Mark Serisier

Plastic is as varied as it is malleable. As a man-made substance, plastic can be created to almost any specifications, and each plastic type has its own particular functions and uses, from elastic to rigid. Here is a list of 10 plastics associated with injection moulding and their properties:

Bosses are small cylindrical elements in a design. They are used for accepting screws or other fastening components (threaded inserts usually). Essentially they are locating, mounting and assembly devices built in to the design of the part and if not for accepting screws, will attach to the mating part of another component of the design.

Ribs are thin wall protrusions that extend perpendicularly from a wall or plane. They are usually found in clusters offering support to a plane that would have otherwise been too thick, but can also be a stand-alone support for a single wall. Ribs are an important part of product design and will ensure that your product will remain both strong and (depending on your need) flexible to your desired specifications.

Warpage: it's the bane of the designer when it comes to injection moulding. Warpage occurs when cooling of the part is inconsistent. A section of the part will set whilst another remains molten. The set area will restrict the proper setting of the still molten area, resulting in warped parts that must be rejected or recycled. There are a few things which result in warpage, and thankfully there are ways around them.

Wall thickness in product design can dramatically alter the amount of materials used and the cooling time of your part after it has been injected into the mould. Ideally, your design will have consistent, reasonably thin walls, which will allow you design to maximise space whilst being efficient, saving you money on both materials and running costs.

Radius [rey-dee-uhs] – noun (plural -di-i). 1. a straight line extending from the center of a circle or sphere to the circumference or surface: The radius of a circle is half the diameter. 2. a rounded corner or edge on a machined, injection moulded or cast piece of metal or plastic.

To ensure a successful finished product, you need to be aware of the process that goes into making your component. This should be at the forefront of your mind when considering the design of your part. Injection moulding will provide you with the component you want, and if you are able to consider its process in your design concepts you can guarantee a successful finished product.

When designing for manufacture with injection moulding, there are still more guidelines to be taken into consideration. The easier it is for the Toolmakers to create your mould, the faster your turnaround time will be, increasing the speed that your product will be out there for consumers. Here's 10 more design guidelines to follow when designing for manufacture:

There are many factors to consider when designing for manufacture through injection moulding. You need to make sure your product can be accurately and consistently produced, yet it may need particular features or parts that will require extra efforts on the part of the Toolmakers. To ensure your design is smooth and the injection mould is successful, here are ten design guidelines to follow:

Injection moulding is a versatile process and can be applied to almost any product. Although injection moulding is the industry standard for fabricating parts for products, it is not without its holdups. There are a few basic limitations to be taken into account. Here's eight rules to follow when designing your product to ensure quality and durability: