Injection molding is two large metal mold halves coming together, a plastic or rubber material is injected into the cavity they form. Even though the plastic materials being injected are melted, they aren’t really heated; the material is pressed into the injection ports (called gates) via a large auger screw. As the material is compressed, it heats and begins to flow into the molds. Once it cools, the two halves separate again and the part pops out. Repeat ten thousand times, and you have a run of injection molded parts ready for use.

A wide variety of industries benefit from the highly versatile process of injection molding, including:

• Medical & Pharmaceutical
• Eletronics
• Construction
• Food & Beverage
• Automotive
• Toys
• Agriculture
• Consumer Goods
• Sporting Goods

Injection molding is a fast, cost effective and highly precise manufacturing process used for mass producing complex molded parts in a variety of materials, including thermoplastics, polymers, aluminum, and glass.

There are several types of injection molding processes, including:

• Custom plastic injection molding
• Overmolding
• Insert molding
• Cube molding
• Die casting
• Gas-assisted injection molding
• Liquid silicone rubber injection molding
• Metal injection molding
• Micro injection molding
• Reaction injection molding

How long an injection mold can last depends on several factors: mold material, number of cycles, operating conditions, and time between production runs. The life expectancy of an injection mold can range from 1M+ cycles to less than 500 cycles based on the above criteria.

Although quite similar, the difference between forming and molding comes down to their unique features and benefits, depending on the application they are being used for. Injection molding is more suitable for large production runs of small, intricate parts and involves injecting liquid polymers into a mold using extreme pressure and temperatures. Thermoforming, also referred to as vacuum forming, is more suitable for shorter production runs of large-scale designs and involves forming heated plastic sheets to a mold's surface.