Plastic mold equipment design and plastic mold equipment fabrication services specialize in the design and fabrication of machinery used to create plastic molds, barrels or cylinders, liners, hot runner systems and component, and feeders. They produce machines for processes such as injection molding, blow molding, rotational molding, thermoforming, compression molding, and resin transfer molding (RTM). Injection molding machines have two basic parts: the injection unit and the clamping unit. The injection unit melts the plastic and then moves it into the mold. The clamping unit holds the mold in the closed position during injection, opens the mold after cooling, and ejects the finished part. Thermoplastic injection molding reduces pelletized raw materials and colorants into a hot liquid. Blow molding is similar to injection molding except that hot liquid plastic comes out of a barrel vertically, in a hollow molten tube.

Plastic mold equipment design and plastic mold equipment fabrication services specialize in the design and fabrication of equipment for many different types of plastic molds. Depending on the customer’s requirements, a machine may produce a plastic injection mold, insulated runner, unscrewing mold, cam mold, insert mold, stack mold, encapsulation mold, or over mold. Some plastic mold equipment design and fabrication services specialize in the design of plastic injection mold equipment. Others specialize in the manufacture of plastic fabrication equipment for extrusion processes. Many suppliers offer both plastic molding services and plastic mold equipment design services in addition to standard product offerings. Companies that provide industry-specific plastic fabrication services are also available. Selecting a plastic equipment manufacturer requires a careful analysis of supplier capabilities.

Applications and Approvals

Plastic mold equipment design and plastic mold equipment fabrication services differ in terms of applications and approvals. Some providers of plastic mold equipment design and fabrication services firms work with companies in the automotive, aerospace, medical, or food processing industries. Others specialize in the production of equipment for pharmaceutical packaging, or equipment that is designed to function in clean room environments. Many plastic mold equipment design and fabrication services adhere to voluntary quality guidelines from bodies such as the International Standards Organization (ISO).