Professional manufacturer of thermoforming machines.
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Professional manufacturer of thermoforming machines.
Thermoforming and injection molding are two of the most popular manufacturing processes for making plastic parts, and they offer unique advantages depending on the specific application. Here’s some brief descriptions between the two processes.
Tooling
In the tooling phase of thermoforming a single 3D form is created out of aluminum, wood, polyurethane or a 3D printer.
In injection molding, a double-sided 3D mold is made from aluminum, steel, or beryllium-copper alloy. There is an advantage in timing and price with thermoforming since prototype samples can be made from CNC cut wood tooling.
Materials
Thermoforming machine can use a variety of different materials to create the flat sheets that get molded into the product. There are options for a different finish, color, and thickness of the product.
Injection molded products use thermoplastic pellets, that are available in a wide variety of materials and colors as well.
Production
In thermoforming equipment, a flat sheet of plastic is heated to a pliable temperature, then molded to the tool’s shape using suction from a vacuum or both suction and pressure.
In injection molding, plastic pellets are heated to a liquid state and injected into the mold.
Time
With the combination of tooling and production, it can give an accurate measurement on the amount of time it takes to manufacture your products. In thermoforming, the average time for tooling is 0-8 weeks. Following tooling, production usually occurs within 1-2 weeks after the tool is approved.
With injection molding, tooling takes 12-16 weeks and can be up to 4-5 weeks after when production starts.
Cost
The cost of tooling in thermoforming is much cheaper than the cost of injection molding. However, the cost of production per piece in injection molding can be less expensive than thermoforming. Typically, plastic injection molding is used for large, high-volume production runs and thermoforming is used for smaller production quantities as well as large production runs.
As advances in manufacturing technology continue to evolve, the area where a product’s needs and the capabilities of plastic thermoforming and injection molding overlap is increasing. Selecting the right method in these situations requires a deeper appraisal of the features, benefits, and costs associated with each process.
Professional manufacturer of thermoforming machines.
