It is vital to choose the right machinery for manufacturing your products. You need to know the important things to consider when choosing a plug molding machine. Customers who have experience in the plastic industry may not have challenges when choosing their injection molding machines. If you are new to this industry, you should seek an expert’s opinion. These are the steps you should follow:
Analyze Your Finished Products
There are different types of plug molding machines. At the start, you need to know the machine that is suitable for you. As you know, products or materials have different properties, such as thermoplastic or thermosetting. Other properties include color mixing, interlayers, and single color. Also, some of your products might need extreme manufacturing conditions such as ultra-high injection speeds, high accuracy, and quick production. When you analyze your finished products, it becomes easier to choose the right plug molding machine.
Mold Size
If you want to produce small plastic dolls, then the mold size should be smaller. However, if you are producing large plastics, then the mold size should be larger. As a result, the size of the machine should correspond to the size of the mold and product. It is advisable to consult molding machine factories on the right mold size.
Clamping Force
In the injection molding technique, you need to maintain the shape of your finished product. This means the mold should maintain a given amount of pressure on your product. What is required to make this possible is called clamping force. It is calculated according to material and product size. You do not need to calculate the clamping force by yourself. Instead, you should consult an expert to avoid incorrect calculations. If your machine applies the wrong clamping force, then there will be glue overflow and burrs on your injected product.
Injection Volume
The injection volume varies depending on the weight and material of the product. Usually, the larger the volume and weight of a product, the larger the machine. You need to check the horizontal screw in the machine. It mixes, compresses, and melts the plastic during the manufacturing process. The stroke and diameter of the screw are quite important. Thus, when you choose a plug molding machine, you should pay attention to both the tonnage of the machine and its screw.
Locking Force
Your injection molding machine should have adequate locking force. That is because, during the melting process, you are dealing with high pressure. Without adequate locking force, the machine’s mold can open and spew out the material. This is likely to cause accidents for operators. The locking force varies depending on factors such as product sizes, cavity pressure, and number of cavities. Ideally, the locking force outside should be higher than the pressure inside the mold.
Conclusion
After getting the best plug molding machine, you should keep looking for modifications to improve its performance and increase productivity. This will ensure you get a quick return on investment. It is better to calculate cost-benefit analysis to choose the right molding machine for your business.
