Plastic Injection Molding Companies
Whether you manufacture computer components, sporting goods equipment or automotive interiors, you are likely familiar with plastic injection molding. When your products call for plastic parts, plastic injection molds from plastic injection molding companies who specialize in this process provides the most efficient, one-step solution.
Plastic injection molding companies are not all created equally. Quality products and superior customer service are leading business values for MSI Mold. We believe responding to our customer’s needs with cost-efficient, innovative solutions and expert support services is a win-win prospect.
Injection Molding Basics
For a complex component to be mass-manufactured with swift turnaround times, many elements need to work together, seamlessly. This is MSI’s specialty. Before injection molding can begin, our designers and engineers work with you and your specifications to perfect the design.
MSI’s full menu of services isn’t necessarily available from all plastic injection molding companies. Our close attention to every phase streamlines the process and minimizes delays.
If your mold passes testing and meets our quality and precision standards, it is ready for the production phase. The basic injection molding process includes four basic steps plus post-processing:
- Clamping – MSI technicians load the molds into the injection molding machine where a hydraulic clamping unit presses the two molds together with sufficient force to seal them, tightly.
- Injection – The raw plastic material, in the form of pellets, is loaded into the funnel-like intake hopper. As the machine heats the plastic to a specified temperature, it advances the material toward the mold with a screw-type plunger. The machine quickly injects the molten material into the mold, pushing it into every crevice and cavity.
- Cooling – The injected material cools while the technician prepares to begin the process again.
- Ejection – Once the proper cooling time has elapsed, the mold opens and ejects the new component.
- Post-processing – Mold technicians remove any flash, or leaked material, and recycle it into the solid raw material.
During post-processing, the raw material is loaded into the injection machine to prepare for the next injection. The sequence repeats until the target number is reached. Plastic injection molding companies all differ in terms of their production capacities. MSI specializes in runs between 100 and 100,000 units. Part of our customer commitment is to take the time to familiarize you with the types of molds available and recommend the best options for your unique needs.
Plastic Molding Company
From our engineering and consulting beginnings to the full-service plastic molding company we are today, our clients’ needs have informed our direction. In 2018, driven by customer demand, MSI expanded into a state-of-the-art, climate-controlled manufacturing facility.
Our experience, coupled with the latest technology and equipment, enables us to produce the superior-quality molds and molded parts our customers and their clients count on.
As a leading plastic mold manufacturer in the USA, some of the services we provide in addition to plastic injection molding includes custom injection molding, prototype injection molding, insert molding, and more.
Precision Mold Construction
Metal injection molds, also called dies, are used to produce a vast range of injected plastic products across every industry. Other companies may sub-contract their mold construction. MSI’s plastic injection molds are all manufactured in-house from our dedicated mold-build facility in Michigan.
Constructing the molds is the most time-consuming phase of the injection molding process. They require precision tooling by skilled MSI technicians.
Our experienced toolmakers work alongside our engineers and inspectors throughout the construction process to ensure everything is built exactly to specification. This level of attention is required because even the smallest misstep can cause costly errors.
Re-working a flawed steel injection mold can cost thousands of dollars and add several weeks to your schedule. You can count on MSI to value your production goals and your bottom line as much as we value ours.
When researching plastic injection molding companies, it is important to know their mold-construction philosophy and warranty options. Once you have invested in a top-quality injection mold, you will have a durable, precision product that can be used over and over, run after run.
Our plastic injection molding company’s mold builds carry an unlimited tooling warranty, good for as long as we are running your production parts.
Mold Design and Engineering
If your design has been tested and approved by your engineers, we can start production on your injection molds. If you are in the idea phase, MSI can introduce you to our experienced mold designers and engineers to pick up your project and take it to completion.
Not all plastic injection molding companies have in-house design capabilities, but MSI can take on your project at any phase. Our CAD support services are free to you when you purchase your custom parts from us. If you send us your sketches and ideas, we can create 3D files and generate functional 3D models.
Our modern computer numerical control machines execute pre-programmed sequences that automate the manufacturing process and ensure your molds are cut precisely to match your design data.
MSI Mold wants to get it right from the start. A tight design reviewed and tested by our experts sets you on track for a smoother production experience and shorter processing times. As one of the top US plastic injection molding companies, our goal is to build production-ready molds that turn out quality parts from the first run to the last.
Injection Molding Services
When searching for the best plastic injection molding companies to design the best mold for your operation’s unique purposes you’ll want to consider various factors. Our molds are composed of quality pre-hardened steel, stainless steel or steel alloys, depending on the specifications. These versatile manufacturing workhorses can be grouped into two basic categories:
Insert Molds – Insert molds feature cavity and core sides that will fit inside of a custom mold base. These molds are economical for small order quantities and can produce small to medium-sized components with very fast lead times. Insert molds are a low-cost solution, because the mold design is very basic and allows us to avoid all the material and machining costs that come with making a complete mold base.
Freestanding Molds – In contrast to insert molds, freestanding versions have a higher cost and work best for more complex, multi-cavity molds. They are more suited for higher-quantity runs and for parts that don’t fit into insert molds. Freestanding molds have lead times of three to eight weeks.
Modern Technology Advantages
A simple injection molding machine invented in 1872 prompted a wave of plastic injection molding companies to begin trying their hand at the trade. The last 150 years have seen dramatic improvements in technology that have revolutionized the molded-plastic industry.
Injection molding machines use simple designs that don’t require high maintenance. Perhaps the most significant advantage is the product durability afforded by today’s high injection pressure. This allows for more intricate design configurations than other methods.
Because the injection sequence is automated, one operator can easily handle loading and unloading the machine. The process is eco-friendly and any excess material can be recycled into the next batch.
Injection Mold Makers
Many of the products we use every day are made from plastic and metal components. Oftentimes these components come from high-production injection molding lines and require repeatable and accurate processes. That’s why you need expert injection mold makers like MSI Mold, to take your manufacturing process to the highest level. Our injection molds are made in-house in the USA and are of the highest quality while maintaining an affordable price point. We include free part design advice, help with selecting a plastic material, and target cost planning for your tooling and production. Work with one of the top plastic injection molding companies in Michigan!
Mold Add-ons and Extras
Most plastic injection molding companies offer basic mold designs. Through our 15 years in the industry, MSI has seen it all. We can accommodate even the most complex, multi-material configurations. When side actions are needed to facilitate the release at intricate mold areas, we make sure the efficiency and consistency of your product are not compromised.
Post-molding add-ons are well within our wheelhouse. We can provide reaming, assembly, plating and special packaging to ensure your end product performs to its highest potential.
Plastic Injection Molding Companies in Michigan
Our seasoned designers, engineers, technicians and quality-control team look forward to working with you. We go the extra mile to provide your company with quality design and production services that meet both your specifications and your expectations.
If you are in the market for plastic injection molding companies in Michigan, we hope you will allow MSI Mold to prove ourselves and help you create the quality molded plastic products your operation requires.