Pros and Cons of Injection Molding in Automotive Manufacturing
With nearly 20 million vehicles manufactured each year across all of Europe, the automotive manufacturing sector is one of the biggest industries of the continent. To keep that many vehicles rolling out of the factories on a timely factor, a wide range of manufacturing methods like injection molding are required. But injection molding is not the right technique for manufacturing every automotive component either. Determine which of your automotive components are best manufactured with injection molding based on the distinct pros and cons of this technique.
Pro: Multiple Materials for Injection Molding
Plastic injection molding is the most common form of the category, but there are many other types of injection molding services. Rubber, metal, and glass materials are also available for shaping through injection molding that combines a pressurized pumping system with high quality molds. As long as a material can be pelleted, melts down through heat and pressure, and has enough viscosity to flow through the equipment, injection molding is a potential technique for manufacturing parts. You can find the exact material you need for injection molding parts that can withstand the toughest challenges the engine, frame, suspension, or safety systems can provide.
Con: High Cost for Some Injection Molding Services
Common injection molding services are more affordable than other manufacturing methods, but this isn’t universally true for all methods. For example, metal injection molding techniques tend to be far more expensive than their plastic counterparts, as well as more expensive than metal parts produced through other manufacturing methods. However, using powdered metal materials for injection molding parts can still cost less than CNC machining and other advanced techniques if a part has very difficult and delicate features. Request quotes for all kinds of different manufacturing methods at once, including injection molding, through European Subcontracting Network.
Pro: Advanced Injection Molding Detail
Many of the latest automotive parts feature thin walls, tight corners, sharp cutbacks, protruding edges, and other design features that are impossible to reproduce with other methods. Injection molding allows for the creation of these features and more, especially in flexible materials like rubbers, plastics, and resins. When the ability to reproduce the finest details is one of the most important considerations for your automotive parts, injection molding is likely worth the cost to bring your most advanced designs to life.
Con: More Opportunities for Injection Molding Flaws
Finally, you’ll need to look for an experienced provider for injection molding services to prevent the risk of manufacturing errors from putting your business at risk. Part flaws and errors from injection molding in automotive manufacturing can lead to serious injuries, lost lives, and hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property damage.
Experienced injection molding providers can prevent these flaws from making it to the production stage so your parts are error free and ready to use with little to no further quality control or modification. This includes any finishing necessary to remove leftover marks that are generated during injection molding, such as injection point overflow and parting lines or seams, that could interfere with the normal operation of the part and vehicle.
If you’d like to explore your options for manufacturing more parts through injection molding, check out the listings for this service in European Subcontracting Network. Any one of our highlighted subcontractors can help you determine what materials will work best and provide quotes to help you determine the most economical manufacturing method for your automotive parts.