20230717-Making Plastic Injection Molded Parts with 3D Printed Molds

3D Printed Molds for Keychain Creation! Unlock your creativity with custom-designed 3D printed molds, crafted using the Form 3+ printer. Take it a step further with the APSX-PIM injection machine, which effortlessly injects a variety of materials into the 3D printed molds. From vibrant colors to durable materials, the possibilities are endless!

Kubi Kara

15 Jul, 2023. less than a minute read

20230717-Making Plastic Injection Molded Parts with 3D Printed Molds

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Manufacturing

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Injection Moulding: Technology Overview

This article sums up everything you need to know about Injection moulding: how it works, common injection moulding processes, its benefits and limitations.

fromXometry Europe

11 Jul, 2023. less than a minute read

Injection moulding, a modernised and far more advanced form of casting, is one of the manufacturing methods developed through the years that allows to speed up and enhance the production of different products. Speed and ease of production are critical considerations in manufacturing, especially bulk production, as these bring about numerous advantages. These advantages include lower development costs, greater forecasting accuracy, faster innovation, and larger market share.

What is injection moulding?

Injection moulding is a manufacturing process in which molten material is injected into an already prepared mould and left to cool. Upon cooling, the material solidifies and takes the shape of the mould, before being ejected. While this process may be used for one-off productions, it is usually used in the mass production of identical parts. Materials most commonly used in injection moulding are plastics or elastomers.

Injection moulding system

Due to its high output rate and consistency of quality, injection moulding is widely used across different industries to create parts such as electrical components, automotive parts, basic consumer plastics, furniture parts, and many others.

Mould for injection moulding

How does injection moulding work?

A special-purpose injection moulding machine carries out injection moulding. The manufacturing process is divided into the various steps listed below:

Step 1 – Creation of the mould

The first step in injection moulding is mould creation. The mould for the part to be manufactured is designed according to the specifications of the part’s 3D model, using computer-aided design, following several injection moulding guidelines. It is then manufactured in two parts, usually using CNC machining. Moulds are made from meta