Plastic parts
There are many ways to produce plastic parts. Let's take a look.
From 3D printing to CNC machining, from vacuum casting to injection molding, the process options for plastic parts are endless.
Plastic prototype parts
Custom prototyping
The decision starts now! With the help of stereo-lithography (SLA), selective laser sintering (SLS), multi-jet fusion (MJF) and fused deposition molding (FDM), there are a wealth of options for prototyping
Custom plastic parts.
However, with the hype surrounding 3D printing, it is easy to overlook other more established options, such as CNC machining, which remains a very cost-effective solution, especially for large parts and functional materials.
As production increases, even in very small quantities, mold selection is definitely worth considering.
The transition of plastic parts from prototyping to mass production
The transition from prototyping to mass production can be challenging, and instead of automatically jumping to additive manufacturing when the first prototypes are made, consider the long-term requirements (if you know them).
Despite the hype of 3D printing as omnipotence, design for manufacturing is still critical! The point is that features incorporated into the design either impede traditional manufacturing or make it unnecessarily costly.
Let's take a look at the options.
Rapid prototyping (RP) is well suited for handling high complexity components. It provides a fast and cost-effective way to validate such designs before a mold is released.
Plastic production parts Small batch production of plastic parts
Despite the rapid development of RP technology, NC machining still plays an important role in plastic custom prototyping and small batch production, which cannot be ignored and is a viable option.
With a wider selection of materials, combined with our global sourcing capabilities, we are often able to provide you with highly cost-effective results.
Vacuum casting is the first step of mold manufacturing; The process is able to provide excellent detail of the part and combines with a variety of polyurethane material options for an easy and cost-effective transition to the production of plastic parts. Die life is typically 15 to 25 years depending on part geometry and material selection.
Flexibility in injection molding - even in low yields
Injection molding still dominates the production of most plastic parts, providing a consistent source of high-quality parts whether combined with bridge molds or full production molds. Plastic parts
It is often assumed that injection molding lead times are long and costly, but this is not always the case, the real problem is to match the demand to the type of mold produced.
Producing a small number of parts is very different from producing 100,000 parts, but as experts in small batch production, we can help you.
Why would you consider using injection molding to produce a small number of parts? There are many answers, but the most common ones we encountered were related to the material. It is able to deliver materials that meet production requirements, and once the mold is in place, parts can be supplied quickly and at low cost.
