivery.

Advantages of the Plastic Injection Molding

When compared to other manufacturing processes, injection molding delivers more advantages, and they are as follows:

  1. Allows easy development of intricate and complex shapes.
  2. Allows rapid manufacturing of custom products compared to other plastic manufacturing procedures.
  3. The molds made from high-quality metal have a long life; therefore, when there is a demand for the same product in the future, the mold is ready for product development.
  4. You can offer the color of your choice
  5. Low labor cost, means low overall manufacturing cost.
  6. Low environmental waste.

Plastic injection molding is one of the most versatile product manufacturing processes that allow manufacturers to develop custom plastic products and components of different shapes and colors. Additionally, it also saves money and time for a plastic product manufacturer by allowing the production of a high number of identical products at the same time. For more information, please contact GID at 714-323-1052.

GID is a renowned plastic product manufacturer that employs plastic injection molding methods for manufacturing custom plastic products. Since its inception, our teams of product designers, product engineers, project managers, and marketing experts have offered satisfactory product development solutions to thousands of clients across the USA. To browse our new product design and development portfolio, please visit https://www.gidcompany.com/our-portfolio/