Injection Molding Service – Automotive Applications

Injection Molding Service – Automotive Applications makenica.com/injection-molding-service-automotive-applications February 24, 2021

Injection molding service is one of the most widely used manufacturing methods for plastics, providing a feasible alternative for mass production of high quality and consistent components from a wide variety of polymers. In the automotive industry, where accuracy, protection, and efficiency are of the utmost importance, automotive injection molding service has become a staple.

In the past days of the automobile industry, automobiles were almost entirely made of aluminum, which meant they were clumsy and incredibly heavy. With the industry advancement and the plastics market exploded in the 1940s and 1950s, automotive manufacturers began investigating the use of polymer components to construct automobiles.

In the early 1970s, the first cars with plastic decoration features were rolled out, while more practical components, such as plastic headlights, bumpers, and fenders, were added in the 1980s.

The first plastic structural components for cars were launched in the early 2000s and had the advantage of being lighter than their metal counterparts, unlocking better fuel economy and cheaper production. Today, Plastic injection molding is also one of the dominant manufacturing processes for producing plastic parts in the automotive industry since it is well suited to mass production.

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Advantages of injection molding service in automotive applications Plastic Injection molding service is a manufacturing procedure followed by many injection molding companies, in which a molten plastic material is injected into a mold cavity. Then the molten plastic cools and hardens, and the finished part is extracted.

Although the mold construction process is important and difficult (an incorrectly constructed mold can create defects), injection molding service is a successful method of manufacturing high-quality, solid plastic components.

1. Repeatability In the automotive industry, repeatability—or the potential to reliably manufacture the same parts—is essential. Since injection molding service is generally based on durable metal molds, the final plastic parts created using the mold are remarkably similar. Some considerations come into play with plastic injection molding service, but if the mold is well built and manufactured, injection molding is a highly repeatable operation.

2. Scale and Costs While the plastic injection molding process is costly (as well as the mold), injection molding is a highly scalable process, the total cost of which reduces the number of parts generated.

Injection molding service is also advantageous to the producer for mass production applications. However, for anything other than mass manufacturing, the cost of injection molding tools can reduce the process's cost-effectiveness.

3. Accessibility of materials The wide variety of rigid, flexible, and rubber plastics that the technique is compliant with is a major advantage of injection molding service for automobile manufacturing. Several different polymers are used in the automobile industry for various applications, including ABS, polypropylene, acrylic, acetal, nylon, polycarbonate, and more.

4. Strong precision and surface finishing Plastic injection molding service is suitable for manufacturing plastic parts with relatively basic geometries and results in high surface finishing quality parts. Manufacturers have multiple finishing choices when manufacturing pieces, including different surface textures—such as glossy, rough, or matt—that are added directly to the mold rather than the molded component. Various plastic parts also affect the final surface finish.

5. Options for color In the plastic injection molding service of automotive parts, it is easy to change colors to match the vehicle's color scheme. Unlike other methods, injection molding service helps you blend dyes with raw material pellets before beginning production. This provides strong, uniform coloring without the need for decoration or painting after the molding has been finished.

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6. Fast prototypes with fast tooling While injection molding service is commonly used in the mass manufacturing of car parts, the automotive plastic parts manufacturer may still use it as a prototyping technique.

Through creating fast, low-cost aluminum molds with easy tooling—usually by additive manufacturing or CNC machining—manufacturers can turn around short runs of prototype molded car parts far quicker than they can with conventional (steel) tooling.

Production Applications for automotive injection molding In the automobile industry, injection molding service is one of the prevalent processes used to manufacture plastic components. Looking at the finished vehicle, it will be daunting to list any single part created by plastic injection molding service, so we'll take a look at some of the key ones.

1. Under-the-hood Over the last two decades, several hood parts made of metal have been turned into plastic.

Robust polymers such as ABS, Nylon, and PET are popular for these applications. Parts such as cylinder head covers and oil pans are made by injection molding and lower weights and costs relative to the metal part.

2. Exterior Injection molding is a well-established technique for many external vehicle parts, including fenders, grids, bumpers, door panels, floor rails, light housings, and more.

Splash guards are a good example of the toughness of injection-molded components.

Components that shield the vehicle from ground debris and reduce splashing are often made of rubber or other durable and lightweight materials.

3. Interior Many automotive interior parts are also made by injection molding. They provide instrumentation parts, interior surfaces, front doors, door handles, glove compartments, air vents, and more. Decorative plastic elements may also be created by injection molding.

Alternatives for injection molding for low-cost automotive prototypes In certain cases, molded plastics are used as an alternative to metals. Things such as brackets, trunk lids, seatbelt systems, and airbag containers may once have been made entirely of aluminum, but today they are routinely injected using plastics.

On the other side, often molded plastic parts can be substituted with 3D printed plastic parts—especially for prototyping where there is less need for extreme toughness or smooth surface finishing. Many moldable plastics can also be used as FDM 3D printer filaments or, for nylons, as SLS 3D printer powders. Some advanced and hightemperature 3D printers can also print hardened composites for high-strength components.

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In the not-too-distant future, additive technology will be used for a much broader range of car components, from door and body panels (SLM) to powertrain and drivetrain parts (EBM).

Injection Molding Material for Automotive Parts Vehicles must be constructed to stringent safety requirements and must meet multiple certifications to become roadworthy. It is vital to choose the appropriate material for any plastic injection molding of automotive parts.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of popular automotive IM plastics, along with the parts that can be used to produce them.

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) Widely used for injection molding and 3D printing, the durable ABS plastic is relatively weather resistant. It can be used in automobiles to render things such as dashboards and covers.

Polyamide (PA) Although not resistant to liquids, the nylon has strong abrasion and chemical resistance.

They can be formed into automotive components such as bushes and bearings.

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) The transparency of acrylic makes it an ideal (and brittle-proof) replacement for glass.

The automotive plastic parts manufacturer can use PMMA molded for headlight covers and internal screens (e.g., SatNav or radio).

Polypropylene: (PP) Water-resistant, chemical-and, UV-resistant, PP is used for some of the higher-intensity vehicle products, including some exterior components. PP components include bumpers, wire insulation, and battery covers.

Polyurethane: (PU) PU is also used in spongy and lightweight objects such as foam seating. This includes car seats, but PU auto applications can consist of seals and gaskets, insulation panels, and suspension bushings.

Polyvinyl chloride(PVC) PVC is the third most common synthetic plastic polymer globally and is used in the automotive industry for many molded parts that need strong chemical resistance. This includes interior panels, panels, and wire insulation.

Reinforced composites

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Glass or carbon fiber reinforced plastics, which are much tougher than ordinary resins, can be used to manufacture automotive bodywork and bumpers.

FAQs Q: What is the right injection molding material for automotive parts?

A: The various pieces need different plastic materials, but the most commonly used plastics are PP (seating, body, under a hood); PU (seating, upholstery); and PVC (seating, interior trim, electrical, upholstery). Makenica can instruct you about the right content for your automotive parts.

Q: Am I supposed to use injection molding for automotive prototypes?

A: It probably depends on the amount you like. For a hundred or so pieces, manufacturers may make simple tooling for a low-cost run of molded parts. But with only one or two test units, it might make more sense to use advanced prototyping technologies, such as additive manufacturing, where there are fewer upfront costs.

Q: What's with the metal parts?

A: Injection molding is not used for metals, and the closest option could be the metal casting method used by manufacturers to make aluminum transmission housings and pistons, as well as engine blocks and cylinder heads. CNC machining is still commonly used in automotive applications.

Conclusion Today, the possibilities created by plastic injection molding are adopted by almost every manufacturing sector; electronics, automobile, home appliances, household goods, you name it. Plastic injection molding is a cost-effective and reliable process of manufacturing high-quality components and products.

The technology used today is very similar to the technology used in the past. Computers, however, have made the whole design and production process simpler. The results are much more reliable, and now plastic components are also the chosen alternative for advanced technical and scientific applications.

Makenica Automotive Plastic Injection Molding Service At Makenica, we provide skilled injection molding facilities, supplying mass-produced components to consumers in the automotive and other sectors. Our facilities include thermoplastic injection molding, over-molding, insert molding, and mold making. In the above case, our professionals collaborate with clients to manufacture high-quality molds for prototyping or large manufacturing runs.

We also offer a huge array of injection molding materials, including solid, heat-resistant, and rigid thermoplastics; flexible, fast-curing thermoplastics; and durable, hightemperature rubber plastics. Our skilled finishing services allow our automotive 5/6

customers to receive high-quality finishes that match their application requirements.

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