3 Tips to Plastic Injection Molding for Auto Parts
Today, plastics have become an integral and structural component of the automotive industry. Instead of metal parts, they make cars fuel-efficient and cost-effective. However, there are many kinds of automotive parts such as bumpers, dashboards, headlamps, doors, and A/C condensers with different designs, sizes and materials. Based on the product design, weight, size, material and other customized requirements, the selection of injection molding machines plays a critical role in developing automotive parts. In this article, we will offer you 3 tips to choose the best injection solution for automotive production.
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Identify your Automotive Parts Characteristic
First of all, we divided the auto parts into four categories. Each category has its characteristics to be noted.
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Interior Parts
Interior parts including dashboard, roof lining, door handles, center consoles, car mats and dashboard compartments are a fine example of injection molded products.
Aside from normal hardware such as door handles and car mats, some specific automotive parts need a special manufacturing process. For example, dashboard and interior door panels usually need secondary processing. Therefore, the design of injection procedures and cost would be the considerations for your purchasing. -
Exterior Parts
Exterior parts, which are defined as exterior components of the car, such as bumpers, front grilles, step bumpers, headlights, fenders, and even side mirror shields are made using plastic automotive molding.
In this category, most of the manufactures put more focus on the aesthetic of its surface and how to make it light-weight. Beautiful products make product diversification, which leads to high demands of multi-colored/co-injection design of injection molding machines. The trend toward light-weight has also caused adjustments on machine design.Read also : Car Bumper Molding Machine
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Engine & Power System Parts
Compared to the past, instead of metal, the manufacturers have shifted most of the engine accessories to plastic due to the widespread use of injection molding. Sensors, oil pans, cylinder head covers, and electrical kits can all be made out of plastics. The advantages of using plastic parts are light-weight and cost-saving. However, to consider the function and protection, the manufacturers often take fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) as material for injection molding, which might need special design of screw.
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Lighting
Being considered as high-precision automotive parts, lighting could be the most challenged injection molding products in automotive production. Due to its complicated mold design and strict inspection, the manufacturers must decrease the defect rate.
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Understanding Injection Molding Materials for Automotive Parts
Secondly, another way to improve efficiency and decrease defect rate is through getting familiar with the material of your product.
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Polypropylene (PP)
Polypropylene is one of the common materials used in making car parts. Due to its resistance to chemicals, UV, and water, it is widely used in interior, engine and exterior parts such as dashboards, radiator and bumpers. It is more stable, easier for molding. Besides, adding fiberglass can increase the strength.
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Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a plastic that can be used to make both hard and soft parts. It is flexible and flame retardant. The auto parts made by PVC include interior panels, and dashboard components. In some cases, you need to use a specially designed screw to avoid corrosion. However, it usually adds plasticizer while manufacturing auto parts, which is harmful to environment. Therefore, there are substitutes such as TPU, ABS, PC or other environmental-friendly material show up.
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Polyurethane (PU)
Polyurethane is a soft and high abrasion resistance material. Automotive parts that require a high degree of flexibility, such as foam seats, frequently make use of Polyurethane. The common defects are the surface of products become yellow and not smooth.
The reason why the surface of products become yellow is that the high heating temperature causes scorch. The resulting color will be yellow.
The reason why the surface of products become not smooth is also because high heating temperature, so it has a certain degree of deformation after heating and cooling processes. -
Polycarbonate (PC)
Polycarbonate is a rigid, heat resistant, and durable material. In some cases, you need to do screw surface treatment to avoid product black dot. For example, you need to be aware of mold temperature and screw when producing car lights. With high mold temperature and special process of screw, the product surface would be smooth and bright.
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Polyamide (Nylon)
Polyamide or Nylon, one of the engineering plastic materials, being wear-resistant material that is used to design bushes and bearings. Fiberglass can be added to strengthen the intensity, which might increase cost.
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Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is a common material with high strength, good stiffness and easy for processing and forming, which used in the manufacturing of dashboards and wheel covers. It is a hard and shiny plastic that is resistant to heat and impact damage. Besides, the surface of the processed product is smooth, allowing for the ease of dyeing and electroplating.
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Suggested Customized Features of Automotive Injection Molding Machine
The last part, to achieve different purposes, customized requirements is necessary. Based on CLF’s experience, there are customized features of injection molding machines for automotive manufacturers as the suggestions.
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Light-weight :
Bigger mold with smaller clamping force or adding fiberglass into material -
Productive efficiency :
Multiple manufacture-processing in one machine -
Product diversification :
By use of multi-colored/Co-injection injection molding machines -
Space-saving :
By use of two-platen injection molding machines
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Read further : 5 Essential Features for Plastic Injection Molding in Automotive Industry
To sum up, based on your product's basic information to choose an injection molding machine is a start. To achieve better performance such as high productive efficiency or production capacity, getting familiar with the auto parts characteristic and material is a good start. Furthermore, with customized features, your injection molding machine could become the best solution for your production.
CLF offers injection molding machines that you can rely on to deliver excellent performance in your final plastic products. Customers in various sectors use our injection molding machines and technologies, and we would be delighted to work with you as well. If you have questions about how to achieve high precise and quality auto parts by injection molding machines, please contact us now! Or you can check out the product page for more exclusive injection molding machine for car bumpers. and view our other series of injection molding machines.