Structural foam and plastic injection molding are both widely used to manufacture plastic parts. Each method has its advantages, and deciding between them depends on factors specific to the part, including design, production volume, cost considerations, and material properties. Here are a few benefits that might help you determine if structural foam molding is right for your products.

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• Reduced Material Costs: Structural foam molding typically uses a mixture of resin and a blowing agent, which creates a cellular structure in the plastic part. This cellular structure allows for significant material savings compared to solid injection molded parts, making it a more cost-effective option for large, bulky parts.

• Increased Part Strength and Stiffness: The cellular structure created during structural foam molding results in parts with higher strength-to-weight ratios and improved stiffness compared to solid injection molded parts. This makes structural foam molding suitable for producing parts that require high structural integrity, such as large panels, housings, and enclosures.

• Faster Cycle Times: Structural foam molding generally has shorter cycle times compared to injection molding for similar-sized parts. This is because the foaming process allows for faster cooling of the part, reducing overall production time and increasing throughput.

• Enhanced Impact Resistance: The cellular structure of parts produced through structural foam molding can provide improved impact resistance compared to solid injection molded parts. This makes structural foam molding suitable for applications where durability and toughness are essential.

• Design Flexibility: Structural foam molding allows for greater design flexibility compared to injection molding, particularly when it comes to creating complex geometries or incorporating features such as ribs, bosses, or internal structures within the part. This can result in more innovative and optimized designs for specific applications.

To be successful, it is essential to carefully evaluate your project requirements or collaborate with your mold building partner to determine what process best suits your needs.

Advantages of Structural Foam Molding You Should Consider

Structural foam molding is a plastic manufacturing method that is used to create cost-effective, large-tonnage plastic products. During this process, nitrogen gas or a chemical blowing agent is mixed in with a melting polymer. This polymer mixture is then injected into a mold under low pressure. As the plastic touches the walls of the mold, it cools and solidifies, creating a product with a solid outer layer and a honeycomb-like interior.

The process of structural foam molding yields many benefits to both the manufacturer and the customer, including saving time and money on the process. Read on to explore many of the benefits this manufacturing process can offer if you need a large-tonnage plastic product.

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What are the Advantages of Structural Foam Molding?

Easily Create Large Parts

If you have a large-tonnage plastic part or product that needs to be manufactured, the structural foam molding process may be the best option for you. Since the process is a low-pressure process, it requires less clamping force, allowing you to create tooling and molds from more cost-effective materials, such as aluminum. Additionally, the low-pressure process leads to less damage, meaning you don’t have to spend more time or money on rerunning machines.

Design Flexibility and Less Warpage

The low-pressure characteristic of the process makes the structural foam very easy to mold. Structural foam molding puts less stress on the product during its production, so it experiences significantly less damage than parts created through straight injection molding. With the reduced risk of damage, you can easily design and create a more complex mold that will maintain the desired shape of the finished product.

The low-pressure process also prevents warpage. There is less stress on the product during the production process, so it is less likely to warp or become damaged while being manufactured.

Multiple Molds Can Run at the Same Time

In addition to its ability to produce very large parts with ease, it is also possible to run multiple molds at the same time on the same machine with structural foam molding. Since it is a low-pressure process, these molds can run simultaneously without putting too much stress on the machines or the molds. Being able to run multiple molds at one time can save you both time and money on your manufacturing process.

Advantageous Physical Properties

Structural foam molded products have many desirable physical properties that make them ideal for use in many industries. These products have a high-strength-to-weight ratio, meaning they are lighter weight than straight injection molded, solid plastic products while still maintaining their strength and durability. They also exhibit good thermal stability and are able to withstand thermal expansion so they will not warp or lose their properties when exposed to extreme temperatures, making them ideal for hot and cold environments.

Experience the Advantages of Structural Foam Molding with Port Erie

At Port Erie Plastics, we have been manufacturing high-quality plastic products and parts for various industries for more than 70 years. With our combined 615,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehousing space, we have the ability to take on any of your plastic manufacturing projects.

Our structural foam molding capabilities allow us to produce polyethylene or polypropylene parts up to 7.5 feet in length and with a wall thickness from 0.200 inches to 0.500 inches. In addition to our structural foam molding capabilities, we also have the equipment needed to complete custom injection molding and automated injection molding, allowing us to take on all of your plastic manufacturing needs.

We don’t stop there, either. Our in-house team of engineers can help you make sure that your design is optimized for manufacturability. We also offer in-house mold and tool building so you can easily alter your design to make your production more efficient. Once your project is complete, we can warehouse your finished product if needed.