Usual type of mold structure

1.Stack molds(multi cavities):
Stack molds are very common in custom plastic injection molding. It’s always refers to a mold that is stacked with a series of mold parting faces or mold split lines. Without increasing the machine platen size or tonnage, you can double the amount of cavities to enlarge the output, which increases molding efficiency and reduces the overall cost. Stack molds with same cavities in each mold parting surface can produce double of same standard plastic parts, while stack molds with different cavities in each mold parting surface can also produce multi-component or family parts in one shot on one plastic injection molding machine.

Advantages:
1)Doubled output: instead of increasing the mold size by adding more cavities, stack molds maintain mold size and machine size by adding a second layer of cavities parallel to the first layer. All the fill, pack and cooling time remain the same and only the mold open and mold close time add slightly to the cycle time.
2)Reduced part and production cost: The part price is determined by the machines hour rate, which is directly related to the machine clamp tonnage. A stack mold requires only about half the clamp tonnage than a single-face mold with same number of cavities.
3)Efficiency and Improved Automation: Stack molds can produce multi-component assemblies in one shot on one plastic injection machine using the same parameters.

2.Molded-in color:
One of the biggest advantages that custom plastic injection have over metals is the option of providing molded-in color. Different from painting, plating or some other after-treatment, molded-in color is an integral part of the component out from the mold directly, not just on the surface, which ensures high quality and long-lasting, also avoid some problem like scratching, scraping or peeling and the environmental pollution that painting or plating may bring. What’s more, molded-in saves a lot of cost since it doesn’t need any secondary treatment, and the efficiency is higher as well.

In Shanghai Olimy, as long as you can provide us a color sample or point the color in RAL or Pantone color code, we will get back to you with our color samples with 5 days, there will be three copies, one for your approval, one for workshop for production and the last one will be kept for future discussion.

3.In-mold decorating and In-mold labeling:
Plastic injection In-mold labeling and in-mold decorating is a process of decorating or labeling injection molded parts or components during the custom plastic injection molding cycle. The label becomes an integral part of the final product, creating a fully decorated item at press.

In in-mold labeling or in-mold decorating, a pre-printed label or decorated film is inserted in the open plastic injection mold and held in place via vacuum ports, electrostatic charge, or other methods, when the mold is closed, plastic resin is injected into the mold, encapsulating the label permanently within the finished part.
Normally IML and IMD are often used interchangeably, while, IML is mostly used on disposable consumer packaging on products with a short life span, such as food containers, cosmetic and personal care containers and household product containers. It is employed in high speed, thin walled, multi-cavity injection mold machines. Life span of the products with IML is measured in months, not years, and the cost of the label is low.

IMD is most commonly used on durable products with long life spans, such as appliances, toys, medical devices, automotive components, lawn and garden equipment and other durables. It is employed on thick walled, lower cavity injection mold machines. Life span of these products is measured in years, not months, and the cost of the label is mdeum.

Advantages:
1. DURABLE – graphics are impossible to remove without destroying the plastic part and will remain vibrant for the life of the part. Options are available for enhanced durability in harsh enviornements and chemical resistance.
2. COST EFFECTIVE – elimates post-molding labeling, handling and storage. Reduces WIP inventory, and the additional time required for post-production decoration, on-site or off-site.
3. FLEXIBLE DESIGN – available in a wide range of colors, effects, textures and graphic options and can replicate even the most challenging looks like stainless steel, wood grains and carbon fiber.

4.Insert molding:
Plastic injection insert molding is one of the many specialized plastic injection molding service that offered by Shanghai Olimy. Insert molding is a highly efficient process by which metal stampings such as the magnets, screws, studs, contacts, clips, pins, surface mount pads, threaded fastners, bushings, tubes and bushings, electromechanical parts, filtration materials etc are strongly bonded, combined into a single component through the plastic injection process. Insert molded components are widely used in housings, instruments, knobs, devices and electrical components for a wide variety of applications in the medical, defense, aerospace, electronics/electrical, industrial and consumer markets.

Advantages: Plastic injection molding process makes use of engineering plastic for improved wear resistance, tensile strength, it reduces assembly and labor costs, reduces the size and weight of the part, improves component reliability and Increased design flexibility…
Insert molding can be a highly efficient alternative to the assembly of discrete parts using soldering, connectors, fasteners, or adhesives. Its benefits over such methods include:

• Reduced assembly and labor costs

Because insert molding joins numerous components with thermoplastic, assembly and labor costs are greatly minimized. For example, a single stamping can be overmolded, then perforated to create multiple circuit paths.

• Reduced size and weight

By eliminating fasteners and connectors, and by combining the physical strength of resin and metal inserts, insert molding yields smaller and lighter components.

• Increased reliability

With every part tightly secured in thermoplastic, an insert molded component prevents part loosening, misalignment, improper terminations, and other problems. The thermoplastic resin also provides improved resistance to shock and vibration.

• Increased design flexibility

Designers appreciate the virtually unlimited configurations that insert molding allows. For example, in creating a 3D circuit board, overmolding permits circuitry to move freely through the part, from inside to outside, up walls, down in holes-and the plastic ties it all together.

5.Over molding:
Plastic injection overmolding is a plastic injection molding process in which two or more materials are combined to produce a single final part. TPE is the most common material that will be used in overmolding process, and the other material is typically a rigid plastic, the plastic substrate and TPE are always joined either though insert molding or multi-shot moulding.

One of the biggest advantages of overmolding is that it creates one whole assembly as plastic flows around individual parts, as opposed to bolting or gluing the separate parts together, this reduces secondary operation and labor costs, as a result, overmolding reduces part cost. In addition, overmolding process improves component reliability as it eliminates bonding step in the whole process, at the same time, part strength and structure is also improved, and it also enhances design flexibility as it allows for production of parts molded of multiple materials.

Now overmolding process is not only used in electronics, but also widely used as medical devices and instruments, parts with soft grip handles, knobs and window reveal moldings etc.

6.Multi-shot molding:
Plastic injection multi-shot molding, which is also known as 2-shot molding, is sometimes referred to the bonding of two different materials into one integrated part in one injection machine. Two different materials can be multi-color, multi-material or multi-components. Multi-shot molding machines have tow separate barrels that can be configuration, during injection process, two resins are injected into one mold held in a rotary platen press. And because the two compatible materials cool and cure together forming a chemical bond, multi-shot components have superior bonding compared to insert molding. Multi-shot process provides an efficient way to achieve a product by removing the need for a secondary assembly, which eliminates labor cost and improves efficiency at the same time.