Blog Post

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Injection Moulding

Nina Patel • Sep 21, 2022

Injection moulding is the recognised process for mass-producing identical plastic products. However, like all the other processes out there, there are many different factors to consider when deciding which is best.

AT TCB Arrow, we’re proud to say we have 35 years of experience in moulded plastics, so we’re familiar with the benefits of each. Here are some for you to consider to help inform your decision:

Advantages of Injection Moulding

It Generates Less Waste - As the only plastic required for this process is forced into a mould, this is naturally a low-waste method of production. If this goes alongside a thoughtful approach to product design and energy-efficient production, injection moulding can lead to a much greener manufacturing process .
Fast Production & Highly Efficient - Injection moulding can produce a very large amount of parts per hour. Depending on the size and complexity of the mould, typically cycle times can vary between 10-60 seconds.
High-Output Production - The speed and efficiency of production means that thousands of parts can be produced before the tooling requires any maintenance. If the demand for a product is high, multiple cavities can be introduced to a tool. This means that, with each cycle, multiple of the same parts are produced.
Quality Consistency - Due to the repetitive nature of injection moulding, all parts produced will be identical. This means that you can rely on high-quality parts being produced en masse.

injection moulded black plastic component against a grey background

Disadvantages of Injection Moulding

Restrictions of Part Design - Injection moulding requires certain regulations, and therefore there are some basic rules to follow when designing the plastic parts you plan to manufacture. Some examples of these are:

Avoid sharp edges and undercuts as much as possible
Make sure the wall thickness is uniform in order to prevent inconsistencies in the cooling process
It’s encouraged that you use draft angles as these are better for demoulding

High Tooling Costs - Because injection moulding requires design followed by the manufacturing of the tooling, the up-front costs of the process are high. However, this can be viewed as an investment when weighed against the low production cost.
The Higher The Quantities, The Greater The Benefit - These higher startup costs mean that the process favours high quantities, so if a part you require isn’t in high demand then injection moulding can become a less attractive method. .
Manufacturing A Tool Can Take Time - The initial tooling manufacture does take time which means that the lead times on the first production run can be elongated. This is counteracted when commencing future production runs as once the tool is made the production process is streamlined.

So, there you have some of the advantages and disadvantages of injection moulding. As a greener, more reliable and consistent method of manufacturing, it really is a great way to produce cost-effective and high-quality parts.

Our Injection Moulding Services

At TCB-Arrow, we pride ourselves on our process. We have the knowledge and facilities to help guide our customers through the design, tooling and mass production of their plastic products. Contact our helpful team to find out more.

Find out more or request a quote

< Older Post Newer Post >

Mail

Merry Christmas from All of Us at TCB-Arrow

By Nina Patel • 19 Dec, 2023

We wish you a Merry Christmas! We'd like to extend our good wishes to you over the festive period.

We're Hiring

05 Sep, 2023

We're hiring!! Are you looking for a new role? We're actively recruiting for a range of roles including: Technician Supervisor Assembly Operator Assembly Cell Supervisor Injection Moulding Apprentice Visit our careers section to find out more and apply. No agencies.

Why Plastics?

22 Mar, 2023

With strides being made to move towards greener manufacturing, a common question is “Why do we continue to produce and use plastics?”. After all, they don’t have the best reputation as sustainable materials. However, thanks to developments in the industry, this isn’t necessarily true anymore. Read our blog to find out the benefits of plastics in manufacturing.

3 Helpful Additives That Make Your Plastic go Further

13 Feb, 2023

Plastics are an essential material for manufacturing millions of parts, components and products. Sometimes the properties and behaviours need to be formulated in order to serve the right purpose.This is made possible by additives, which enhance certain properties and help to deliver the desired outcomes to the plastics with which they’re combined. Here are three popular additives which serve different purposes in plastic production.