Telecommunications encompasses everything you need to make your phone connect with another device. Similar to many other industries, this industry has experienced significant innovation and change over the past 20 years. These shifts have witnessed both large-scale developments, such as the switch from flip phones to smartphones, and smaller changes, such as the growing role that thermoplastics play in the telecom manufacturing industry.
As a fast-growing industry, it needs to implement innovative methods that’ll keep them in front of competitors, and injection molding services are one of the most used methods. There are both benefits and disadvantages to this method, and the following article will go in-depth with both.
Benefits of Injection Molding Services
Speed
When you’re trying to get a product to market quickly, injection molding is the way to go. The method can produce large quantities of parts very quickly and is less labor-intensive than other manufacturing processes.
Cost-Effectiveness
Injection molding is a very efficient way to produce parts, and the upfront cost of the mold is the major expense. Once you have your mold, the per-unit cost of each part is relatively low.
Strong and Durable Parts
The injection molding process creates parts that are extremely strong and durable. That’s because the plastic is under high pressure during the molding process, which gives the material added strength.
Intricate Parts
The injection molding process allows for very intricate details to be created in a part. That’s because the molten plastic is injected into the mold under high pressure, which allows it to flow into all the nooks and crannies of the mold.
Dimensional Accuracy
The injection molding process is very precise, which results in parts that have a high degree of dimensional accuracy. That’s important for telecom parts because they need to fit together perfectly.
Disadvantages of Injection Molding Services
High Initial Investment
The biggest downside to injection molding is the high initial investment in the mold. That’s because mold is such an important part of the process and needs to be custom-made for each project.
High Learning Curve
Injection molding is a very complex process, so there is a bit of a learning curve for those who are new to it. However, once you get the hang of it, the process is relatively straightforward.
Possible Surface Defects
One potential downside of injection molding is that the parts can have surface defects. That’s because the plastic is under high pressure during the molding process, which can cause imperfections on the surface of the part.
Risk of Warping
Another potential downside of injection molding is that the parts can be susceptible to warping. That’s because the plastic cools unevenly in the mold, which can cause the part to warp.
Limited Shelf Life
One final downside of injection-molded parts is that they have a limited shelf life. That’s because the plastic starts to degrade over time, which can reduce the strength and durability of the part.
Fast Tech Advancement and Injection Molding
As we’ve mentioned, you’ll need to make a big initial investment in order to get ahold of molds for injection molding. But, technology advances fast and it changes the way things look. Just years ago, smartphones were a lot different, and if we go even deeper into the past, we’ll see flip phones, wire phones, etc. If injection molding was popular back then, phones would be much more accessible and mass-produced like today.
Once you collect $100,000 for the injection molding machine and all the supporting equipment, you want to be certain you’ll get your money’s worth. But, as the industry progresses rapidly, this is considered a rather risky investment, as you can only use one mold for one specific product, and you cannot bend it to your needs. That’s why a safer alternative is to hire an injection molding service for your next project.
Bottom Line
Injection molding is an important process for manufacturing plastic telecommunication parts. The advantages of injection molding include the ability to produce complex shapes, a high degree of accuracy, and low labor costs. However, there are also some disadvantages to consider, such as the high initial investment cost and the fast tech advancement. Overall, injection molding remains a versatile and effective way to produce high-quality telecommunication parts.
