The process of melting the plastic raw material, injecting it into the appropriate mold, shaping it and cooling it is called plastic injection. This process plays a major role in the production of the products that consumers use most in their lives. It allows the production of useful products at lower costs in many areas of the industrial sector. Therefore, the technology that creates the plastic injection industry has contributed to the production of plastic versions of many designs, from large to small. Melting and cooling the thermoplastic material and then pouring it into different molds can only be achieved with the help of a plastic injection machine. The process, which consists of stages such as raw material melting, injection, ironing, cooling, mold opening and removal, brings dozens of advantages, especially high efficiency and automation. You can choose Agersan Plastik, one of the leading plastic injection companies, for your wholesale orders in curtain accessories and mechanisms produced with state-of-the-art injection machines.
What is Plastic Injection?
It is the general name of the process of melting polymer plastic in thermoplastic structure, pouring it into the desired mold, and then cooling it to take shape. The reason why it is called injection is because it is sprayed into the mold through screws of various sizes. Since the process only takes place with the help of plastic injection machines, the question “What is a plastic injection machine?” It has an important place in understanding the process. Basically, they are machines connected to the funnel, screw, heater and mold into which the polymer plastic is poured. In this way, it is possible to produce tools and equipment from the smallest materials to the largest ones.
How is Plastic Injection Production Done?
The production process begins by adding the raw material in powder or granule form into the funnel. These materials, which must be in thermoplastic structure, can also be recyclable plastic. While the solid material turns into dough under high pressure and heat with the help of the rotating screw in the barrel and the heater on the barrel, it becomes liquid in a short time. The screw compresses the liquid under the influence of friction, heat and movement, allowing it to accumulate in the rocket section at the end of the bucket. The liquid that accumulates when the hydromotor tap is closed begins to fill the mold when the tap is opened. With the back pressure bearing, the bearings take the pressure by pulling the screw back. Since all of these steps are connected to computerized automation systems, the mechanism automatically performs tasks such as how much product to take, how much to flow into the mold, and when to retract the screw. The melt entering the mold goes through the following stages:
- A certain amount of pressure is applied through a process called ironing in order for the liquid plastic to be filled into the mold completely, preventing it from sinking to the bottom and filling the gap completely.
- The ironing process ends after a certain period of time. Now, while the cooling step begins to take the desired shape, the screw begins to rotate and the system begins to warm up to take in the new product.
- The ready-fixed product comes out by opening the mold. The ejectors remove the part from the mold and become ready to receive the new liquid.
What is Plastic Injection Raw Material?
It is known that there are approximately 40 thousand raw material sources suitable for the injection process. Therefore, it is preferred in different product groups. These are generally grouped as thermoset plastics and thermoplastics. The recyclability of thermoplastics is one of the features that make it most valuable. It can be used repeatedly, as it can enter the same or different molds multiple times. PVC, HDPE, PP, LDPE are some of the popular ones. Each one stands out with its different useful features. For example, PP, that is, polypropylene, is widely used due to its resistance to chemical solvents, high fluidity and easy moldability. Bottle caps, like cologne caps, are made from it. Polyethylene (PE) is preferred in food packaging due to its resistance to corrosion, long shelf life and suitability for high temperatures.
What are the products produced by plastic injection?
Many of the products that people encounter in their lives, such as tools, equipment and electronic goods, are plastic injection products. Toys, glassware, product packaging, automobile parts, furniture fittings, curtain accessories and many more come out of the plastic injection machine. With the discovery of plastic components that are not harmful to human health, it is possible to say that they have a great role in every category that people can think of. You can review the productions offered with this technology in the “Products” section.
Advantages of Production with Plastic Injection
Apart from the fact that mold designs consist of detailed and time-consuming procedures, rapid injection has many advantages. These can be listed as follows:
- Low cost – Allows for more affordable production compared to other raw material sources.
- Near-zero material loss – Raw material exits the machine as it enters, with almost none of it going to waste. However, thanks to recyclable plastic resources, this loss is reduced to zero.
- High production rate – Automation system enables high quantity production in a shorter time.
- Better precision – With the ease of visualizing the desired details, the shape of the products can be revealed successfully.
- Ability to choose different materials – Materials can be selected according to the characteristics of the products to be produced.