The cost of making plastic products
Hello! We met on the CLONA website, which means you have a desire produce products made of plastics, and we have the ability to do it with high quality.
Let’s start with the main thing.
What factors will determine the cost of plastic molding:
- The number of items required. The production method is determined by the circulation of the product. For example, plastic injection molding produces an expensive metal mold. This increases costs initially. However, the more products are produced with its help, the lower the cost of the product becomes.
- Product material. For each project, thermoplastic resins are selected with optimal characteristics and an affordable price.
- Dimensions of the final product. The size of the product affects the consumption of material, as well as the cost of preparatory work.
- The complexity of the geometry of the product. The more complex the product design, the higher the cost of work will be.
Methods for the production of plastic products
There are 3 ways of producing plastic products, depending on the circulation:
First of all, when choosing a method for the production of plastics, the specialists of the KLONA company are guided by your technical task, and only then – by the circulation.
3D printing method. One of the most common 3D printing methods is fused deposition modeling on an FDM printer ( Fused Deposition Modeling). FDM technology involves the production of three-dimensional objects using thermoplastic layering. Used for prototyping and small batch production.
Other common 3D printing methods:
- Stereolithography (SLA-printing) – production of plastic products from liquid photopolymer resins. The resin hardens by irradiation with ultraviolet light. This method is more expensive than FDM printing, but 7 times more accurate.
- Selective laser sintering (SLS-printing) – a method of sintering layers of powder material using high power lasers.
Drawing. Creation of a product on a 3D printer.
Injection of plastic into a silicone mold involves molding parts in a vacuum and allows you to get an exact copy of the original object. Silicone molds are used in small-scale production.
Injection molding of plastics takes place by injecting a molten polymer into a metal mold and then cooling it down. The casting method is used for large-scale production.
Let’s compare the methods using one product as an example. We have calculated the cost of production by different methods of a plastic case with dimensions of 165 mm ⅹ 95 mm ⅹ 75 mm.
Stages of production of plastic products
Injection of plastic into both silicone molds and molds begins with the design of a 3D model of the product in CAD programs (SolidWorks, AutoCAD, FreeCAD).
Drawing. Development of a 3D model in AutoCAD.
If the future product has no predecessors and analogues, the 3D model is developed based only on the requirements of the technical specifications.
If the product is not unique, references are used in the design – reference samples of the product.
After creating a 3D model in digital form, we move on to making a prototype. It will help you evaluate the functionality of the developed product. During the prototyping stages, design changes do not involve significant costs.
A prototype of a plastic product is made on a 3D printer.
Drawing. Creation of a prototype on a 3D printer.
A product made from a 3D printer has a layered surface. If the customer is satisfied with this type of quality, the rest of the modest circulation is printed on the printer and undergoes a grinding procedure.
If the requirements are higher or it is necessary to obtain a larger volume of products at the output, we use the methods of casting plastics into molds. Let’s consider separately small-scale and large-scale production.
Small batch production: molding plastics into silicone
For small-scale production, use injection molding of plastics into silicone molds … To create a master model, a 3D printed prototype is varnished and sanded to obtain a smooth surface.
The master model is half immersed in a clay base and filled with a mixture of silicone and hardener. The cast mold is left in the chamber for degassing and hardening for 24 hours.
As a result, we get half of the silicone mold for casting.
Then we repeat the process and get the other half. We connect the two form elements using a frame for rigidity. Fill the silicone mold with polyurethane and leave it in the chamber.
The setting time varies from 4 to 24 hours, depending on the type of plastic.
High-volume production: injection molding of plastics
In large-scale production, the most resource-intensive stage is manufacturing Press forms made of metal. Molds are durable and make it possible to obtain products with high precision of detailing.
Drawing. Metal mold for plastic injection.
In the molding process, plastics are fed into a thermoplastic machine, where they are melted, homogenized and injected into a mold under high pressure. First, the material hardens near the cold walls, then inside the casting body.
After cooling, the mold is opened, the product goes to the final processing stage, and the mold to a new casting cycle. The cycle is completed by the final processing of the part: cutting off the sprue, milling, applying a soft-touch coating.
Overview of materials for plastic molding
Consider the types of materials that are used for casting.
For 3D printing, as a rule, thermoplastics or composite materials based on them are used. Most popular types: polyactide, polyvinyl alcohol, nylon, metal imitators.
For molding in a silicone mold, polyurethanes are used, which withstand temperatures from -60 ° C to + 80 ° C.
A wide range of materials can be used for injection molding, from common polyurethanes to polycarbonates.
Now that you know the theory, but don’t even know how to put it into practice, take a deep breath and dial the number of the “CLONE” company.
We will help you. With pleasure.
Contact Information:
+38 (044) 338 88 02
