In 1872, John Wesley Hyatt along with his brother Isaiah patented the first plastic injection molding machine. In 1979, plastic production processes such as custom plastic injection molding, became more widely used than steel production processes. In 1990, aluminum molds were first used widely for injection molding.
Currently, custom plastic injection molding is used to create many different products such as automotive dashboards, bottle caps, pocket combs, and wire spools among many other things. While the custom plastic injection molding is complex, it is also very versatile.
Plastic injection molding can produce many injection molded plastic pieces in a short time period, allowing manufacturers to lower labor costs. These custom plastic injection molding process also do not create a lot of scraps, so they are actually environmentally friendly.
There are thousands of types of materials that can be used in the custom plastic injection molding process, so it can be used for many different applications. For instance, there are elastomers and thermoplastics that can be used. Often these are mixed with allows that can produce products that are strong and flexible.
Custom plastic injection molding uses machines that are actually called presses. These machines have many parts, the main one being the mold. This mold is attached to the main machine and is then injected with the chosen plastic material. After the material is injected pressure is applied, and in effect, creates the part. The faster the plastic material is injected during the custom plastic injection molding process, the more accurate the end product will be. Finally, the part or product will cool, and then the mold will open and eject the part. Custom plastic injection molding machines and molds need to be stored at specific temperature and humidity levels to ensure that they remain in good condition.
Custom plastic injection molding is efficient, fast, and even environmentally friend. This means that the consumer receives useful products that are produced in a cost effective manner than can reduce the cost. Custom plastic injection molding so prevalent that many people many not even realize just how many products are created using this process.