A Look at Automation within Plastic Molding

Injection molding is one of the most widely used manufacturing techniques within the production realm. Like every other manufacturing sector in the 21st century, automation is playing a big role in its growth. When it comes to injection molding, implementing robots and other automation processes can increase throughput, reduce cycle times, reduce scrap, and improve part quality. All this plays into one key component of every business: transforming efficiency into more profit.

Image Source: Wikimedia

Specific to injection molding, robots can be used to remove parts from molds as quickly and seamlessly as possible to keep manufacturing plants functioning at their highest operating capacity. Many parts are molded several times using insert or over-molding processes – robots can and do play a key role here as well.

Moving even further down the production line, we see robots functioning in more typical secondary applications like assembly, packaging, part-trimming, de-gating, drilling, and sorting.

It is becoming impossible to ignore that automation is completely changing the game when it comes to the injection molding sector. Robots are programmed to carry out specific repetitive actions without variation, something human workers often would’ve struggled with. When you stop and think about it, a process like injection molding can be particularly aided by automation processes thanks to its routine production nature.

Looking at a direct comparison of a human worker and robot in the process of removing a part from a mold, we can start to see how automation plays a significant role in the manufacturing technique. When the mold separates and the part is ready for removal, a human worker has a limited response time and a limited safe speed they can move at to accomplish this rather menial task. A robot, on the other hand, can be precisely programmed and timed to achieve the highest level of efficiency every time. When you extrapolate this time savings over thousands of parts, you’re ultimately met with significant cost savings as well.

Plastic parts and the injection molding process fit perfectly into the framework of easily automate-able tasks. This meets a need that spawned out of the 08-09 recession. The mass layoff in the manufacturing sector and the subsequent rebound in the economy left modern manufacturers with a lack of skilled trained workers. Even further with the growth of IoT and the competitive nature of modern manufacturing, automation fits injection molding right down to the T. Take a look at the short video below for an example of automation in the injection molding process.

What are some ways that you could see injection molding processes improved through automation? Let us know in the comments. 

Source: RAS, Robotics.org, RT, Emerald Insight