Large Part Injection Molding

Large part injection molding is a specialized manufacturing process used to produce oversized plastic parts or components. It requires specialized machinery, molds, materials, and quality control measures to ensure the production of high-quality, large plastic parts.

At Sungplastic, we are not only good at large parts CNC machining, but also have ample production experience in large part injection molding. If your project involves large part injection molding services, please learn more to proceed successfully.

What is Large Part Injection Molding

Large part injection molding is a specialized manufacturing process used to produce large and complex plastic components or parts. This technique is an extension of traditional injection molding, which is commonly used to make smaller plastic parts. Large part injection molding is typically employed when the size, shape, or complexity of a component exceeds the capabilities of standard injection molding machines.

Applications and Samples of Large Part Injection Molding

Here are some specific parts or products that are commonly produced using large part injection molding in various industries.

Automotive Industry

• Automotive Bumpers: Large plastic bumpers for cars and trucks that require durability and impact resistance.
• Instrument Panels: Dashboard and instrument panel components that demand intricate detailing.
• Fender Liners: Parts that protect the engine compartment from road debris.
• Interior Trim Panels: Large interior components such as door panels and trim pieces.
• Air Intake Manifolds: Complex parts used in engine systems.

Aerospace Components

• Aircraft Interior Panels: Large, lightweight panels for aircraft interiors that require precision and safety.
• Aerostructural Components: Parts like fairings, ducts, and housings used in aircraft structures.
• Large Aerospace Enclosures: Enclosures for avionics and electronic systems.

Industrial Equipment

• Heavy Machinery Components: Parts for construction and industrial equipment, including covers, housings, and structural components.
• Conveyor System Parts: Large plastic components used in conveyor systems for material handling.
• Equipment Housings: Enclosures for industrial machinery, often requiring custom configurations.

Consumer Goods

• Large Appliance Components: Parts for appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators, and dishwashers.
• Outdoor Furniture: Large plastic components for outdoor furniture, such as chairs, tables, and playsets.
• Storage Containers: Large plastic storage containers for home and industrial use.
• Toys and Playground Equipment: Oversized plastic components for playground structures and toys.

Healthcare and Medical Devices

• Medical Equipment Housings: Enclosures for medical devices and diagnostic equipment.
• Prosthetic Limbs: Customized prosthetic limbs designed to fit the individual patient’s anatomy.
• Orthopedic Devices: Large orthopedic devices such as braces, supports, and casts.
• Dental Components: Large dental prosthetics and impressions for restorative dentistry.

Key Considerations in Large Part Injection Molding

Plastic large part injection molding differs from standard plastic injection molding in several key ways due to the unique challenges posed by the size and complexity of large components. Here are key considerations in large part injection molding.

Mold Design and Complexity

Molds for large parts are more substantial and intricate. They need to withstand the forces of injection and the weight of the molten plastic.

Complex cooling systems and venting are often required in large molds to ensure uniform cooling and minimize defects.

Large part mold designs may require additional features like ribbing and stiffening to maintain structural integrity without adding excessive weight.

Ensuring uniform wall thickness across large parts is crucial to prevent warping.

Material Selection

Plastic materials with excellent flow properties and strength are typically chosen for large parts. Reinforced plastics may be used for added strength.

Large parts necessitate careful consideration of material flow within the mold to prevent issues like uneven filling, weld lines, or voids.

Cooling large parts can be challenging due to their thickness, requiring longer cooling times and more extensive cooling systems.

Injection Techniques

Specialized injection techniques, such as sequential valve gating, may be employed to control the flow of molten plastic in large molds, reducing the likelihood of defects.

Gas assist injection molding might be used to hollow out thick sections of large parts, reducing material usage and cycle times.

Quality Control

Large parts are more susceptible to defects due to their size, so stringent quality control measures are essential to ensure they meet design specifications.

Non-destructive testing methods like ultrasonic testing or X-ray inspection may be necessary for large parts.

Robotic Handling

Handling and removing large parts manually can be impractical and unsafe. Robotic systems are often used for these tasks.

Machine Maintenance

Large molds and machines require regular maintenance to ensure consistent part quality and longevity.

Cost Considerations

Large part injection molding can be costlier due to the specialized equipment, materials, and longer cycle times.

Large part injection molding differs from standard injection molding due to the need for specialized machinery, molds, and techniques to handle the size and complexity of the components. The challenges of material flow, cooling, and quality control are amplified when producing large parts, making this process a distinct and specialized branch of plastic injection molding.

Designing for Large Part Injection Molding

Plastic Part Design Principles

• Wall Thickness and Uniformity
  In large part injection molding, maintaining consistent wall thickness is crucial to ensure uniform cooling and prevent warping or sink marks. Varying wall thickness can result in differential cooling rates, leading to defects.Designers should aim for an even distribution of material throughout the part, which also helps control cycle times and material usage.
• Ribbing and Reinforcements
  To enhance the structural integrity of large parts without adding excessive weight, designers may incorporate ribbing or gussets. These features provide support and prevent deformation.The placement and orientation of ribs must be carefully considered to optimize strength while avoiding issues like sink marks on the part’s surface.
• Draft Angles and Ejection
  Draft angles are tapered surfaces applied to the part’s design to facilitate mold release. They are essential for easy ejection of the part from the mold.Designers should determine the appropriate draft angles based on the specific material and part geometry to prevent damage during ejection. A lack of draft can result in parts getting stuck in the mold.

Injection Mold Design Optimization

• Cooling Channel Layout
  Efficient cooling is critical in large part injection molding to maintain part quality and shorten cycle times. Mold designers must strategically position cooling channels to evenly distribute cooling across the mold surface. Cooling channels can be designed as conformal channels that follow the mold’s contours, ensuring effective heat dissipation.
• Venting for Air Escape
  Proper venting is essential to allow trapped air to escape during the injection process. Incomplete venting can result in air pockets, voids, or burn marks on the part’s surface. Mold designers should incorporate venting channels or grooves in areas where air might become trapped, especially in deep or complex geometries.
• Hydraulic Systems for Clamping Force
  Large part injection molding machines require robust hydraulic systems to generate the necessary clamping force to hold the molds securely closed during injection. The hydraulic system design must ensure consistent and uniform clamping pressure across the mold to prevent flash, part distortion, or mold damage.

Designing for large part injection molding demands careful consideration of these principles to achieve high-quality, defect-free parts. Collaboration between part designers and mold designers is essential to optimize part and mold geometry for efficient and cost-effective production. Additionally, computer-aided design (CAD) and simulation tools can aid in refining part and mold designs before physical production begins, reducing the risk of costly errors.

What Tonnage Machine is Suitable for Large Parts Injection Molding?

Large parts require specialized, often much larger injection molding machines with higher clamping forces. Standard machines are typically not equipped to handle the size and weight of large molds and parts.

Plastic injection molding machines are categorized based on their tonnage or clamping pressure, and they come in various sizes, ranging from as low as five tons to as high as 3,000 tons of clamping force. Importantly, the higher the ton rating, the larger the machine itself. Large-tonnage injection molding machines demand significant resources, occupying a substantial footprint, typically around 40′ x 15′ x 15′, and costing anywhere from $250,000 to well over $1 million. These machines are used for processing injection molds that can exceed 10,000 pounds and require special lifting equipment. The key distinction between large-part plastic injection molding machines and standard ones lies in the complexity of parts they produce, their higher acquisition cost, and the considerable space needed for staging, packaging, and storing parts. Consequently, fewer companies opt for machines surpassing 500 tons, making them rarer and unique in the industry.

When determining the appropriate press size, several factors come into play, including the part’s dimensions, the type of polymer being used, and a safety margin. The safety margin is an extra percentage added to the calculation to minimize the risk of defects in the final product, with experts often recommending a 10% buffer for this purpose. A general guideline for calculating the necessary tonnage for plastic production is to use 2-8 tons per square inch. For example, a 10″ x 10″ part (100 square inches x 2 tons/sq. in.) would require 200 tons. It’s crucial to note that larger parts necessitate more clamp force to secure the mold halves during the injection process.

Determining whether large part injection molding necessitates a large-ton machine also involves a comprehensive assessment of various factors, encompassing measuring and weighing the parts, considering the size and intricacy of the molds, reviewing material requirements, injection pressure, and shot size, as well as accommodating longer cooling times and quality standards. Cost considerations, both for machine acquisition and operation, play a crucial role.

Cost Considerations in Large Part Injection Molding

• Machine and Mold Investment
  Large part injection molding requires substantial investments in both machinery and molds. Machines with higher clamping forces and larger molds come at a significant cost.
  The cost of the injection molding machine can range from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars, depending on the tonnage and features required.
  Mold costs vary greatly based on size, complexity, and material. Large molds may cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to manufacture.
• Material and Production Costs
  Material costs are a significant factor in large part injection molding. These parts require more material, which can be expensive, especially when using specialty or high-performance materials.
  Production costs also include labor, energy consumption, and overhead expenses. The longer cycle times associated with large parts can impact labor and energy costs.
• Long-Term Savings from Quality Assurance
  While large part injection molding can involve substantial upfront costs, there are long-term savings associated with quality assurance.
  Producing large parts with minimal defects and consistent quality reduces the need for rework, scrap, and rejected parts. This results in cost savings over time.
  Quality assurance in large part production can also minimize warranty claims and recalls, saving a company’s reputation and avoiding costly legal consequences.

Challenges of Large Part Injection Molding

• Challenges of Material Flow and Cooling
  Ensuring proper material flow in large molds can be challenging. High-flow materials and specialized injection techniques are often required.
  Achieving uniform cooling across large parts can be difficult. Mold designers must carefully plan cooling channels to prevent warping and maintain part quality.
• Quality Assurance in Large Part Production
  Quality control for large parts can be more complex due to their size and intricate geometries. Identifying defects and ensuring consistency across the entire part can be challenging.
  Non-destructive testing (NDT) methods like X-ray inspection or ultrasonic testing may be necessary to detect internal defects in large parts.
  Robust quality control processes, including dimensional inspection and surface analysis, are essential to meet stringent quality standards.

Overcoming the challenges of large part injection molding while managing costs requires a combination of careful design, advanced technology, and skilled personnel. Companies must weigh the initial investment against the long-term benefits of producing large parts with high precision and quality. Additionally, the choice of materials and production methods can influence both cost and quality outcomes.

Large Part Injection Molding Capabilities at SungPlastic

Sungplastic supports large part applications with 26 presses in the 450 ton to 1,574 ton range (soon to be 2100 tons).

• Capabilities include: Injection, structural foam and gas-assist.
• Robotics and in-house manufactured end-of-arm tooling ensures competitive cycle times.
• Full finishing capabilities including: paint, decorating, shielding, and assembly.

One-stop services provided: mold creation, rapid prototyping, large part CNC machining, injection molding, overmolding ,insert molding, etc.

Our large part injection molding operation is optimized for producing high-quality, complex products. we support our customers providing knowledge and expertise to make better products, solve plastic parts manufacturing problems, and find economic solutions that help drive product development to yield higher quality parts.

If you are investing in large part injection molding projects, Sungplastic will solve your doubts and provide the best manufacturing services.