Insert Molding
A preformed plastic or metal insert is incorporated into the plastic component during the molding stage. This process bonds the overmolded thermoplastic material very tightly to the rest of the component. This happens because the mechanical bonds are created between the inserts and the plastic.
When inserts are used in the molding stage, a standard vertical molding machine can make it difficult for operators and some automation to load inserts into the tool correctly. To support your program, Empire Precision Plastics has molding machines which feature vertical clamping systems, both with and without rotary platens.
Benefits of Insert Molding:
- Reduced post-mold operations – Inserts installed during the molding cycle greatly reduce the requirement for post-mold operations. This helps with assembly and reduces the labor required for some applications.
- Increased part consistency – Inserts placed in the same tool location for each machine cycle help reduce cost and variation that could be introduced in a secondary process.
- Reduced production time and faster throughput – This style of molding machine has multiple ejector side mold halves, which can provide faster machine cycle times, ease automation, and sometimes decrease labor in manual operations. These benefits are magnified when using vertical presses with rotary platens.
To learn more how Empire can help you with your insert molding applications follow this link: Contact Us, or call 800-541-7135.