Cost-Efficiency in Injection Moulding: Tips for Reducing Costs

Injection moulding is a widely used manufacturing process for producing all types of plastic parts with high precision. However, the cost of injection moulding can quickly escalate due to material wastage, operational inefficiencies, and equipment overheads. That is something that injection moulders everywhere work on/with daily. By implementing strategic measures, manufacturers can optimize their injection moulding processes, reduce costs, and ultimately improve profitability. On the other hand, customers can themselves support here, when the same principles are considered in the design or during the lifetime of the products. It can be a discussion from choosing the right material, finding the right design to improve tooling cost or to even integrating automated solutions. In more detail, here are several effective strategies for companies to achieving cost-efficiency in injection moulding:

1. Optimize Design for Manufacturing (DFM)

We shared some time back an article about this topic in more depth, but it makes sense to emphasis it here as well. DFM is a great tool to improve costs and make the production more operative. To read it again, please follow this link.

2. Select the right material and setup

Material selection plays a crucial role in both generated cost and performance. In many cases, material has the highest share in the total cost for a part pricing. To reduce costs:

• Evaluate alternative materials that maintain the required properties but are more cost-effective. Have you specified the material requirements too high, high enough or too low? Too high and too low can have eventually negative effects on the part pricing but from a different angle. Too high specification: the cost is too high for a part that could have used a more standard commodity but is using higher end materials. On the other hand, too low specification could mean quality issues when used in tougher environment and the function fails, which means added (hidden) costs. Lastly, if a material is a stock item, it could mean also more stability in the supply chain, compared to a rare single-user material. It is never easy to balance the requirements and using a standard item, but it is good to try to integrate this way of thinking.
• Consider using recycled materials or bio-based plastics, which can be less expensive and meet sustainability goals. We will make a separate article soon about material choice and there we will also focus on sustainable materials.

3. Utilize Advanced Technology

Investing in advanced technology can lead to long-term savings.

• Automation: Implementing robotic systems can fasten the production process, reduce labour costs, and minimize human error. In here one could argue that the supplier should investigate this primarily, however, when the customer and supplier work together here, the investment done today can support the cost saving in the future for both parties.
• Smart Sensors and Monitoring: Utilizing IoT devices to monitor equipment performance helps identify inefficiencies and triggers maintenance before failures occur, reducing downtime.

4. Improve Production Efficiency

Increasing production efficiency directly impacts cost:

• Reduce Cycle Times: Analyse and optimize the injection moulding cycle by adjusting parameters such as temperature, pressure, and cooling time to find the optimal balance for your materials. Here is of course important to highlight that these changes need to be tested, to see if these changes in the process have any impact on quality or the function of the part. One good timepoint to try this, is when the tools are being adopted to machinery in project phase.
• Maintain Equipment: Regular maintenance of injection moulding machines reduces the risk of breakdowns and costly repairs, ensuring consistent production.

5. Implement Lean Manufacturing Principles

Adopting lean manufacturing principles minimizes waste and improves efficiency through:

• Value Stream Mapping: Identify non-value-adding steps in the process and eliminate them.
• Just-In-Time (JIT) Inventory: Reducing inventory holding costs by producing parts as needed rather than stockpiling.

There are many more ways to optimize the cost basis for injection moulding production but the above are, in our opinion, aspects that can be worked on together (supplier and the customer). Individual work on better supply chain management, logistics solutions, teaching workforce and many more things is an everyday work done inside the companies. However, what could the future bring in this perspective?

The future of cost-efficiency in injection moulding is likely to be shaped by several key trends and advancements that could increase productivity, sustainability, and overall manufacturing effectiveness. Here are some potential developments to consider:

1.?Increased Automation and Robotics

As technology continues to advance, the integration of automation and robotics in injection moulding processes will likely become more dominant. Automated systems can handle repetitive tasks, leading to reduced labour costs, improved precision, and faster production cycle times. Robots equipped with artificial intelligence may also optimize workflows, predict maintenance needs, and adapt to varying production demands.

2.?Sustainable Practices and Materials

Sustainability is a hot and much talked about topic. The push for sustainability will drive innovation in injection moulding materials and processes. Manufacturers may increasingly adopt eco-friendly materials, including biodegradable plastics and recycled resins. Advances in bioplastics—created from renewable sources—could offer viable alternatives that meet performance requirements without compromising environmental standards.

3.?Smart Manufacturing and IoT Integration

The rise of Industry 4.0 will facilitate the implementation of smart manufacturing practices within injection moulding. IoT can enable real-time monitoring of machinery, quality control, and production metrics. This connectivity will allow manufacturers to make data-driven decisions quickly, resulting in greater operational efficiency and reduced downtime.

4.?Additive Manufacturing Collaboration

There may be a growing trend toward combining it injection moulding parts with 3D printing. This hybrid approach can allow for the creation of complex geometries that are difficult to achieve with injection moulding alone, potentially reducing the need for multiple manufacturing steps and tooling.

5.?Enhanced Simulation and Predictive Analysis

Advanced simulation tools and predictive analytics may become standard in the design and testing of injection-moulded parts. By simulating the moulding process before actual production, manufacturers can identify potential issues and optimize designs for efficiency, reducing material waste and production costs significantly.

6.?Customization and On-Demand Production

The demand for custom products is likely to increase, prompting manufacturers to adapt their injection moulding processes. Advances in technology could enable more flexible production systems that support smaller batch sizes without sudden high costs, leading to more personalized products and shorter lead times.

Conclusion

There is a lot that can be done to improve the cost-effectiveness of producing plastic injection moulding parts and the future seems quite optimistic in this sense. Did you get any ideas on how to check over your product and how to produce it? Which material to choose or how the product should be assembled? We at Talent hope it gave you a lot to think about. However, if any questions came up or you wish to discuss more, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. For more info, visit our website to learn more about us and how we operate.

Thank you for reading and we wish you a great weekend!

Talent Plastics Tartu team.

?

?