When it comes to producing injection molded plastic parts, design is everything. In fact, design-for-manufacturability (DFM), or as we say in the plastics industry Design for Moldability, is critical to the success of your project. Just about any new idea for a component or product can be computer-designed using any number of CAD programs. However when it comes down to whether or not the design is viable for the injection molding process, that’s something the mold designers and engineers must determine through their expertise and the use of software technology.
When product or part designers design for an injection molded application, they sometimes are unaware of the “rules” for plastic part design, and make simple errors in design or dimensioning. Simple design errors, if overlooked, can turn into complex molding problems. Those problems can impact cycle time negatively, affecting both productivity and efficiency, not to mention quality and the cost of these errors.
The part/product designer controls the ultimate performance and the cost of the program, which is why collaboration with the injection molder/mold manufacturer is critical. Part/mold design reviews are an essential component of the success of the project. Those reviews need to happen early in the process; waiting until the mold is in production (meaning steel is being cut) means that your costs will increase and changing one dimension will most likely impact others.
Design errors not caught during the part design process can lead to engineering changes and engineering changes will impact the total cost of the project as well as the lead time for the project completion. Sometimes design engineers will let small design issues go for the time being believing that they will fix it later but that rarely happens. An error in one dimension can snowball into errors in other dimension. At that point the “fix” becomes exponentially more complex and costly in terms of delays in the lead time as well as budget overruns.
Collaborating at the front end of the project with the injection molder/mold manufacturer can prevent downstream problems and help keep the project’s budget in line. At Anderson Technologies, we can provide the engineering and part design assistance to ensure Design for Moldability you need to prevent errors and make your project a success. At Anderson, we help you achieve new levels of success!
At Anderson Technologies, we lead you to new levels of success. Call us today for a quote, more information, or assistance with your project at (616) 844-2505 ext. 112 or send an email to blog@andtec.com.