Jul 03/19
5 Ways 3D Printing Fits the Mold Injection Process
Are you looking for some unique and high-quality products? Then the use of 3D printed injection molds will ensure that you have only the best products on the market.
The global market for injection molded plastics is valued at $325 billion. The global market for 3D printing plastics is $335 billion, while the global market 3D printing metal is $334 billion.
You can incorporate 3D printing with the mold injection process and get high quality, durable products.
The process ensures that products are made on time and have some of the unique geometric designs. This makes all the products stand out and be unique, which in turn improves the market share of your products.
How does 3D Printed Injection Molds Help the Design Process?
1. Overall Design and Production Process
When creating a new product from scratch, you need to use both 3D printing and mold injection process. The two processes play an important role in ensuring that you get high quality and durable print model.
The easiest way to prototype and iterate complex designs is by the use of 3D printing. Additionally, 3D printing is one of the fastest methods when you want to create a prototype.
Most companies are using 3D printing to create prototypes as it allows them to showcase new products on time. Since the market keeps on changing and new products keep on being unleashed in the market, this calls for a faster production process.
Moreover, launching new products on time helps a company stay relevant. It also helps the company keep up with the competition.
For example, electrical companies need to showcase a prototype using the final material. The helps their products to be certified. 3D printing assists firms to have a great prototype which can fasten the certification process.
Injection molding is used during the production process. It helps produce large quantities of high-quality products.
Companies should choose whether to use injection molding, 3D printing, or both. It all depends on the quantity they want to produce.
2. Production of Products Before You Get to Know the Market
Before you know how the market will respond to your products, you can make some products and test the market response. Since you don’t want to invest in a large manufacturing process, you can use 3D printing and get good quality prototypes. This will allow you to have sample products in the market without incurring a large initial cost.
If you have a good market response, you can do the analysis and decide if it’s worth spending money on the product.
Additionally, you won’t have to worry about any cost issues and inventory. After you have studied the market, you can now dive in and invest, depending on how they performed.
Additionally, bridge manufacturing can be used when you don’t have funds to support mold injection. This allows you to produce products using 3D print and then, later on, invest in 3D printed injection molds.
Also, you can use 3D printing to fill in any market gaps. This will ensure that you have enough products in the market and help you stay ahead of your competition.
3. 3D Printed Injection Molds
The use of 3D printed molds in the injection molding process is interesting. It allows you to produce high-quality products.
This combination creates a much-needed synergy. Further, it gives the product more strength and durability.
When you create products using 3D printing, the products may not be durable. For example, a tool steel mold created using the 3D printing process is not durable.
Then you should use both 3D printing and mold injection to make a better product. This will allow the product to be strong, sturdy, and durable. Using both methods creates a product that is of high quality and have a great finish.
Consequently, this improves your marketing strategy. A lot of people prefer products that have a great finish and are pleasing to the eye. Moreover, this will help you compete with other products in the market.
4. Comparison of Injection Molding Cost and 3D Printing
Most people always say that 3D printing is a lot cheaper as compared to injection molding. This is not always the truth as you have to keep in mind all the factors that can affect pricing. This includes the material used, the production quantity, turnaround time, and part geometry.
Injection molding tends to be a little pricey when compared to 3D printing. However, this tends to change with the volume of products needed to be produced in the long run.
The use of 3D printing is affordable if you are producing a low volume of products. This is because the cost of one mold is factored in without spreading it among high volume parts.
But as the volume of production increases, injection molding is the preferred choice. This is because more products and parts can be produced using the same cost production of one product.
Hence, when manufacturing in bulk, it is better to use the mold injection process.
5. When Creating Complex Parts
When creating highly complex parts, the 3D printing process is preferable. This is because a 3D printer can handle more complex geometry and unique contours of the product.
You can create the contours without following the injection molding process steps which are tedious and take a lot of time. This saves you time and energy while making a product.
However, when you want to increase the production volume, you will need to incorporate injection molding. But when you want to test the limits of the design and its practicality. Then using the 3D printing process is the right choice.
3D printing is better when the turnaround time is considered during production.
Bottom Line
When producing complex products that are of high quality, use 3D printed injection molds. They allow the use of both 3D and mold injection process.
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