Precision molding is the latest technology in the world of plastic injection molding. Precision molding is a type of plastics molding that is the most expensive and sophisticated process of mold design in the market.
Precision mold parts to assemble the precision mold-MEITUO
The process of precision molding is never used in the development of the entire product by the plastic injection molding companies. It is only used in the manufacturing process in small and infrequent occasions when product development calls for an unusually precise form of plastic injection molding.
As mentioned above, precision injection molding is a highly technical process and requires the use of precision molds and precision machines. The process of precision molding differs from conventional injection molding techniques. The process is required for the development of precise plastic parts with complex geometries that can replace high precision metal parts for various industrial applications.
The precision of a part is largely dependent on the precision injection mold and its suitability to meet the design engineering requirements.
The precision of the mold is a result of various factors including:
The process of molding plastic by CNC machining into an exceptional price and calculated shapes is known as polymer optics.
The process of precision molding is never used in the development of the entire product by the plastic injection molding companies. It is only used in the manufacturing process in small and infrequent occasions when product development calls for an unusually precise form of plastic injection molding.
As mentioned above, precision injection molding is a highly technical process and requires the use of precision molds and precision machines. The process of precision molding differs from conventional injection molding techniques. The process is required for the development of precise plastic parts with complex geometries that can replace high precision metal parts for various industrial applications.
The precision of a part is largely dependent on the precision injection mold and its suitability to meet the design engineering requirements.
The precision of the mold is a result of various factors including:
The process of molding plastic by CNC machining into an exceptional price and calculated shapes is known as polymer optics.
ABS is a thermoplastic polymer, which means it is can retain its elasticity through high temperatures. It has a reduced shrinkage of =/-.006. It is still considered not appropriate for precision molding, which usually requires a shrinkage of +/-002.
This shrinkage capacity is usually achieved through the addition of glass or another resin that is mixed with the plastic. The external material keeps the plastic in its place and absorbs the excessive heat, thereby reducing shrinkage.
It should be noted that the induction of this material into the product does not ensure that the product will not shrink. The resulting product will shrink in parallel to the induced resin.
Now that the product has more structure, shrinkage can be taken into account and a product development plan can be developed that will keep the product straight.
The process of precision molding requires that every piece of the product is developed identically and will be attached in an identical manner.
If a product is not identical to the mold design then the precision product will also not be accurate. A precise mold is the only way to ensure that there is no change in the design in any way.
When you are in need of a precision-molded product, make sure that the manufacturer understands this aspect of development.
Precision molding is a slow and steady process that requires time and focus. Do not choose injection molding companies who specializes in rapid tooling, as they are not too familiar with the precision molding process. The rapid tooling process finishes the mold design quickly.
This is the main idea of precision tooling and we hope to have covered all the basics.
There is not much information on the process available online so we decided to present the process through our experience.
If you ever require a precision modeling process for your products, it is best to truly understand the mechanics of the process as best as you can.
If the manufacturer can see that you know what you are talking about, they will be more motivated to deliver the product that you asked for.
Precision molding machines should preferably be high pressure. This helps improve the quality and the overall precision of the plastic parts.
An injection pressure of around 392 MPa reduces the shrinkage factor to zero. Additionally, the mechanical strength of the part increases significantly when the injection pressure is kept around 392MPa.
Further, the efficiency of the injection rate improves when maximum injection pressure is increased.
Following are the main structural features of precision molding machines:
Additionally, precision moulding machines should be able to manage the repeatability and accuracy of a product.
When planning to create a precision molded product, it is important to consider the following key criteria:
As mentioned earlier in the article, precision molding is way more sophisticated and expensive than conventional plastics molding. This is the reason why it is important to understand the different aspects of your custom plastic parts and determine the ones requiring high tolerances.
It is also important to understand whether those tolerances can be managed through conventional injection moulding techniques. A plastic part may be created using both- conventional plastic injection molding process as well as precision moulding. An electronic part, may, for example, require precision works only for a small section of the piece and not the entire part.
Hence, understanding and determining the precision requirements will ensure a cost-effective solution that will meet your needs. Additionally, it will also help ensure that your parts are prepared with high quality and meet the production deadlines.
Selecting the right plastic resins is an important factor for creating the right precision molded parts. The selection of material is one of the biggest determining factors in determining whether the plastic molded products will come out as desired.
Within the plastic material, shrinkage range is one of the most important criteria for creating parts with high precision. Narrow shrinkage ranges offer better chances of reaching tight tolerances.
Again, the requirement of shrinkage depends on the product being created. While a wider range of shrinkage is not preferable since it makes it hard to hit the right tolerance levels, it can still be used to create products that do not need to be of an exact size.
Polypropylene has a wider shrinkage range of +/- .014&#; to +/- .022&#;. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) on the other hand has a narrower range but is still not in the category that fits the need for precision molding.
Usually, the shrinkage ranges required for molding a precision part is around +/- .001&#; or +/- .002&#;
Choosing a plastic resin that offers low shrinkage is hence an easy way to get your materials right for precision moulding.
However, this may not always be a cost-effective option due to the high cost of the desired resins.
Qisheng are exported all over the world and different industries with quality first. Our belief is to provide our customers with more and better high value-added products. Let's create a better future together.
Various molders hence prefer to reach the high tolerance level by adding filler materials to the plastic resins. These include glass fibers, mica and other filler materials. The addition of fillers narrows down the shrinkage range and hence provides a better structure to the parts.
Choosing the right precision molding company is another important factor in creating quality molded products. The key requirements for creating precision molded plastic parts that have tight tolerances and are produced as exact replicas of each other is to have high precision molds and tools.
It is hence important to select a precision molding manufacturer who specializes in high precision tooling with a thorough understanding of the process. The availability of technology to create precise molds that produce identical parts is a very important criterion for manufacturing precision molded products.
Precision moulding is used in the development of a wide variety of products as stated earlier. But the technology truly revolutionized the development of lenses in various applications as it allowed for the contract manufacturing of glass free lenses that were cheaper and much stronger.
Glass lenses are highly delicate, harder to make, and expensive, but plastic optic lenses have truly revolutionized the optics industry.
Precise molding is used in the development and mass production of precise spherical, diffractive, freeform, aspheric and other types of lenses that are high-quality products and have perfect optical surface finishing.
Who are the best precision molding in China? Contact us now and get a quote!
Precision molded components are made by molding either silicone or plastic in a particular way to produce a part with a high degree of accuracy and tight tolerances. The molding process is made to be repeatable in long machine runs.
The precision molding process isn&#;t used for the entire production process. Instead, it is only necessary on occasion for the manufacturing process for products that include highly precise forms of plastic injection molding.
Precision injection molding is a highly technical process that requires specialty precision molds and precision molding machines.[1] It differs from conventional injection molding and is typically used only for precise plastic parts with complicated geometry.
The precision mold dictates how precise the finished product turns out. The following factors influence how precise a finished product is:
Precision molding is the process of molding plastic into calculated shapes using CNC machining. As technology advances and becomes more sophisticated, the industry needs more sophisticated molding processes to create precision parts for medical devices, IT, automotive applications, and pharmaceuticals.
Here are some benefits of precision molding:
One of the most significant benefits of precision molding is its potential for automation. The whole process can be automated and customized through software programs for efficient manufacturing.
The precision molding and design engineering process is conducted through cells that can also handle injection molding, coating, testing, and more, all using computer programs.
With automation, precision molds can be fitted with mechanical mounts, such as snappers or lens mounts. These components can be installed or removed as needed.
Precision molding is not used on the entire structure of a product, but only on the parts that require high precision. This applies to components that have tight tolerances, which means the manufacturer needs to follow the requirements precisely to ensure the component doesn&#;t damage the injection molding equipment.
The development of the entire product using precision molding is costly and could be a waste of money. It&#;s reserved for only the necessary parts that require high precision. It&#;s vital that the designer understands the precision requirements to ensure cost-effectiveness.
The molding materials for precision molding are different from other molding types due to unique factors. Precision molding can cause shrinkage in plastic and requires molding materials with high tolerance.[2]
Precision molding may require a shrinkage of +/-0.002, so ABS plastic and polyethylene (two materials often used for molding) are not suitable.
In many cases, manufacturers add glass or resins to the plastic to keep the plastic in place and absorb heat, reducing shrinkage. There&#;s no guarantee that the material will not still shrink, however.
Precision molding requires all product components to be produced identically and fitted together identically. If a product is not identical in the mold design, the corresponding precision product will not be accurate.
This is also a slow and patient process that requires time and focus. It&#;s important to choose a company with extensive knowledge and experience in precision molds &#; not just any optics manufacturer will do.
Precision molding machines are a vital part of the precision molding process. These machines should be highly pressurized to improve the precision and quality of the finished product. With the right machine, the mechanical strength of the part increases while reducing the shrinkage factor.
These machines should also be able to manage the repeatability and accuracy of the product to produce identical components.
Precision molding is more expensive and sophisticated than other types of molding. But it&#;s necessary for specific optical components. Therefore, it&#;s vital to choose the right manufacturer for precision molding to ensure you get the performance and specifications you want.
Here are some things to consider:
Choosing a precision molding manufacturer plays a significant role in your molded components. Select a manufacturer specializing in high precision molding and tooling to produce high-quality, identical parts.
If you need consistent, high-quality parts and components that meet or exceed industry standards, choose Apollo Optical Systems. We work with our clients through the entire process to ensure they can create polymer-based optical products to their exact specifications. Contact us today to discuss your custom optics design!
Sources:
[1][1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S
[2][2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC/
Dr. Dale Buralli has served as the Chief Scientist for Apollo Optical Systems since . In this role, Dr. Buralli is responsible for the design and optical modeling of various optical systems. These systems include virtual or augmented reality, ophthalmic and other imaging or illumination systems. Additionally, he provides support for optical tooling of lens molds and prototypes, including the development of custom software for both production and metrology. Dr. Buralli got his Ph.D. in optics from the University of Rochester in . Now he is an Adjunct Professor of Optics at the University of Rochester&#;s Institute of Optics.
View all posts by Dale BuralliWant more information on Precision Molds And Molding? Feel free to contact us.