Main navigation

Midstate Mold & Engineering

Precision Plastic Injection Molders

Our blog

by

COVID-19 and the Plastic Injection Industry: 11 Months In

A nurse wearing a hair net, plastic goggles, a face mask, and a face shield staring exhaustedly out a window after dealing with COVID-19 patients.

The pandemic ushered in a wave of supply chain disruptions across all industries, but the plastic injection industry has an advantage that has helped it weather the storm: versatility. It’s an adaptable industry that seizes opportunities in varying markets, but while one would expect a surge in demand for plastic medical parts, the opposite has been true during COVID-19. Though, plastic injection molding companies have come up with innovative ideas to find success in the hard-hit industries. To understand its evolution over the past year, let’s take a look at COVID-19 and the plastic injection industry.

[Read more…] about COVID-19 and the Plastic Injection Industry: 11 Months In

by

The Importance of Cooling Time in Plastic Injection Molding

A worker operating an industrial plastic injection molding machine.

The more parts you produce in a given time, the lower your costs. While the injection molding cycle time is a major contributor to the overall performance of the bottom line of your company, it’s a process that should not be rushed. One integral component of injection molding – and one that takes up most of the cycle time – is cooling time. It has a major bearing on the quality of your final product, and it’s not an area where you can cut corners. In this blog, we’ll further dissect the importance of proper cooling time in plastic injection molding.

[Read more…] about The Importance of Cooling Time in Plastic Injection Molding

by

The Roles of Glass and Ceramic Additives in Plastic Injection Molding

A closeup image or microscopic glass beads used for filler in plastic injection molding.

While thermoplastics are naturally strong and durable in their own right – often being preferred over their metal counterparts – sometimes additives can further reinforce certain features of plastic injection molding. This is especially beneficial when using types of thermoplastics that excel in some properties but lack in other departments such as heat resistance or durability. Some such enhancers that are often used in plastic injection molding are mineral reinforcers such as glass and ceramic additives.

[Read more…] about The Roles of Glass and Ceramic Additives in Plastic Injection Molding

by

The Benefits of Entrusting Your Injection Molding to a Turnkey Manufacturer

A male worker operating an industrial plastic injection molding machine at a turnkey manufacturer

It’s easy to bake a cake when all the cooking instruments and ingredients are conveniently located in the kitchen. Turnkey services operate in the same way, in that all aspects of an injection molding project are overseen by the same company from beginning to end. They handle all phases of the injection molding process, from the initial design all the way to the shipping of the final product. It’s ideal for protecting yourself from mishaps resulting from middlemen. However, the benefits of entrusting your injection molding to a turnkey manufacturer are even more widespread than that.

[Read more…] about The Benefits of Entrusting Your Injection Molding to a Turnkey Manufacturer

by

Comparing Plastic Injection Molding and Thermoforming

A female technician inspecting plastic packages generated by thermoforming

Using plastics in a wide variety of industries provides strength, versatility, and cost-efficiency that is difficult to achieve with many other materials. However, determining the application for which you intend to use plastics can inform you of the manufacturing process you should pursue. In particular, two popular methods for manufacturing plastic parts – plastic injection molding and thermoforming – offer many unique advantages depending on the specifications required for your project. In this blog, we will compare the advantages of both so you can determine the best option for you.

[Read more…] about Comparing Plastic Injection Molding and Thermoforming

by

Guidelines to Follow When Designing Injection Molding Parts

A close-up of a hand using a computer mouse, blue prints, and a laptop showcasing a computer-aided design program.

Injection molding is the preferred method for producing high-quality plastic parts, but it’s a complex operation that requires extensive knowledge of the process and machinery. That’s why it’s important to consider various aspects of a part’s designs, as everything from the vendor’s qualifications and equipment and to the part’s angles and edges can influence the quality of the final product. The subsequent guidelines to follow when designing injection molding parts require more upfront work but will pay dividends in both mold design and part production.

[Read more…] about Guidelines to Follow When Designing Injection Molding Parts