Pros and cons of internal processing plastic injection molding
Contents
1. Advantages of internal processing plastic injection molding
2. Disadvantages of internal processing plastic injection molding
3. Limitations of internal processing plastic injection molding
4. Advantages of outsourcing plastic injection molding
If you are considering plastic injection molding for one or more of your products, the accessibility and relative simplicity of the process can make investing in in-house solutions look attractive. Given that a large number of parts can be produced efficiently, the way to recover your initial investment in in-house plastic injection molding seems clear and relatively easy. However, before starting to use in-house custom plastic injection molding solutions, it is important to consider the pros and cons, there are several of each. As a process, the advantages of injection molding are obvious for most applications. If you have determined the process, but are deciding whether to invest internally or continue to work with a plastic injection molding service provider, be sure to carefully consider each of the following points.
Advantages of internal processing plastic injection molding
Cost-effective production
Injection molding is usually a cost-effective production process. Although material selection, part complexity, and part design can affect pricing, custom plastic injection molding solutions usually provide better prices than other processes, all other factors being the same. In-house customized plastic injection molding solutions can further improve cost-effectiveness advantages by cutting transportation costs and built-in management expenses originally borne by suppliers. Of course, these indirect costs will then be passed on to you, which may weaken some of the advantages detailed here.
Output and completion speed
Whether you are in-house or through a plastic injection molding service provider for injection molding, high production speed is one of the advantages you will enjoy. By investing in internal processes, you can eliminate the transportation and other fulfillment time from the plastic injection molding service provider to you, and the product can be distributed after completion and inspection.
Less material waste
If you use thermoplastic materials in your custom plastic injection molding solution, any excess or defective materials are available for you to recycle and recycle. Working with a plastic injection molding service provider, you only pay for the materials used to make the product, but you don’t get the advantage of this flexibility of use. Through internal processes, you can also determine that you are reducing material waste through recycling and recycling.
Time and production flexibility
The versatility of injection molding is one of the main factors that attract many entrepreneurs and engineers. A wide range of product types and materials can be used for customized plastic injection molding solutions and produced by injection molding. In-house production increases flexibility and allows you to fully control your production plan.
Disadvantages of internal processing plastic injection molding
High initial investment
As mentioned above, of course you can mathematically calculate the return on investment of the internal molding equipment and see a simple value path in theory. In practice, it may be more difficult to achieve. No matter from which point of view, injection molding equipment is an expensive investment, it takes several years and many parts produced to recover the cost. Given the complexity of most markets, there is no guarantee that your financial forecast will be accurate. With in-house custom plastic injection molding solutions, even if you cannot move your inventory and can no longer keep the equipment running, your equipment will be trapped. In addition, injection molding start-up costs are more than just a machine-they include automation equipment, QA machines, personnel, etc.
The overall cost of the mold is high
Injection molding molds are another aspect of injection molding, but they are not cheap. The high quality of the materials used, as well as the expertise required to properly design and manufacture tools, often make the price too high. When using in-house custom plastic injection molding solutions, these costs are magnified-in addition to tools, you have to pay the full cost of personnel and equipment.
High maintenance and downtime costs
Once you have an injection molding machine, it is yours, good or bad. Machine failures, incorrect calibrations, errors and other negative aspects are now your responsibility. Therefore, you must repair it yourself-or pay for diagnosis and repair. Although on the surface, injection molding seems to be a simple and straightforward process, it is very complex and must be constantly monitored and fine-tuned to operate correctly and acceptably. In addition to the cost of maintenance personnel and labor, machine downtime is also expensive, especially through the prism of repaying the initial investment: your machine uptime is actually money.
Limitations of internal processing plastic injection molding
Although plastic injection molding is incredibly versatile and cost-effective to meet the needs of a large number of applications, industries and products, it simply cannot meet every need there. In these cases, when another process may be better, you still need to work with a plastic injection molding service provider. In addition, you may want to use your injection molding machine for more complex processes, such as machining or overmolding of 3D printed parts. In these cases, you will work with another plastic injection molding service provider and pay shipping costs, wait for fulfillment, etc., while only using your internal machinery in part of the process.
Advantages of outsourcing plastic injection molding
Outsourcing your plastic injection molding can usually provide customized plastic injection solutions for most of the above disadvantages. The advantages of outsourcing plastic injection molding include no upfront investment, and the burden of mechanical costs is completely borne by the plastic injection molding service provider. For tooling, you only need to pay for the mold, without having to pay the entire cost of the personnel required for design and manufacturing. Indirect costs are shared by all customers of the service provider, not just yours. Repair is the responsibility of the owner of the machine, not you. When the machine is not yours, machine downtime is not your problem. When advanced molding technology is the right solution, outsourced plastic injection molding service providers can usually use other processes, such as machining and 3D printing, at any time. Concentrating all services under one roof helps smooth the process from design to prototyping to manufacturing. Experienced injection molding can help you complete all process steps from design and concept to inventory and fulfillment. For more information about the advantages of outsourcing custom plastic injection molding solutions, or to discuss your project, please contact pubo today.
Tags: internal processing plastic injection molding, custom plastic injection molding solution, plastic injection molding service provider
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