Yes, plastic injection molding typically produces parts that are much stronger than their 3D-printed counterparts. These are the reasons why:

A mold is essentially a hollow metal block. Cavities within it are filled through gates and runners, and once filled with plastic, will produce the desired part. To learn more about our process and what it entails, feel free to contact us at your convenience.

According to MNI, the century-old data compiler that powers IndustrySelect's industrial database subscription, the plastic injection mold industry is a fairly small and specialized sector with 555 US-based companies. Half of these manufacturers are located in the Midwest.

During and after the injection molding, and before shipping the components to the client, the parts go through a thorough quality inspection.

Alwin offers design and product development services to create customized solutions. This Clintonville, Wisconsin, manufacturer has 150 employees and also produces commercial towel and napkin dispensers.

Based on the above, manufacturing of plastic injection molding can take anywhere from 2 weeks for simple parts to up to 18 weeks (or more) for intricate designs.

Custom plastic injection molders employ computer-aided design (CAD) software or similar to produce custom molds machined with different disciplines out of solid metal and generally have two halves that will come together during the mold assembly process.

Our team will adhere to your requirements and work closely with you to create the parts that meet your desired specifications. With years of expertise, we’ve created a streamlined process that guarantees optimal results, from mold building to shipment:

Plastek Industries, Inc. has locations in four countries. Its Erie, Pennsylvania, headquarters is the largest plastic mold manufacturing facility in the US with 850 employees. They manufacture products like packaging for the beauty and cosmetics industry, food and beverage products, stock packaging options, and pharmaceutical packaging.

Capable project management from design to final part. One-stop service for all of our clients’ plastic injection molding.

A mold life expectancy can last between hundreds and millions of parts if properly constructed and maintained. The application (i.e. prototyping, production) usually dictates the mold’s endurance.

Located in Saline, Michigan, MMI Engineered Solutions employs 192 people. This manufacturer has an in-house design team and uses injection and blow mold techniques to produce powertrain, exterior and interior parts for the automotive industry.

• 8% of plastic mold manufacturers import raw materials, which is slightly lower than the 11% average across all manufacturers.• 76% of plastic mold makers focus on domestic distribution. This is slightly higher than the 70% of all manufacturers that sell their products on the domestic market.

Our customers in California and worldwide benefit from our quality of material and workmanship, as well as excellent technical and production assistance. Using state-of-the-art technology and our experience and expertise, we provide comprehensive injection molding services ranging from assistance in design, development, prototyping, and manufacturing to match your specifications. Have the leader among injection mold manufacturing companies on your side.

As U.S. manufacturers continue to contend with disruptions to the global supply chain, manufacturers are looking to source more supplies at home. One study found that 62% of manufacturers plan to source more supplies domestically in 2021.

Seaway Plastics Engineering, LLC has 151 employees and is located in Port Richey, Florida. This company specializes in engineering and low-volume runs. It creates products for the packaging, defense, medical, transportation and electronics sectors among others.

Editor's Note: A version of this post was originally published in June 3, 2020. It has been updated to include current trends and statistics.

Plastic injection molding is used for the production of plastic parts in medium to high volume production levels. These parts come in an array of different colors, shapes, and sizes.

Located in Boyne City, Michigan, LexaMar Corp. employs 400 people. This manufacturer uses rubber and plastic to produce exterior parts for the automotive industry.

We use high-quality resins in the process of  manufacturing plastic injection molding, ensuring the durability and dependability of the final product. We also offer in-depth materials, expertise, and experience, enabling you to optimize quality and price.

In a word: extremely. This method is widely recognized as one of the most accurate and precise, up to a fraction of an inch. As an example, the best plastic injection molding companies can produce parts with very tight tolerances, ranging from ±0.005” all the way to ±0.001”.

American Tool & Mold, Inc. produces plastic molds used by other manufacturers. This Clearwater, Florida, company has 180 employees and can create customized molds for a wide range of applications, including multi-cavity molds and precision molds.

Carefully selected resin pellets undergo the melting process, injecting them into the mold cavity, and left to cool and solidify.

IndustrySelect provides clients with touch-point data for potential leads, including direct executive contact information and other actionable data among 500,000 companies in the manufacturing and energy sector.

Since injection molding represents the most common method of plastic parts manufacturing, the list of products can range from bottle caps to car parts. More complex parts are made out of a combination of two or more materials through a special process called overmolding.

This emphasis on the domestic market and local suppliers could indicate a potential for expansion on new markets for plastic mold manufacturers.

A plastic injection company is a business that handles plastic molding manufacturing. Typically, these companies operate on a medium to large scale, producing large quantities of plastic molds and related products for a diverse range of applications.If you’re looking for one of the best plastic injection molding companies, we’re here to help you with our expertise and precision.

Advanced precision ceramic & plastic molding enable us to deliver high quality, cost-effective parts every single time and for a wide range of clients operating in specialized industries.

As one of the top plastic injection molding companies in the industry, we employ state-of-the-art production technology and a wide range of effective techniques for precise custom plastic injection molding. This allows us to maximize yield and reduce waste, while maintaining consistent quality and on-time delivery at a competitive price.

Customized design and a full range of plastic material material offerings including a wide variety of colorant and over-molding options.

As a plastic injection molding company with years of experience in the field, we strive to provide the optimal solution for each client based on individual requirements. We can help with the design and development of new components or help reduce the cost of manufacturing parts based on an existing part design. We offer:

Hi-Tech Mold & Engineering, Inc. is located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Its 200 employees work on components for vehicles, appliances, medical devices, and solutions for the aerospace and defense industries.

Located in North Vernon, Indiana, Decatur Mold, Tool & Engineering, Inc. employs 150 people to produce military aircraft parts, car seats and automotive components.

Meanwhile, the global market for injection molded plastics is expected to reach a value of $473.4 billion by the year 2027. Currently, the industry is valued at $339.3 billion.

American inventors and the first plastic injection molding manufacturers, brothers Isaiah and John Wesley Hyatt patented the very first injection molding machine in 1872. Despite its seemingly simple original design, this machine made the manufacturing process infinitely easier. It also served as the prototype for the sophisticated machines that we use nowadays, since the principle is much the same to this day.

The process of manufacturing plastic injection molding is ideal for producing large quantities of identical objects due to the following key advantages:

The life of an injection mold is directly related to the type of mold, the type of material injected into it, and the number of parts produced.

Wunder-Mold’s quality and attention to detail are at the heart of our mission. As a plastic injection molding company that has been in the business for over 24 years, we constantly seek ways to further advance the scope, quality, and cost-efficiency of our injection mold manufacturing.

The industrial marketplace IndustryNet continues to see heightened domestic sourcing activity, including greater demand for plastic injection molding services, which reported thousands of searches from industrial buyers interested in plastic injection molding in 2020. Year-over-year category searches on the industrial marketplace IndustryNet were up 27% in 2020, while requests-for-quotes rose 102.1% and catalog downloads increased 21%. This trend reflects the growing number of manufacturers looking for domestic supplies, including plastic injection molding companies.

As a reputable plastic injection molding company, we offer an array of materials that can be used in the production process. Learn more about various materials that we use at our materials page.

This Louisville, Kentucky, manufacturer has 300 employees. Jones Plastic & Engineering Co., LLC uses injection molding techniques to produce automotive parts, packaging, electronic components and products for the medical industry.

CompanyCityState Number of EmployeesPlastek Industries, Inc.EriePA850LexaMar Corp.Boyne CityMI400Jones Plastic & Engineering Co., LLCLouisvilleKY300Hi-Tech Mold & Engineering, Inc.Rochester HillsMI200MMI Engineered SolutionsSalineMI192American Tool & Mold, Inc.ClearwaterFL180Ironwood Plastics, Inc.IronwoodMI155Seaway Plastics Engineering, LLCPort RicheyFL151AlwinClintonvilleWI150Decatur Mold, Tool & Engineering, Inc.North VernonIN150

Today we're taking a quick look at some additional facts on the plastic injection molding industry and exploring the top ten plastic injection companies in the United States.

Customized design and a full range of plastic material material offerings including a wide variety of colorant and over-molding options.

This Ironwood, Michigan, manufacturer creates molds for products with precise requirements. Ironwood Plastics, Inc. and its 155 employees use advanced techniques like pressure monitoring, laser scanning and mold flow analysis to create specialized molds.

During the process of plastic molding manufacturing, a molten plastic mixture is forced under high pressure into a custom-made mold so that the material takes the shape of the mold cavity. Once the part has been removed from the mold it is typically finished, but may require secondary operations.

Are you looking for sales leads in the the plastic injecton molding industry or the manufacturing world at large? Access comprehensive profiles of 500,000 industrial businesses and one million executives with IndustrySelect. Try a free demo of IndustrySelect and reach new prospects in the industrial world!

Special varieties of plastic are typically used in the injection mold manufacture, including: polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), nylon, etc.

Polycarbonate (PC) is generally considered to be the top plastic for injection molding when it comes to sheer durability. This material boasts excellent impact resistance and high tensile strength, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, such as car parts, medical devices, and even electronics.

Custom injection molders design and manufacture custom molds and/or custom parts from a mold for the customer at small, medium, and large volumes. As the leading industry’s company, Wunder-Mold specializes in this process and is able to deliver a product design to your exact specifications and industry requirements.

To ensure high quality of fabricated parts, the best plastic injection molding companies employ a 4-stage process that consists of:

At Wunder Mold, we also do everything in our power to stay ahead of the curve by implementing all the current advancements in custom injection molding in California and across the nation and globe. What’s more, we’re always looking ahead, exploring new developments, making sure we’re constantly at the cutting edge of our industry. Give us a call today and let us how we can help you.