Injection Moulding: Applications and Materials
While many people may not be aware, injection moulding is used to create a whole range of the everyday products we use. The applications of injection moulding take in everything from automotive parts to electrical switches, medical devices to simple plastic lids and much more. Even though there are some restrictions regarding the shapes and complexity of products made using injection moulding, there are many different materials which can be used.
Numerous articles on this subject have looked at specific components made using the injection moulding process; we are going to take a different approach. There are many different materials which can be used as part of the injection moulding process, offering an array of different characteristics. Each will suit different products as you can see below.
Matching materials with products
The majority of applications of injection moulding will use a type of plastic (often referred to as a polymer) which can vary in:
- Strength
- Durability
- Flexibility
- Cost
In a moment we will take a look at some of the more commonly used types of plastic, their particular characteristics and which plastics best suit which type of product. It is safe to say you will be surprised, if not amazed, by some of the products which are made using the injection moulding process.