The benefits of automated plastic injection moulding are many: higher volumes with minimal interaction, production efficiencies, consistency, precision, safety, reduced material waste and accuracy. However, is automation right for everyone? This blog details the benefits of automation and why the expertise of plastic injection moulding companies is essential to ensure that the process combines the right mix of automated, semi-automated and manual processes to meet a manufacturers needs.
What can you gain from automation of the process?
Production efficiency – The obvious benefit from automation is that by streamlining critical operations, automation improves injection moulding efficiency substantially. It also ensures part consistency, precision, and functionality with the utmost safety and accuracy.
Quality control – Accuracy is paramount in any precision injection moulding manufacturing solution. Automation helps eradicate human error and additional automated or semi-automated in-process vision checks aid in maintaining the correct temperature, pressure and other critical variables.
Material efficiency – The integration of robotics into the process enables sprue and any other waste scrap to be captured and recycled. Also, greater precision in the material injection process means less scrap in the first place. This not only lowers raw material costs and minimises waste but allows for material recovery too.
Speed and efficiency – By including automated or semi-automated processes, manufacturing lead times can be significantly reduced or use significantly fewer operators, especially if the entire project can be carried out without any third-party outsourcing for specific processes. Faster scaling of production is also made possible when demand significantly increases.
Agile partnerships – Plastic injection moulders, such as OGM, who provide full or semi-automated processes serve as adaptable partners, utilising an in house development team. They can provide guidance and support on the latest advancements in processes and technology, giving customers a competitive edge, as well as meeting fast changing demands.
Is automation right for your plastic injection moulding need?
Whether your moulding requirements will benefit from semi or full automation will depend on a range of factors, including:
- How many parts and assemblies are required per year?
- How complex is the part or assembly?
- What processes are used in the assembly
- What level of precision and repeatability is required?
- How important is scalability and production speed?
Deciding to pursue full or semi-automation will depend on the answers to all these questions and more. That is why OGM assesses each project and advises customers on the best process to achieve the desired outcome. For example, a simple two-part moulding might be more cost-effective using manual labour to clip the parts together in low volumes, compared to a part that has six different mouldings, inserted screws and ultrasonic welding in high volumes, where automation is the more logical choice.
Partnering with an experienced moulder, such as OGM, will pay dividends. With a highly dedicated team that has many years of experience in plastic injection moulding and over 15 years of investing in automation, the company is well versed in assessing customer needs, to see how semi-automated or fully automated processes can help. We provide full and semi automation for a wide range of our customers, including innovative start-ups and large multi-national corporations.
We were early adopters of automation and now:
- 90% of OGM machines include some form of automation.
- 35% of OGM machines feature complex automation functionality, such as feeders and vision inside the cell, and 6-axis robots for machine tending and assembly applications.
OGM can help you achieve more consistent, reliable and repeatable high-quality moulds and assemblies and will tailor the plastic injection moulding process to your specific full- or semi-automated needs. Contact us to learn more.