The concepts of plastic molding and vacuum forming are widely known concepts. They are both manufacturing processes that involve fabrication of parts made of plastic. The variety of applications for these two is aplenty. Their respective processes are governed by size and complexity. Both processes require the usage of raw materials and a mold. But, their catalysts are the pressure of vacuum or an injection molding machine. Let’s look at plastic molding and vacuum forming respectively.
Plastic Molding
Plastic injection molding is used for thin-walled plastic parts. The process of plastic molding requires the mold to be inserted into thermosetting or thermoplastic polymers. Once the product is designed, the industrial designer or engineer then precision-machines it into the desired part. The manufacturing includes a variety of parts from the largest of panels to the smallest of components. The desired shape or feature of the plastic part, the material used for the mold and properties of the machine needs to be kept into account. The versatility of plastic molding is benefited with the breadth of the design. This last point is applicable to both plastic molding and vacuum forming.
Purpose of Plastic Molding
Understanding the purpose of both plastic molding and vacuum forming is important. The plastic once molded serves multiple purposes, such as a
Handle for the end user to use accordingly.
It acts as a receptacle for the internal battery and the motor.
The same is the case for a fastening device.
It is highly effective when needed to organize a number of internal parts when housing it.
It is a great way to reduce the number of total parts.
It is also a good fit for the drill that is being produced at a large volume.
It is a wonderful high volume production tool that the manufacturer can earn back in a short span of time.
Benefits of Plastic Molding
The benefits of plastic molding include:
Used in a plastic housing, which is a thin-walled structure, that requires many bosses and ribs on the interior
The housings are used in a number of households such as consumer electronics, household appliances, and automotive dashboards
They are also used in products such as small plastic toys, toothbrushes, buckets and open containers
Medical devices such as syringes and valves are also used in plastic molds
Plastic molding and vacuum forming go hand in hand. The latter is a process through which a sheet made of thermoplastic is heated at an appropriate temperature. This is stretched around a mold/pattern and confirmed by applying vacuum pressure. This pressure is applied to the plastic sheet and the mold surface. Due to heating being involved, vacuum forming is called as a thermoforming process. Thermoforming is an old method of processing plastic materials. When comparing the two processes, vacuum forming usually sets itself apart for its easy process and accessibility. Vacuum forming is also widely used, thanks to its less consumption of resources and space.
Benefits of Vacuum Forming
Both plastic molding and vacuum forming have prominent features in the plastic segment. However, the benefits of vacuum forming are:
It is unmatchable in processing due to its low cost
It easy to use as a tool
Its speed and efficiency help in replication for prototyping
It is cheaper compared to plastic moulding
It is easily compatible with 3D printing tool designing
They are compatible with in-mold decoration
Great alternative to 3D printing
Much faster and cheaper compared to 3D printing
Used by major brands such as Google, Disney, and Tesla
Used in industries such as aerospace, confectionary, packaging, and electronics
Popular among leading institutions, and companies
Diversity is another major benefit
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