Many people believe that custom molding is a relatively new concept. In reality, that’s not the case. In fact, it has been around for centuries in one form or another. Of course, early molding processes weren’t always very practical. They were slow, inefficient, and highly limited. People didn’t yet have the resources and technology to expand and improve upon them. Things changed over time, though, and that evolution gave rise to the processes being used today. Some of the latest Advancements in Custom Molding Processes have brought even more changes into play.
Conformal Cooling
One noteworthy advancement in custom molding is conformal cooling. This entails creating custom cooling channels in molds used for injection and blow molding. During the cooling process, coolant may be pumped through those channels to speed up the process. Conformal cooling allows the materials being molded to follow contours more precisely and leads to more uniform cooling. It can improve the quality of molded components and potentially speed up production times among other benefits.
In-Mold Labeling and Decoration
Not very long ago, molding, decorating, and labeling products were separate steps in the production process. For some companies, they still are. Others have transitioned to in-mold labeling and decoration, though. With this technique, designs, labels, and other features are incorporated during the molding process, combining those steps into one. In-mold labeling and decoration can save time and may be more cost-effective. If done properly, it can prevent labels from fading, peeling off of packaging, and certain other problems too.
Multi-Material Molding
Multi-material molding includes processes like overmolding and multi-shot molding. It allows manufacturers to incorporate multiple materials during the molding process. As such, they can give custom-molded parts different properties than individual materials would have on their own or use different materials in different areas of a single component without having to create it in multiple steps. This advancement gives companies a broader range of customization options.
Micro Molding
Yet another advancement in custom molding processes is micro molding. As the name indicates, this involves creating extremely small molded components using specialized equipment and techniques. Despite being small, those components can be highly complex and have incredibly intricate details. This development is important for many industries, one of which is the medical field. Micro-molded components are used in wearables and certain types of implants among other devices.
3D Printing
Companies that provide custom molding are increasingly turning to 3D printing as well. In some cases, this allows them to create more complex molded parts than they can with other techniques. It can be used to create inserts for molds and for a variety of other applications. Using 3D printing in custom molding can speed up production and help companies save money. In addition to creating market-ready custom parts, it’s also extremely useful for creating prototypes and dealing with design flaws before products actually go into production.
Taking Custom Molding into the Future
Custom molding processes have been changing for quite some time, and each new development brings its own benefits to the industry. These latest advancements have given rise to numerous advantages in their own right. They’re sure to take custom molding processes into the future and pave the way for even more innovations to come.
