Injection molding is one of the highly appreciated manufacturing processes in bringing products that ensure both quality and aesthetics. Choosing the right plastics for injection molding for each project is also an important decision that needs to be carefully considered. The following article will provide extremely useful information about the properties and advantages of the most common injection molding plastic materials. At the same time, the article also provides the most prominent criteria for choosing plastics for injection molding materials to ensure optimal performance, durability and production costs of the project. Let’s find out now!
1. Most Common Plastics For Injection Molding
1.1. Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene is also abbreviated as ABS. They are a material belonging to the thermoplastic family. ABS plastic is one of the most popular plastics for injection molding today. They are considered to be highly flexible injection molding materials.
Some outstanding properties of ABS plastic are high impact resistance, good toughness, chemical resistance, and good heat resistance. In addition, they also have a glossy surface and come in many vibrant colors.
Some applications of these plastics for injection molding are auto parts, car dashboards, consumer goods, electronic components, phone cases, computer cases, etc.
1.2. Polypropylene (PP)
Polypropylene (PP), is a highly rated plastic for injection molding today. PP plastic is the strongest plastic for injection molding with its versatility.
Considered the most common plastic used in injection molding, PP plastic shows outstanding properties such as high chemical corrosion resistance, low density, light weight, good fatigue resistance, good impact resistance especially at low temperatures.
Some applications of these plastics for injection molding are food containers, car covers, bumpers, some medical devices and syringes.
1.3. Polyethylene (PE)
Polyethylene is known as PE plastic. PE plastic has two main types: High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), and Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE). These plastics for injection molding are known for their excellent flexibility and durability.
Let’s take a look at some of the great properties of this type of plastics for injection molding: high chemical resistance, excellent toughness, low cost, easy molding, moisture resistance and good resistance to ultraviolet degradation.
These plastics for injection molding are used in a number of common products such as bottles, water bottles, product containers, plastic bags, and pipe manufacturing components, etc.
1.4. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
These plastics for injection molding are also known as PVC plastics. They are known as a versatile thermoplastic. In particular, they can exist in a hard or soft state. Therefore, they are gradually becoming a popular choice for many different injection molding applications.
Some of the unmissable properties of these plastics for injection molding are excellent fire resistance, high corrosion resistance, durable and long-lasting performance, excellent chemical resistance and water resistance. In particular, PVC plastic is very hard but can also be made flexible by adding plasticizers.
Common applications when referring to this type of plastics for injection molding are water supply systems, drainage systems, wastewater pipes, liquid tanks, chemical tanks, medical tubes and some insulating devices, etc.
1.5. Polystyrene (PS)
Polystyrene is also known as PS plastic. This type of plastics for injection molding is known as an extremely versatile synthetic polymer in the manufacturing industry. PS plastic is highly transparent and very hard when solid.
Some outstanding properties of this type of plastics for injection molding are impressive transparency, good hardness, good electrical and thermal insulation, light weight, very easy to mold and cost-effective.
Some very easy-to-find applications of PS plastic are disposable knives, scissors, CD/DVD boxes, display boxes and packaging materials.
1.6. Polyamide (PA)
Polyamide is also known as Nylon or abbreviated as PA. Plastics for injection molding are produced quite frequently in the market today thanks to their excellent advantages compared to many other materials. Nylon is a durable and sturdy thermoplastic even when operating for a long time.
They are often used for injection molding due to their low abrasion and friction resistance. In addition, nylon also possesses other excellent properties such as high strength and toughness, good heat resistance, good chemical resistance, low friction, self-lubrication and high abrasion resistance.
Some applications that cannot be ignored when mentioning this type of plastics for injection molding are gear systems, machine bearings, automotive components, industrial machine components, etc.
1.7. Polycarbonate (PC)
There are many types of plastics for injection molding, but Polycarbonate is one of them. They are also abbreviated as PC plastic. Products molded from this type of plastic always have the advantage of hardness, transparency and super durability.
Here are some summaries of this type of plastics for injection molding such as high impact resistance, good thermal stability, fire resistance, transparency and resistance to UV rays.
PP plastics for injection molding can contribute to some common applications such as eye lenses, face shields, helmets, syringes, test tubes and some other medical devices.
1.8.Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
Polyethylene Terephthalate or PET is one of the most popular plastics for injection molding today. PET is a thermoplastic polymer that adapts well to the conditions of the injection molding process. Products made from PET are always highly appreciated for their quality.
This type of plastics for injection molding possesses indispensable properties such as durability, high impact resistance, transparency, and lightweight. In particular, PET plastic has excellent barrier properties, so it is very resistant to water, moisture and steam. In particular, they are recyclable, helping to reduce the amount of waste released into the environment.
PET plastic is one of the ideal choices for the bottle and product packaging industry. In particular, applications that require display capabilities such as jewelry boxes, medicine boxes, food packaging, etc. are extremely popular today. In addition, PET also contributes to the textile fiber production process, which greatly contributes to the textile industry.
1.9. Polyoxymethylene (POM)
Polyoxymethylene is also one of the most popular plastics for injection molding today. They are also known as Acetal or abbreviated as POM. This is a line of engineering plastics that is very suitable for the injection molding process to produce mechanical parts.
The outstanding characteristics of this line of plastics for injection molding are good mechanical strength, high hardness, low friction, so it has very good abrasion resistance. In addition, POM plastic also has excellent chemical resistance and very good dimensional stability.
POM plastic goes through the injection molding process to form a number of products such as gear systems, technical linings, bearings, electronic components and some components in the fuel system of cars.
1.10. Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE)
One of the plastics for injection molding that possesses both thermoplastic and elastic properties is TPE. Products molded from TPE always have the advantage of flexibility and durability over a long period of operation.
One of the properties that TPE is always favored for is that they have elasticity and properties similar to rubber. In addition, TPE also has good fatigue resistance, impact resistance, chemical resistance, and resistance to harsh weather. In particular, TPE can be recycled, so they are considered one of the environmentally friendly plastics for injection molding.
Some common applications are molded from TPE plastic such as device handles, pads in consumer and technical applications, medical devices, etc.
2. How to Choose the Right Plastic Material for Your Plastic Injection Molding Project?
Injection molding on plastic materials is one of the most popular technologies today. There are many types of plastics for injection molding and each type has its own unique characteristics. To choose the right plastic material for injection molding projects, you need to consider the following notes:
2.1. Evaluate the mechanical and physical properties
When choosing plastics for injection molding, it is necessary to evaluate the mechanical and physical properties of the material. This helps ensure that it meets the functional requirements of the product to be created. Some properties to consider are:
Mechanical stress parameters: Different types of plastics for injection molding will have different levels of tensile strength, impact resistance and flexibility. Therefore, it is necessary to learn about mechanical stress to choose the right material for your upcoming project.
Heat Resistance: If the product to be manufactured will operate in an environment exposed to extreme temperatures, it is important to have a plastic that can maintain the integrity of the product under those conditions. This helps the product operate stably for a long time and limits costly maintenance steps.
2.2. Consider chemical and environmental resistance
To choose plastics for injection molding, it is necessary to clearly understand the environmental conditions and chemicals in which the product will operate. In which, some evaluation criteria can be applied such as:
Chemical resistance: Products that will be exposed to chemicals such as those used in medical devices, food containers and chemical tanks need to be carefully evaluated.
UV and weather resistance: It is often necessary to carefully evaluate the resistance of outdoor products. These are products that are directly exposed to harsh weather environments for long periods of time including rain and sun.
Moisture resistance: Plastics for injection molding also need to be evaluated in detail for operating environments that are exposed to or submerged in water. In this case, it is necessary to choose plastics that are waterproof and have the lowest possible moisture absorption rate.
3. Conclusion
In conclusion, plastics for injection molding are considered to be an extremely advanced material trend in the current market. To choose the right material for your injection molding project, you need to carefully consider the mechanical properties of each different type of plastic. In addition, an overall assessment of the environment in which the product operates is also an indispensable step. This helps the product operate durably for a long time and saves a large amount of costs for maintenance and replacement.
