By 2025, the injection molding market will reach $12.3 billion, and most of that growth will take place in China.
Plastic injection molding is a popular manufacturing process. Companies use it for a wide range of plastic products.
The method varies in complexity, size, and application. What all these products have in common, however, is the injection molding machine.
Keep reading to learn more about finding a Chinese partner for the injection molding process.
Plastic Injection Molding and Consumer Goods
Firms use plastic injection molding to produce many items. These items include:
- Textile
- Medical devices
- Fitness Products
- Electronics
- Machinery & Automotive Components
Such items have become indispensable for many people. Companies also use plastic injection molding to create many parts used in the automotive, construction, and industrial sectors.
Plastic has endured as a popular material for many applications. However, the process for making these goods has improved over time.
The Plastic Injection Molding Process
Plastic injection molding involves heating raw plastic material. The manufacturer will then inject the material into a mold. Next, they’ll cool the plastic to create the desired final product.
Creating an effective mold prototype is a science and art. It requires comprehensive technical expertise. Furthermore, creating molds requires the utmost attention to detail.
Understanding Plastic Injection Molding
Everything starts with the mold prototype when it comes to creating plastic goods. First, engineers use their skills to create a mold design.
They’ll then transfer the design to a plastic injection molding machine. The machine will create a precise product using the design. This temporary mold helps engineers find flaws before going to the final production stage.
The engineer will create the final mold using steel or aluminum after they’re satisfied with the prototype. The metal mold will withstand the pressures of mass production.
Choosing a Chinese Manufacturing Partner
The biggest benefit of choosing a Chinese manufacturer partner is financial savings. Firms can eliminate half their production costs or even more by working with a partner in China.
Chinese manufacturers also have a reputation for rapid design and production. They also deliver initial samples relatively quickly.
Furthermore, manufacturers in China have a large production capacity. They also offer cost-effective finishing products.
Quality Control Is Everything
Your product is your brand. It’s critical to avoid common injection molding design mistakes.
For instance, sharp edges and corners can increase stress concentration. Larger edges and corners can also cause parts to fail.
You might find these defects in unobvious places. For instance, bosses attached to the surface of your product can create sharp corners. Likewise, stiffening ribs can also create sharp edges on your product.
You’ll also want to avoid uneven walls. The minimum wall thickness for most injection molded parts is about 2 mm to 4 mm.
However, it’s vital for your product to have a uniform wall thickness. This characteristic allows the manufacturer to fill the mold cavity more accurately.
The thin-walled sections will cool first if the walls aren’t uniform. When the thick parts of your product cool and shrink, stress will start to develop between the boundaries of the thick and thin walls. In other words, the thin section is already hardened, and it will not respond properly to stress.
Traits of a Good Manufacturing Partner
You must find a manufacturer who controls the flow of material perfectly. They must use a high-precision mold.
Ideally, you want to create a seamless product. As a result, you’ll need precision molds.
Often, manufacturers use steel or aluminum to build an injection mold. These molds work well for mass production.
Mass production plastic injection molding is highly reliable and repeatable. Every part looks nearly the same as the first. A skilled manufacturer knows how to create effective multi-cavity injection plastic molding parts.
More Points to Consider
You also want to look for a Chinese manufacturing partner that knows how to minimize waste loss. You should also seek a partner with a wide selection of production materials. Furthermore, you should look for a partner with low labor costs.
The biggest expense you’ll encounter with manufacturing in China is mold design. Mold creation requires considerable design and testing. There’s a longer lead time for creating molds compared to final products.
Choosing a Chinese Manufacturer
Manufacturers in China have become the most dominant service providers in the world—and with good reason. They provide high-quality, scalable manufacturing services. What’s more, they’re efficient and cost-effective.
Still, you should research potential Chinese manufacturing partners. Your research may help you narrow down your selection.
However, it’s highly beneficial to work with a consultant that specializes in Chinese manufacturing to make your final decision. An experienced consultant can help you choose the best service providers and negotiate the best deals in China.
Luckily, we know the perfect Chinese manufacturing consultant for your needs.
Your One-Stop Shop for Operating in China
Now you know more about finding a Chinese partner for the injection molding process. If you want to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs with a Chinese manufacturing partner, China 2 West Services can help. We’re an experienced China sourcing agent that offers a range of services, including:
- Design
- Manufacturing
- Product design & development
- Prototyping
- Quality control
We can help you meet your production needs by finding the perfect partners in China. Feel free to learn more about how we can help you source plastic injection molding services in China.
