What matters most, machine or material?

There are 20 or so manufacturers of injection molding presses worldwide. There are tens of thousands of different thermoplastic resins to choose from. Where do you think your injection molder’s attention should be directed?

In researching molding topics, molding marketing, molding training, the lion’s share of information revolves around the molding equipment and process. Which, PlastiCert too believes is a key aspect to quality molding.

Yet, a much smaller segment of the industry focuses on the thermoplastic dynamics of molding.

If you visit 10 different injection molders, you will see an assortment of injection molding presses. Some have a variety of presses, based on price, availability, or features. Others will have a manufacturer concentration of presses, based on standardization of processes and maintenance. They will also laud their molding process training regimen and how they operate their presses. In the end, they are all quite similar to each other in how they work.

Paying attention, do you notice them talking about the thermoplastic they are trying to work with, and their knowledge of the science around that material? Or do they rely on the thermoplastic resin manufacturer to provide insight into what they should be doing with their molding equipment?

At PlastiCert we have a different focus than most. We focus on material science because of the importance the resin has in the molding process. To coin a phrase, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. It is better to focus on the thousands of resins out there, rather than the handful of injection presses.

All of our engineers are material scientists. They are graduates pf the only undergraduate composite materials engineering program in the US. We think knowing what the resins are going to do when subject to the molding process is key, rather than knowing how the equipment works and seeing what happens (AKA trial and error) when they try to shoot the resin.

In the end, it is more important WHAT is used to make your product unique and meet your customers’ needs. Rather than the HOW that produced a product to your specifications. In the end, that resin AND the process becomes part of your legacy, not just the process used.

Want quicker time to market, better product performance,  lower scrap, and better assurance of quality and reliability? Give PlastiCert a call. We can help with thermoplastic selection and its use in your product. You will benefit, and more importantly, your customers will benefit. Aren’t those the goals you set out looking to satisfy when you started your sourcing?