Injection Molding Case Study

Plastic injection molding is more than a design in CAD sent off to an injection molding machine. It demands superior design, high analytical review, precise mold tooling, and highly automated production. See how our customers enjoyed quick and accurate completion of their projects.

The customers wish to remain anonymous in this case study; therefore, they are each referred to as "lighting manufacturer".

• Steel mold

• Main Equipment for mold manufacturing: Sodick & GF EDM, Makino CNC

• Main equipment for injection molding: Sumitomo

• Covestro FR3010 white

• Product size: 1.901*1.140*1.280 (inches)

• Production run: 125,000 units per month for the last 5 years

A leading light manufacturer needed a custom endcap cover. The client's engineering team provided its own design and needed Chainlogix to produce a million pieces a month. During CAE analysis, we noticed that the proposed design presented some deformation risks, specifically near the clip feature of the part.

We suggested a design improvement by adding ribs on the clip that would resolve the deformation risk. In addition, this change allowed the number of cavities built on the mold to be increased from 8 to 24.

The customer experienced substantial cost savings, greater production efficiency, shorter lead time, and improved quality. Chainlogix has produced over 10 million parts, and the customer has not experienced any quality issues or concerns throughout the life of the product.

• Product size: 11.94*1.15*0.453 (inches)

• Production run: 10,000 units per month

• Steel mold

• Main Equipment for mold manufacturing: Sodick & GF EDM, Makino CNC

• Main equipment for injection molding: Sumitomo

A leading lighting manufacturer needed a lens. Because it is a lens, the part required very precise photometry performance and a strong validation test, creating the need for superior mold-flow analysis and very precise texture processing on the mold itself.

Using CAE simulation, Chainlogix was able to fine-tune the injection parameters and achieve the right texture on the mold. By using an Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) and taking multiple skimming passes, we created no “lay” and achieved a finish that is almost mirror-like. Although most injection factories are not equipped with instruments for IES testing, we are able to run professional IES testing to guarantee the part's photometry performance.

The customer received a product to its exact and intricate specifications while enjoying the convenience of having the manufacturer being a one-stop provider. Having access to computer-assisted design, mold manufacturing, advanced equipment, and validation testing in the same facility, the customer realized cost savings, shorter lead time (15 days for tooling lead time and another 5 days for first articles), and guaranteed quality.

Chainlogix can help you ask the right questions, scope your project thoroughly from the start, and produce the most cost-effective mold for your project. Once tooling is successfully complete and the output has been thoroughly tested, you can enjoy the low-cost production that has made injection molding such a universally popular production method.