Injection molding is a process used to manufacture parts for different companies. It can create parts of various shapes and sizes, though smaller parts are more commonly made. Injection molded parts can be made from plastic, rubber, or metal. These molded parts are commonly used in industries such as medicine, automotive, electronics, and telecommunications.

Types of Injection Molding

Plastic injection molding is the most common process. Plastic is a desirable material to use for injection molding because it is versatile, yet also inexpensive. The process of molding plastic begins with melting small plastic pellets into a liquid. The liquid is then inserted into a specific mold. The plastic part can be removed from the mold after it has cooled.

Rubber injection molding is a popular process for creating medical devices, farming irrigation parts, airplane parts, and satellite communication parts. When the injection molding process begins, preheated and uncured rubber is forced through an injection nozzle. This material then travels through the mold's runner system and into the mold cavities. Until the rubber cools, the mold will remain closed. Rubber injection molding is often used for larger parts with large surface areas and thin walls.

Metal injection molding is commonly used to create small parts, since metal is a more expensive material. In this process, metal powder is combined with a small amount of binder, is heated, and then inserted into a mold. The part hardens after it has been heated to extreme temperatures. Heating the injected material allows for the powder to shrink and eliminates pores. Because metal injection molding allows for tough parts with corrosion resistance and biocompatibility, it is commonly used for creating medical parts.