A practical framework for choosing between injection molding and 3D printing based on volume, geometry, material requirements, and timeline. Injection molding and 3D printing are both plastic part manufacturing processes, but they serve fundamentally different points in a product’s lifecycle. The choice between them is not primarily about quality or capability — it is about […]
Part design determines everything in injection molding. The shape of the part defines what the mold must do, what the process must achieve, and what the finished part can cost. Design decisions made before the mold is cut are essentially free to change. The same decisions after steel is cut can cost tens of thousands
How Tg defines the upper thermal limit of injection molded plastics — and why it matters for material selection, mold design, and part performance. Glass transition temperature (Tg) is the temperature at which an amorphous thermoplastic transitions from a hard, glassy state to a soft, rubbery one. Below Tg, the polymer chains are locked in
What V-0, V-1, V-2, HB, and 5V mean for injection molded plastic parts — and how to specify the right rating for your application. UL 94 is the standard for flammability testing of plastic materials for parts in devices and appliances, published by Underwriters Laboratories. It classifies plastics by how they respond to a standardized
UL 94 Flame Retardant Classifications: What Each Rating Means for Your Plastic Part Read More »
Material selection is the most consequential design decision in injection molding. The wrong material produces a part that fails in service, absorbs moisture and loses its dimensions, cracks under chemical exposure, or costs twice what was budgeted. The right material does the opposite: it makes the design work, the tooling straightforward, and the production consistent.
Injection Molding Material Selection: How to Choose the Best Plastic for Your Part Read More »
Metal injection molding (MIM) is a manufacturing process that combines the geometric freedom of plastic injection molding with the material properties of metal. Fine metal powder is mixed with a thermoplastic binder to create a feedstock that processes through a standard injection molding machine. The molded part — called a green part — then goes
Material properties, processing requirements, design guidelines, and applications for ABS — one of the most common injection molding plastics. ABS — acrylonitrile butadiene styrene — is the most widely used engineering thermoplastic in injection molding. It is not a single material but a terpolymer whose three components each contribute distinct properties: acrylonitrile adds chemical resistance
A practical guide for engineers, product teams, and purchasing professionals specifying polycarbonate injection molded parts. Polycarbonate, often abbreviated as PC, is one of the most widely used engineering thermoplastics in injection molding. It is valued for a combination of properties that few plastics match at the same time: exceptional impact strength, high optical clarity, dimensional
Polycarbonate Injection Molding: How to Design, Process, and Specify PC Parts Read More »
How the overmolding process works, which material combinations bond, and the design rules that determine whether your overmolded part succeeds or fails. Overmolding is an injection molding process that produces a single part from two different materials by molding the second material directly over the first. The result is a multi-material part — a rigid
Overmolding Explained: Process Overview, Design Rules, and Material Combinations Read More »
A practical guide for engineers and product teams. Rapid injection molding delivers real injection molded plastic parts in days to weeks, often making molded parts available earlier than full production steel tooling. It uses the same injection molding process and the same thermoplastic materials as production molding, but the tooling is made faster — typically
Rapid Injection Molding: How the Process Works and When It Makes Sense Read More »
