The Importance of Plastic Extrusion Secondary Services

Plastic extrusion is already a cost-effective and efficient way to produce large scale production runs of everyday products. Between proper material selection and working with the right company, your product should already be of high quality and perform well.

But there are ways to further enhance your order both visually and from an operational standpoint. Plastic extrusion secondary services are important to consider as you map out the scope of your manufacturing project.

Secondary services can range from ultrasonic welding and embossing to assembly and even decorating. No matter the function, plastic extrusion services can increase the value of your product and put a defining stamp on your market.

Learn the importance of plastic extrusion secondary services from Port Erie Plastics.

Key Benefits of Plastic Extrusion Secondary Services

Plastic extrusion secondary services offer numerous benefits. The benefits are more than just aesthetic.

Improved Performance

Key secondary services such as routing can improve part performance so long as the service has been performed correctly. Secondary services such as routing, punching, or even CNC work improve performance because they can create different shapes in the component that standard extrusion services cannot.

Customization

Utilizing secondary services for your plastic extrusion orders unlocks numerous customization options that can set your product apart from the competition. Services such as decorating, surface coatings, or hot stamping can make your product unique.

Ready-to-Use

Assembly services allow the manufacturer to not only create your plastic extruded parts, but also assemble them with any other components that are part of the order, thus making it ready to use once it arrives to you.

Visual Enhancement

Secondary services are often thought of as a way to make your product ‘pop’ from a visual standpoint. Here, pad printing is one of the most common plastic extrusion secondary services performed.

Common Plastic Extrusion Secondary Services

While every plastic manufacturer is different, there are a few common services existing on the market. Port Erie offers:

• Assembly
• Decorating
• Pad printing
• Heat transfer
• Hot stamp
• Heat stake
• Ultrasonic welding
• Packaging
• Distribution
• Warehousing

Applicable Advantages

The benefits of plastic extrusion secondary services are stronger products and a competitive advantage.

Key advantages include:

• Shorter lead times: By finding a manufacturer who offers secondary services, you can shorten the entire production process and keep shipping and transfer costs down.
• Higher quality is achieved when plastic extrusion secondary services are offered in-house by your extrusion manufacturer, especially when backed by an ISO certification and including quality control checks throughout multiple points of production.

Connect With Port Erie Plastics for Your Plastic Extrusion Secondary Services Today

Port Erie Plastics has proudly served the needs of customers since 1953. As we continue to push new boundaries, we know how important secondary services can be. It’s a way for your business to leave its mark both visually and from a performance perspective.

We serve areas across the Midwest and East Coast, but aren’t limited to just those regions. Consider us for your next plastic extrusion secondary services project, and contact us today.

5 Plastic Extrusion Services That Impact Part Longevity

Manufacturers and customers alike are always looking for ways to improve part longevity. Plastic extrusion is already an effective way to create products that can last. But there are key extrusion services aside from the standard production cycle that further extend a product’s longevity.

Learn from Port Erie Plastics about five key plastic extrusion services that impact part longevity.

Material Selection

One of the most effective ways to impact part longevity is by properly selecting materials. While product application drives the decision-making process, there are materials suitable for most products that will enhance their shelf life.

If applicable, consider using polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonate, or blending polymers. These materials improve part longevity due to their resistance to corrosion and chemicals.

Multi-Layer Design and Co-Extrusion

Along with material selection, design is an equally important factor in improving part and component longevity. Accounting for the required characteristics of the part and manufacturing it efficiently can both be enhanced with upfront design considerations. If extra durability or longevity is required, the right design can help ensure those characteristics are reflected in the final product.

Additionally, consider using co-extrusion services. Co-extrusion, a specific style of extrusion services, layers multiple materials together to create one profile. This blending of materials creates a strong product that will last longer than if only one material were used.

Utilize Secondary Operations on Extrusion Services

Secondary operations performed on parts manufactured by extrusion services are another key way to improve longevity. Secondary services are more than just decorative measures. Surface treatments and protective coatings can shield components from harmful agents like UV-rays, chemicals, and microbials.

Port Erie Plastics offers numerous secondary operations that can follow extrusion services, including ultrasonic welding, fabrication, heat stake, and hot stamping. These operations will not only enhance parts, but improve longevity as well.

Precision Matters

In any manufacturing effort, precision matters. That holds true in extrusion services as well, particularly in engineering the dies that give the plastic its shape.

Properly engineered dies lead to strong and thicker walls, a denser product, and a more accurate shape. All of these characteristics will enhance part longevity.

Consider Additives or Fillers in Extrusion Materials

While using properly aligned materials during extrusion can impact the part’s service life, as an extra measure, consider using additives or fillers as well. This could range from fibers such as carbon or glass to performance enhancers that increase mechanical strength, stiffness, heat resistance, and more.

Trust Port Erie Plastics for Your Extrusion Services

Port Erie Plastics has been an industry leader for over seven decades in the plastics solutions space — including extrusion services. As the needs and demands of our customers continue to grow, so do our capabilities.

Quality is at the core of everything we do in our state-of-the-art facility. With modern machinery and quality checks throughout our manufacturing process, we are able to provide customers with peace of mind for their project.

Our plastic extrusion services are backed by the high-quality standards you should expect. We have multiple extruder machines for enhanced capabilities, along with up to 80 feet of cooling tanks.

Ready to improve your products with extrusion services? Contact us today to learn more about the difference we can make with your next project.

American Extruded Plastics: Why Working with an At-Home Manufacturer is Important

The reliance on American extruded plastics continues to increase daily. With an unpredictable outlook on tariffs, the pressure to create products at home is mounting.

Beyond the complexities of these policies, there are specific economic gains to be had by utilizing American extruded plastic products. As an American company, Port Erie Plastics understands the reluctance to work with an at-home manufacturer. Cost drives decision-making, but there are ways to keep it down.

Port Erie Plastics guides you through the importance of working with American extruded plastics manufacturers and the benefits to the customer and manufacturer.

American Extruded Plastics are Cost-Effective and Offer Other Economic Benefits

Working with an American extruded plastics company unleashes key economic benefits and other cost benefits not seen with international plastics companies.

Tariff Protection

For U.S. manufacturing companies, tariffs are creating a complex and often contradictory economic environment. By electing to work with an American manufacturer, consumers avoid potential cost increases they may incur by working with an overseas supplier.

Lower Shipping Costs

Shipping costs are driven down as well by working with American extruded plastics companies. With overseas companies, there are multiple ways the product has to be shipped before it reaches your door step. However, with an American company, shipping costs decrease dramatically.

Additionally, timelines shrink by working with an American company. You’ll avoid customs offices that have to investigate shipments and clear them, and instead can utilize standard domestic shipping procedures.

Better Business Relationships

As a consumer, investing in the American economy can certainly lead to better business relationships. Whether it’s a family-owned or a local business, expect a more personalized handling of your order and a greater understanding of your needs. Connections drive business and creating at-home relationships is essential for both current and future success.

Supply Chain Transparency

Overseas companies can leave you wondering where materials are sourced from, leading to more questions than answers. American extruded plastics companies can provide verified sourcing for materials, machining, and other critical aspects of the manufacturing process.

Heightened Quality Control Measures

American products go through rigorous quality control measures to ensure they meet required standards before entering the market. As a customer, this is a big benefit. More testing and quality control checks throughout the manufacturing process leads to more reliable parts.

American Extruded Plastics Offer Improved Customer Service

Finding reliable and quality customer service can be difficult, especially when you consider language barriers and massive time differences when partnering with an overseas extruded plastics provider.

Looking for an American Extruded Plastics Service Provider? Connect with Port Erie Plastics

Port Erie Plastics has been an industry leader as an American extruded plastics service provider since 1953. Our state-of-the-art facility located in Harborcreek, Pennsylvania, can handle any and all plastic solution services you may need.

Our capabilities are wide-ranging and our customers have come to expect our products to be the highest quality. We deliver consistent results in the plastic extrusion space and, while we let our work speak for itself, we’ve had plenty of customers share their experience as well.

Ready to keep your business at home? Contact us today.

A Step-by-Step Guide on Custom Plastic Extrusion

While there are many ways to manufacture plastic products, custom plastic extrusion services offer numerous advantages while maintaining a straightforward process. Cost-effectiveness, rapid production, and minimal waste are just a few of the benefits to this production style.

Port Erie Plastics guides you through the custom plastic extrusion process step by step and highlights a few benefits here.

Custom Plastic Extrusion: The Process

Even for a custom product, plastic extrusion is a straightforward process that follows standard steps.

Material Selection

This is arguably the most important step in the custom plastic extrusion process. Choosing the wrong material can lead to lost time and avoidable costs.

Customers and manufacturers should work together to identify which plastic material works best for the given product based on a few factors such as product application, the environment it will be in, and how long the part needs to last.

Common examples of plastics used include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene, poly vinyl chloride (PVC), and polystyrene. All four of these materials offer great strength and durability, as well as chemical and temperature resistance.

Feeding

After preparation, the resin is fed into a hopper that leads the material into the extrusion machine. This journey ends when the material meets the extruder screw where the next step takes place.

Melting

Once the resin hits the extruder screw, rotation begins from the screw where it pushes the resin into a heated barrel and melts it.

Extrusion

After the resin melts, it is then pushed out into a die where the melted material begins to take its designed shape.

Cooling

Once the die has been filled, the product is pulled and the cooling process begins. This can be done with air chillers or water coolers.

Finishing and Quality Control

The product has cooled and is in its final form. Any finishing touches are applied, such as coloring or surface touch-ups. From there, it will undergo extensive quality control measures, ensuring that the product is deemed fit to serve its intended purpose.

Uses and Benefits of Custom Plastic Extrusion

A custom product is going to have numerous benefits beyond a standard production run, but it goes deeper than that. Explore these common uses and key benefits to custom plastic extrusion services.

Uses

Common uses of custom plastic extruded products include:

• Architectural trims
• Window frames
• Medical tubing
• Furniture trim
• Greenhouse frames

Benefits

• Cost-effective
  • Custom plastic extrusion is cost-effective, especially for high-volume production runs. The low tooling costs, material efficiency, and ability to create continuous parts make it a more economical choice than other manufacturing methods like injection molding.
• Design flexibility
  • A custom product means a design that’s unique to both the customer and the manufacturer. You can create the most complex design without sacrificing product durability.
• Faster production method
  • Compared to alternative plastic production styles such as injection molding, plastic extrusion — even for custom runs — is faster.

Trust Port Erie Plastics For Your Custom Plastic Extrusion Services

Port Erie Plastics has been an industry leader for over seven decades in the plastics solutions space. As the needs and demands of our customers continue to grow, so do our capabilities.

Quality is at the core of everything we do in our state-of-the-art facility. With modern machinery and quality checks throughout our manufacturing process, we are able to provide customers with peace of mind for their project.

Our plastic extrusion services are backed by the high-quality standards you should expect. We have multiple different extruder screws for enhanced capabilities, along with up to 80 feet of cooling tanks.

Looking for the right custom plastic extrusion company? Contact us today to learn more about the difference we can make with your next project.

PVC Plastic Extrusion: Examining the Process and its Benefits

PVC plastic extrusion is one of the most common forms of plastic extrusion services, responsible for the production of numerous goods and parts that we utilize on a daily basis.

Because of that, it’s important for customers who are only beginning their journey with PVC plastic extrusion to know the ins and outs.

Port Erie Plastics guides you through the process, from design to delivery, and key benefits that come along with it. Learn more about this service to determine if this is the right one for you.

The PVC Plastic Extrusion Process

PVC plastic extrusion undergoes the standard plastic extrusion process using polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Let’s dive deeper into the process.

Material Preparation

The PVC material is in the form of a resin and can be mixed with a series of additives to enhance the product.

Feeding

After preparation, the PVC resin is fed into a hopper that leads the material into the extrusion machine. This journey ends when the material meets the extruder screw where the next step takes place.

Melting

Once the PVC hits the extruder screw, rotation begins from the screw where it pushes the resin into a heated barrel and melts it.

Extrusion

After the PVC melts, it is then pushed out into a die where the melted material begins to take its designed shape.

Cooling

Once the die has been filled, the product is pulled and the cooling process begins. This can be done with air chillers or water coolers.

Finishing and Quality Control

The product has finally cooled and is in its final form. Any finishing touches are applied, such as coloring or surface touch-ups. From there, it will undergo extensive quality control measures, ensuring that the product is deemed fit to serve its intended purpose.

Benefits of PVC Plastic Extrusion

The benefits of PVC plastic extrusion are in line with other forms of plastic extrusion services, but have their own unique advantages as well.

Cost-Effectiveness

PVC is one of the more affordable materials to use for plastic extrusion services. On top of the initial cost, the material’s other benefits include a long-lasting service life, which saves money and lowers cost in the long haul.

Durability

PVC plastic extruded products have proven to be very durable in numerous environments, including harsh weather climates, high-pressure conditions, and wet environments.

Design Versatility

PVC is a material that can easily be manipulated during the extrusion process, which means the design implications are wide-ranging.

Recyclability

Once PVC reaches the end of its service life, the material can be melted down and used in other products. This recyclability can help companies meet sustainability goals.

Learn More from Port Erie Plastics

Port Erie Plastics has been an industry leader in all things plastic since 1953. Our state-of-the-art facility located in Harborcreek, Pennsylvania, can handle any and all plastic solution services you may need.

Our capabilities are wide-ranging and our customers have come to expect our products to be the highest quality. We’ve delivered consistent results in the plastic extrusion space and, while we let our work speak for itself, we’ve had plenty of customers share their experience as well. If you’re thinking about utilizing our PVC plastic extrusion services, contact us today.

What Plastic Extrusion Companies Today Get Wrong — and How to Avoid Common Errors

There are hundreds of plastic extrusion companies scattered across the United States. Each company ensures that it’s the best option for you, but they can’t all be winners.

Issues such as improper material selection, a non-streamlined production process, poor quality control measures, or even poor communication are unfortunately all too common these days.

While there is no perfect manufacturing process, there are ways to get ahead of potential mistakes. Port Erie Plastics examines where common errors can occur with plastic extrusion companies and how to prevent them.

Improper Material Selection

One of the most important considerations when undergoing the plastic extrusion process is material selection. Certain materials are best suited for specific applications and if the wrong material is selected for a project, it could have serious consequences.

The best way plastic extrusion companies can avoid this is by communicating clearly with the customer, looking at the product design, and discussing the best solutions to avoid a costly mistake.

Non-Streamlined Production Process

Production processes should be a universally streamlined operation. While manufacturing companies are always looking for ways to improve and make production runs their own, at the end of the day, the process is the process.

That starts off with the design phase. A weak or inefficient design process, including time spent collaborating between company and client, can lead to plenty of headaches throughout the project.

The best way to ensure the production process is streamlined is by establishing effective communication from the beginning. By communicating any concerns, questions, or worries ahead of time, it can lead to a greater understanding of how a given company’s production process works.

Lack of Equipment Maintenance

It is essential for any manufacturing company to ensure their equipment is well maintained. And a surefire way to separate the right company from the wrong one is by asking how they accomplish this.

Poorly maintained equipment can lead to problems with your product including defects, inaccuracies, and overall low quality goods.

The best way to ensure properly maintained equipment for manufacturers is to perform routine service checks on all machines. With those service checks, manufacturers should also keep all customers informed of any potential service updates as a best business practice.

Poor Quality Control Systems

Poor quality control systems and management are arguably the most avoidable mistake any plastic extrusion company can make. It might mean more time spent reviewing products and ensuring they are to a specific standard, but it is essential.

Plastic extrusion companies need to have proper quality control systems in place. That starts off with quality checks throughout each step in the production process, keeping the customer updated throughout manufacturing, and then performing thorough inspections before shipping the finished product.

Why Choose Port Erie Plastics

Port Erie Plastics has been an industry leader for over seven decades in the plastics solutions space. As the needs and demands of our customers continue to grow, so do our capabilities.

Quality is at the core of everything we do in our state-of-the-art facility. With modern machinery and quality checks throughout our manufacturing process, we are able to provide customers with peace of mind for their project. Looking for the right plastic extrusion company? Contact us today to learn more about the difference we can make with your next project.

How Structural Foam Molding Use Low-Pressure Injection Molding Machines to Create Large Tonnage Plastic Products

Structural foam injection molding services are the backbone of Port Erie Plastics’ operations, creating large tonnage plastic products that provide excellent moldability, thermal stability, and many more benefits.

Our process efficiency is due to the low-pressure injection molding machines we utilize. Learn more about how our machines work, why they work, and how they lead to more efficiently created products.

What are Low-Pressure Injection Molding Machines?

Low-pressure injection machines are capable of handling large amounts of products for structural foam molding and the unique design layouts of specific products.

Port Erie Plastics has three machines capable of structural foam injection molding. Our Uniloy Milacron machines have been reliable resources over the years as we continue to expand our capabilities. Our newest machine is a 1000 SSWP LPIM structural foam molding machine.

Our equipment allows us to produce large tonnage products with parts up to 7.5 feet in length, and a typical wall thickness of 0.200 inches to 0.500 inches. The machines’ platen size is 96 inches x 89 inches, with tie bar spacing of 58.5 inches x 67.5 inches, and shot sizes up to 150 lbs. Because of these machines’ capabilities, Port Erie Plastics is able to run more than one machine at a time, allowing for cost-effective practices and efficiency for customers.

Explaining the Structural Foam Molding Process

Structural foam injection molding is one of the key services Port Erie Plastics performs.

The process starts off with a couple of key ingredients. The first being a liquid resin like polyethylene foam and then either a noble gas or chemical blowing agent. The liquid resin is mixed and then injected into a mold and the gas or the agent is heated up to expand the mold.

Once the mold has expanded, the resin fills the expanded space to take the given shape. As the resin begins to take shape of the mold, and once it hits the perimeter of the designed shape, the process begins to slow down as the space nears full capacity.

The final steps are when surface cells collapse and the surface smooths out into a solid texture outside of the mold.

Advantages of Using Low-Pressure Injection Molding Machines

The advantages of using a low-pressure injection molding machine are the same as using low pressure injection molding — structural foam molding — but there are a few specific characteristics that stand out.

• Using low pressure means there is a smaller chance that products will be damaged during production.
• Materials are moved through the machine at a slow, controlled rate, which means overmolding (if needed) can happen safely.
• Structural foam molding can happen quickly and produce a large amount of products, thus making it a cost-effective method.
• Materials used in structural foam molding, such as aluminium, are less expensive than materials used in regular injection molding services.
• Because products are created quickly and efficiently, there is minimal environmental impact.

How Port Erie Plastics has Become an Industry Leader by Using Low Pressure Injection Molding Machines

For more than 70 years, Port Erie Plastics has been an industry leader in structural foam molding and injection molding services. As technology advances, we’re able to maintain our expertise by investing in high-quality machines that produce parts that meet customers’ specific requirements. Contact us today to learn more about our machines, our process, and how we can make a difference in your next project.

Construction Industry Injection Molding Services: How Injection Molding and Structural Foam Molding Benefit Buildings

Construction industry injection molding services are a key component in the construction process. Almost every building project features injection molding and structural foam molding.

There are numerous benefits for contractors, project managers, project engineers, and foremen to have on-hand knowledge about these services. Not just to understand how products are made, but the benefit they can provide to make a project a long-term success.

Learn more about how injection and structural foaming molding works, its benefits in the construction industry, and how to find the right provider for these services ahead of a future project.

What is Injection Molding and How Does it Work?

Injection molding is at the heart of what Port Erie Plastics does. It’s one of the most commonly used methods in manufacturing parts for the construction industry as well.

Specifically, injection molding is when molten plastic is injected into a mold. The plastic is heated up ahead of injection and, once it cools, it hardens into a durable and useful product. There are six steps to the injection molding process: clamping, injecting, dwelling, cooling, mold opening, and product removal.

What is This Process Used for in Construction?

Injection molding is often used to produce construction products because it is cost effective for a high volume of parts. There are several product benefits as well, and is often used to make products such as siding, flooring, roofing, and piping. Injection molding is popular for creating products in the construction industry with minimal defects that maintain their structural integrity.

What is Structural Foam Molding and How Does it Work?

Structural foam molding is often used alongside injection molding for products in the construction industry.

The process starts off with a couple of key ingredients. The first being a liquid resin like polyethylene foam and then either a noble gas or chemical blowing agent. The liquid resin is mixed and then injected into a mold and the gas or the agent is heated up to expand the mold.

Once the mold has expanded, the resin fills the expanded space to take the given shape. As the resin begins to take shape of the mold, and once it hits the perimeter of the designed shape, the process begins to slow down as the space nears full capacity.

The final steps are when surface cells collapse and the surface smooths out into a solid texture outside of the mold.

What is This Process Used For in Construction?

It’s always good to have options when it comes to manufacturing, with ever-changing designs, manual labor, and potential setbacks common in the construction industry.

Structural foam molding is commonly used to make large parts, like wall panels and cladding, that need to be lightweight in structure and mass produced at a high rate.

This process can be used to make HDPE trench drains, which typically surround many buildings, namely in industrial parks. It’s important to have these outflows to remove waste like rainwater.

How Do These Services Benefit Construction?

Injection Molding Benefits

Efficiency

Injection molding is a very efficient way to produce a large amount of products in a short amount of time. This makes it a favorable selection for those in the construction industry with tight deadlines.

Durability and Strength

Just because the production process is fast doesn’t mean quality is sacrificed. Injection molded products have proven the test of durability and strength time and time again. These products have to be durable, especially when they are being used to create buildings.

Minimal Final Work

One of the advantages of construction products made through injection molding is that once they are produced, they require minimal final touches.

Structural Foam Molding Benefits

Cost-Effectiveness

This method of manufacturing is extremely cost effective, as the process uses slower clamping forces and pressures compared to other molding methods. The process also allows for use of less expensive materials, like aluminum.

Durability and Temperature Control

Products manufactured through this method are proven to be extremely durable. Because of the low pressures used during the manufacturing process, the materials keep their strength. Additionally, there is little expansion during production, so products can withstand various temperature changes.

Design Flexibility

The materials used are extremely moldable and, as a result, both the product and process offer plenty of flexibility without risk of defects.

The Port Erie Plastics Difference

Port Erie Plastics has been an industry leader for over 70 years with capabilities in both injection molding and structural foam molding. We bring to the table a full-service approach to our production. We don’t just make the product, we also provide several other important services, including mold design and tooling transfer, engineering, secondary options, and distribution and warehousing.

Connect with us today to learn more about our services and how we can help make a better product for you.

Making Cost-Efficient Molded Parts Through Injection Molding Benefits Your Business

Cost-efficient molded parts can benefit your business in various ways. As experts in plastic manufacturing, we at Port Erie Plastics know these benefits firsthand. In this blog, we plan to detail three main ways these parts can streamline your processes, significantly reducing production times and costs for your business.

Reduced Production Costs

Cost-efficient molded parts can reduce your overall production costs in a variety of ways.

First, injection molding and mass production can help you reduce overall costs through mass production. When more parts are produced at once, each component costs less on its own, reducing the individual cost per part.

Injection molding also minimizes waste since it only uses the necessary materials for each part. This reduces waste over time and can eventually save you thousands of dollars. For example, if you make 10,000 cost-efficient molded parts per month and save $0.25 per part on reduced waste, over a year, that will save you $30,000.

Lastly, when you create a higher volume of parts, the tooling costs are more evenly distributed across many parts. This decreases the overall cost per part through economies of scale. Overall, these factors contribute to injection molding being a great way to create cost-efficient molded parts.

Increased Production Efficiency

Injection molding for cost-efficient molded parts is also much faster and more streamlined than other production methods, improving overall production efficiency. This works in a variety of ways.

First, injection molding offers rapid cycle times, allowing producers to create a large volume of parts quickly. This decreases the time for a part to go from start to finish, helps keep production times low, and overall time-to-market is decreased as a result.

This process can also be automated, which reduces labor costs, shortens the production cycle, and eliminates the potential for human error.

Lastly, injection molding offers a high degree of repeatability. Once the initial mold has been created, the rest of the parts can be produced quickly and reliably with a high degree of consistency.

Design Versatility

Injection molding works well for manufacturers who need to create complex parts. These types of intricate or detailed cost-efficient molded parts are easily mass-manufactured through injection molding. They are also much easier to replicate in a standardized fashion.

Injection molding also allows companies to choose from a variety of materials for their finished product. This means that they can tailor their material selection and additives to fit their specific needs, and are not confined to one or two material choices.

Lastly, injection molding has a lot of advantages in terms of aesthetics for cost-efficient molded parts. You can choose from a variety of finishes, colors, and more to ensure your parts meet your exact specifications.

Other Benefits

Creating cost-efficient molded parts through injection molding has a few other benefits. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but injection molding can also help your production process in the following ways.

• Improving the overall quality of the finished product. Injection molding creates cost-efficient molded parts that only need minimal, if any, processing after initial production is complete. This creates more consistency in terms of quality.
• Lowering overall maintenance costs. When using molds that have already been pre-designed for use in an automated process to create cost-efficient molded parts, overall maintenance expenses are greatly reduced.
• Minimizing the need for reworking and multiple production runs. Injection molding tends to be more precise with less room for error, minimizing defects and the need to rework finished products or schedule a new production run to replace defective parts.

If you’re interested in partnering with experts in cost-efficient molded parts, Port Erie Plastics can help. Since 1953, our skilled team has specialized in injection molding and plastic parts manufacturing. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have or set up a consultation by using our contact form here.

To learn more about plastic injection molding and manufacturing, you can visit our blog here.

Exploring Common Structural Foam and Injection Molding Industries — From Construction to Consumer Goods

Many industries rely heavily on injection molding for their products and materials. As experts in injection molding and plastic manufacturing, we at Port Erie Plastics partner with many of these industries. Here is a deeper look into seven industries and how injection molding has become a key component of their business models.

Seven Critical Injection Molding Industries

Construction

First on our list of injection molding industries is construction. Injection molding is used for a wide range of construction applications, including window frames, door frames, pipes, fittings, insulation materials, and more. Since construction projects typically require a high volume of materials, injection molding provides a perfect solution. Its cost-effectiveness and high-volume production capacity make it perfect for construction applications.

Aerospace

Everything from interior components and structural parts to seating and structural panels is created through plastic molding. Injection molding is essential for creating lightweight, high-precision parts needed for aerospace applications.

Medical

Medical devices, surgical instruments, tubing, syringes, packaging, and much more are all created through injection molding, which is why medical and healthcare are considered top injection molding industries. Injection molding supplies the medical industry with a variety of sterile equipment. By melting down polymers in aluminum or steel molds when creating supplies, manufacturers produce items for the healthcare field that are up to the highest sanitation standards.

Automotive

The automotive industry uses injection-molded parts for various functions. Larger interior car components like dashboards and interior panels are created through injection molding, as well as more complex parts like engine components. The injection molding process provides components with certain fit specifications that are perfect for specialized automotive functions.

Packaging

Injection molding is commonly used for packaging products like containers, caps, closures, and more. Since the process can utilize various materials to produce the right texture, everything from medication packaging to soda bottles can be created through injection molding.

Plumbing

The plumbing industry also heavily utilizes injection molding to create plastic piping, fittings, fixtures, and more. Injection molding can create identical parts with high levels of accuracy, making it perfect for pipes that need to fit together precisely to prevent gaps and leaks. It can also be used with a variety of materials, making it applicable for different plumbing systems.

Lawn and Garden

One of the lesser-known injection molding industries is lawn and garden. Injection molding is used to make everything from lawn decorations and furniture to tool handles and equipment housing. Injection molding also allows for the introduction of plastic additives that can greatly increase the lifespan of outdoor items. For example, UV-resistant additives can help prevent fading and sun damage, while other additives can increase the durability of outdoor furniture and prevent cracking. This makes injection molding a top choice for mass-producing outdoor items.

Consumer Goods

One of the injection molding industries with the most versatile applications is consumer goods. Injection molding can be used for appliances like kitchenware and general electronics, as well as items like toys or knick-knacks. Injection molding allows companies to create a high level of standardization across their finished products, which is essential for maintaining brand reputation and meeting consumer expectations. The versatility of injection molding also allows for a variety of shapes, colors, plastic textures, and more, making it perfect for mass-produced goods.

At Port Erie Plastics, we have partnered with myriad industries for over 50 years. Our expertise extends to lawn and garden, construction materials, consumer goods, and more. If you’re interested in learning more about our capabilities for your projects, reach out to our team using this form.

To learn more about the plastic manufacturing and molding process, you can explore our blog here.