Automation in injection molding projects minimizes hands on involvement, resulting in improved consistency, repeatability, product quality and ultimately the best value for the customer.
Robotics can be used throughout the injection molding process during the insert molding or over molding process, helping to assist in secondary operations and quality inspections. Using automation processes can eliminate waste, produce consistent quality components and at a faster cycle time.
Reducing the need for manual intervention in the molding process
To make the insert molding and over molding process more efficient, robotics are often utilized. Injection molders make use of robotics to place the metal components in a molding machine before the insert molding process and then perform secondary operations like part trimming and packaging.
Injection molders can take advantage of the use of robots in the over molding process by removing a molded part or substrate from one injection molding machine and then placing it into another injection molding machine for the over molding process.
Using robotics to complete as many tasks as possible frees up time and resources for any required hands-on processes. It also makes it possible to repeat those tasks over many cycles with consistency and predictability.
Robots are also used for secondary operations in the injection molding process. Some samples of use of robotics in secondary operations are for part trimming, drilling or clipping. As well as in assembly of injection molded components either by welding, bonding or adhesives. Automation is also used for sorting of product for further processing and packaging components to be shipped to customers.
Better production quality
Precision and consistency in plastic injection molding are important quality considerations. Without having both, you cannot produce high quality injection molded parts.
Measuring quality specifications using fully programmable, automatic CNC-driven quality inspection and measuring equipment to verify critical dimensions on first article inspections and production samples or runs enables accurate and reliable data every time. This takes the human element out of the equation and enables timely corrections in the production process.
Using robotics is a necessary part of current injection molding techniques. Through continued development and application of automated processes and robotics, your plastic injection molder can deliver consistent results with greater speed, precision, and flexibility.
Automation has been a worthwhile investment at Crescent Industries by incorporating multi-functional robots during the molding process and post molding process to deliver consistent plastic components. To learn more about Crescent Industries injection molding services, please click here.
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