Injection Moulding Advantages

Here, at Herga we use injection moulding to manufacture most of our products.

What is Injection Moulding?

Injection moulding is a way of manufacturing using melted plastic. The plastic is supplied as granules of powder which is melted down within the injection moulding machine. The melted plastic is then injected into the mould – this is why the process is called injection moulding. It must be injected very tightly ensuring there are no air bubbles inside.

The plastic begins to cool and hardens as it cools. Once it has reached the optimum temperature the mould opens and the product is released.

A very specific type of plastic must be used for this process – it must melt under heat but not catch fire. The plastic, must, therefore carry the UL508 standard for it to be suitable to use.

Injection Moulding Advantages

There are many advantages to using injection moulding to manufacture.

Quick – the plastic granules can be heated and cooled quickly so the process is very fast

Efficient – the moulds can be used again as soon as the product is cooled enabling products from the same mould to be manufactured efficiently.

Mass production – is it very easy to produce many products which are exactly the same using the same moulds. The plastic granules can be various colours so even the same product in a different colour is very easy to produce.

Little waste – as the plastic is injected into the mould there is very little waste produced, any leftover plastic can be melted down again and used for the next project.

High strength - injection moulding creates strong durable products.

Automated process – injection moulding is an automated process, it is performed by machines which reduces manufacturing costs and therefore product costs are lower although the soft mouldings do have to be manually removed between parts.

Injection moulding at Herga

We use injection moulding every day to manufacture our products. Within each of our products, at least one element is injection moulded.

Footswitches – bases, covers and some internal parts are manufactured using injection moulding

Hand Controls – bodies and buttons

Air Switches – housings are injection moulded as well as some internal parts

Bellows – the tops and bases are both injection moulded

In recent years we have begun using 3D printing as a way of manufacturing. So far it is being used for rapid prototyping. Find out more about our 3D printing advantages here.

If you would like more information on injection moulding or have an application you would like to discuss then please contact us