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Midstate Mold & Engineering

Precision Plastic Injection Molders

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Thermoplastic Highlight: ABS Plastic for Injection Molding

Colorful plastic blocks made out of ABS plastic.The great thing about working with plastics is there are many to choose from for their different characteristics, abilities, composition, durability, price-points, and more. These can range from plastics that is as hard as metal to plastics that are designed to flex when molded properly as a living hinge. From this wide array of plastics, let’s look at one of the most common types of plastic used: ABS plastic, and why you can find it in everything from drainage pipes to LEGO bricks. [Read more…] about Thermoplastic Highlight: ABS Plastic for Injection Molding

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Should You Choose Plastic Injection Molding or Spin Casting?

Example of a Spin Caster Machine.
Example of a Spin Caster Machine (picture from public domain).

When it comes to producing your plastic parts, you’ve got several manufacturing processes to pick from. While we will always point to the advantages of injection molding, it’s important to understand the alternatives and which niche in the market they fill. Today we’re looking at spin casting and contrasting it to injection molding. Which is the best for you? It all depends on your needs and the scale of your project. [Read more…] about Should You Choose Plastic Injection Molding or Spin Casting?

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The Importance of Gate Design and Gate Size in Injection Molding

Core of an injection moulding die, in close-up. While injection molds tools are hard to design and manufacture, their core concepts are easy to understand. The mold itself consists of two faces, between which is the cavity and core set into which the plastic is injected. The plastic – which, like its namesake implies, is injected into the mold through a sprue that feeds the runner plastic enters the mold’s cavity through the gate. The gate is the literal gateway of plastic into a cavity/core and therefore can make or break a mold. Too small and the mold cannot fill completely; too large and the plastic is too hard to shear. [Read more…] about The Importance of Gate Design and Gate Size in Injection Molding

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Advantages of Injection Molding Over Rotational Molding

Advantages of Injection Molding Over Rotational Molding

If you are considering creating a plastic product, then you’ve asked yourself: What are the differences between injection molding and rotational molding? How do they compare in costs, production consistency, materials and design flexibility? We have discussed the advantages of the plastic injection molding process previously in our blog Five Advantages of Plastic Injection Molding. Before we examine the advantages of injection molding over rotational molding, we’ll need to examine the process of rotational molding. [Read more…] about Advantages of Injection Molding Over Rotational Molding

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Is Plastic Injection Molding the Right Process for You?

Picture of a Toshiba EC-SX injection molding machine.If you’re considering creating a plastic product, then you’ve definitely asked yourself: is plastic injection molding the right process for creating my part? How does it compare in costs per unit, lead times, design flexibility, product consistency, and up-front costs compared to other processes? Plastic injection molding is the preferred process for many reasons, such as manufacturing plastic parts in high-volumes. Below are other advantages and common uses that should help you to determine if this process is right for your part. [Read more…] about Is Plastic Injection Molding the Right Process for You?

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Benefits and Drawbacks of Offshore Tooling

Cargo ship with cargo containers moving across open water.Offshore tooling is desired by many plastic injection molders who consider the premier factors like quality, access to resources, time, and cost. We offer our clients the opportunity to enjoy the price advantage associated with offshore tooling, while providing state-side day-to-day project management, from design to product sampling. Below are the major benefits and drawbacks of low-cost offshore tool production. [Read more…] about Benefits and Drawbacks of Offshore Tooling