Insert molding is a process that starts with placing metal, ceramic, or plastic parts into the plastic injection mold. After those parts have been properly placed, the mold is filled with molten plastic in the regular injection molding process. Once the plastic has cooled, the inserted parts are now firmly bound to, and integrated into, the plastic parts. There are many options for inserts that can be placed into the mold. Threaded bushings, wires, batteries, and warning labels are a few examples.

WHY SHOULD I USE INSERT MOLDING?

• 01 Overall cost savings
• One of the biggest reasons to use insert molding is the overall cost savings. While it will cost more during the production run for the inserts to be added, there is significant savings by not having the part handled a second time to manually install the inserts. The other benefit is that the inserts are more structurally stable then if they were inserted post-molding.
• 02 Reduce time cost
• Consider a plastic part that requires multiple threaded bushings integrated into it. If these bushings weren’t insert molded during the plastic injection molding process, the bushings would have to be added by some other method, such as heat staking (thermoplastic staking), in an additional post-molding process. This secondary process would add time and cost to the molding project.
• 03 Save molding
•  weightOne last benefit to consider is the amount of weight you can save with insert molding. For instance, if you were considering creating your part completely out of metal because it required machined metal screw holes, you could save significant weight by injection molding your part out of plastic and inserting threaded metal bushings (assuming your design would allow this change in material). This is very important in industries where weight reduction is a priority, like in the automotive and aerospace industries.

FINAL PART