Parts & Products Made from Injection Molding

Port Erie Plastics has provided high-quality plastic injection molding solutions in Northwest Pennsylvania for the last 60 years. Our top-notch manufacturing plant, which occupies over 615,000 square feet, is equipped with the latest equipment, tools, and cutting-edge technology. Our 400+ highly experienced, skilled full-time employees provide custom injection molding solutions tailor-made to meet the specific needs of your application. We support Penn State’s Plastics Technical Center in Erie, one of only two campuses offering degree programs in Plastics Engineering Technology.

Injection Molding Process

The injection molding process takes various stages. Each stage must be carefully evaluated when considering part design, tool creation, and molded plastics production. The following are the primary steps in the injection molding process:

• Step 1: The mold closes: The injection molding cycle time starts off when the mold closes. Where robots are leveraged, the cycle will begin and end when the bots receive a new part or when the next part hits the conveyor belt.
• Step 2: Injection: The next step involves injecting the heated plastic into the mold. When the melt fills the mold, it displaces air, which is released through vents in the injection pins and along the parting line. Gate, runner, and vent designs are crucial because they guarantee the mold is adequately filled.
• Step 3: Cooling: After the mold has been filled, it is allowed to cool for a specified period to sufficiently harden the material. The cooling time is determined by the resin used as well as the thickness of the part. Ideally, each mold comes with internal cooling or heating lines that cycle water through the mold so that a consistent temperature is maintained.
• Step 4: Plasticizing the resin: As the temperature of the part goes down, the barrel screw retracts while drawing new plastic resin into the barrel from the material hopper. Heater bands are designed to maintain an ideal barrel temperature for the kind of resin being utilized.
• Step 5: Injection: The injection process involves the mold’s opening to allow for the ejector rod to move the ejector pins forward. The part will then fall off into a bin underneath the mold.
• Step 6: Packaging the runner: The bots or machine operators will separate the ideal parts from the leftover runners. The usable parts are weighed, counted, and packaged, ready for shipping or assembly.

Various Parts and Products Made from Injection Molding

Injection molding processes are used to create a range of parts and products, including car interiors, electrical switches, toys, computers, and medical tools. They are also used to manufacture sporting goods, electronic housings, construction materials, and health care supplies. Other common applications include plastic bottles, agricultural machinery, automotive components, lids, and caps.

A Career in Injection Molding

A career in the injection molding industry is arguably one of the most rewarding and self-fulfilling. An injection molding professional is responsible for a range of duties, including undertaking quality control measures, managing problems and setbacks, and performing routine equipment maintenance and repairs. Other responsibilities include ensuring a safe working environment for everyone. Some of the specific jobs available in injection molding include:

• Machine Operator
• Technician
• Molding Line Operator
• Molding Line Assistant
• Fabricator

Port Erie Plastics is ready to help you start a fulfilling career in injection molding. We regularly hire graduates and interns for a range of injection molding positions. Apply today for your dream job at our highly equipped manufacturing plant.

Primary Services Offered at Port Erie

The following are the primary services offered at Port Erie:

• Plastic Injection Molding: We provide high-quality custom injection molding for our customers. Our capabilities include insert molding, overmolding, and mold decorating.
• Mold Design & Tooling Transfer: We leverage nearly 90 plastic injection mold fabrication machines to provide you with high-quality injection mold designs and convenient tooling transfer solutions.
• Structural Foam Molding & Extrusion Services: Our highly experienced team uses top-notch tools and their vast experience to provide custom structural foam molding and extrusion solutions designed to match your preferences. Our equipment enables us to produce parts of up to 7.5 feet in length and a wall thickness range up to 0.500 inches.

Custom Solutions from Port Erie Plastics

There is no doubt injection molding is one of the most popular manufacturing processes due to its unmatched cost-effectiveness and eco-friendliness, among many other benefits. It is ideal for manufacturing high-precision complex parts for high-demand industries such as aerospace, automation, medical devices, electronics, and more. Contact us today to learn more about our solutions or apply to work at Port Erie Plastics.