Along with the molding machine and robotics, a very key piece to making a plastic part is the mold itself. Now the mold or die (as it is sometimes called) consists of the mirror image of the part. There are a front or cavity side and the rear or core side. These are cut and formed on a CNC milling machine that can be so precise it can cut steel to within .001". After the part design has been finalized the mold is made to match the part. During the mold making process there are a number of components that make up the mold. I'm will not go into great detail, but I will point out a few key components.

Guide pins of the mold eliminate the mold halves from becoming out of position with each other. Just as the name states guide pins help guide the back half to the front half or the front half to the back half. This will ensure the cavity and core fit back together without any damage each cycle.

We have channels (which make a circuit in and out) cut into the steel plates that will run either water or oil through the mold to help cool the part. These channels can be just a couple all the way to 20 or more different circuits.

Vents are cut running from the mold features outward. Vents exist so air can escape the mold as the plastic is being injected into the mold.

Ejector pins are made to run from the back of the mold to the front of the core side. These assist in the removal of the molded part. Ejector pins can also be vented to help air escape the mold as the plastic is being injected.






Molding basics.....

With advancements in technology, not only of plastic, but also in robotics. These, sometimes complex machines can do much more than the average human. Robots are used in many ways throughout the industry. They can be use for a simple task of removing a molded part from a mold, all the way to assembling and painting. Like plastic there are many types of robots. There are simple pick and place robots called 3 axis. These travel on X axis (left to right), Z axis (up and down) and Y axis (forward and backward). These are the most common used in most plastic factories.

Pick and place robot in action.............

How is plastic made into different shapes? This is done in a couple of ways. Injection molding is a widely known process around the world. The process uses an injection molding machine which uses heat and pressure to melt and inject the plastic into a mold. The mold has precise features that are cut with a CNC machine to mirror what the part looks like. After the melted plastic is injected into the mold it takes a few seconds to cool the plastic to hold its shape.












Kinda lengthy, but worth the look..........

With the plastics industry booming, and manufacturing billions upon billions of parts each year. Where does all of the plastic parts end up? Most are able to be ground up and recycled. These few billions of pieces of plastic can be used again to make new plastic parts to replace the old ones. They are also used in many other forms. Recycled plastic is being used to make carpet, clothes, shoes, lumber and some insulation.




Learn more about how you can help....

Using today's technology and the use of recyclable and biodegradable plastic we can change how plastic is disposed of and protect the environment.