Custom Rotational Molding vs. Injection Molding: Choosing the Right Process for Your Project
The greatest innovators with the most revolutionary ideas often lack design and engineering expertise, leaving them navigating the complex world of plastic manufacturing with little to no background on advanced techniques or the processes available to them. We’re often approached by customers with great concepts who trust us to produce the best product at the right price. To ensure absolute customer satisfaction, we work closely with them to develop cost-effective solutions to their plastic manufacturing needs, guiding them to the right molding process for their project.
Custom Rotational Molding vs. Injection Molding
While we touched on the pros and cons of each plastic manufacturing process in the past, deciding which is the best process for different projects requires a deeper understanding of the technologies involved. Both custom rotational molding and injection molding use advanced technologies to create plastic components and products, but in two very different ways. Rotational molding, for example, uses centrifugal forces to fill custom molds with specialized resins. Injection molding, on the other hand, fills molds by forcing the melted resin through small channels into specially designed cavity molds.
Factors that Influence the Molding Process
Both rotational and injection molding produce quality plastic products; but which process is the best for your project will depend on the following factors:
Component Size
Size plays a major role in determining which plastic manufacturing process is right for you. Rotational molding is ideal for larger products that require hollow or double-wall construction. Injection molding, however, works best for small to medium-sized components.
Production Volume
Required production volume plays just as much of a role in determining process as size does. When high-volume production is required, injection molding is the optimal choice for its ability to mass produce components in multi-cavity molds. Rotational molding, however, is a slower process best suited for lower volume production.
Design Complexity
Rotational molding, while perfect for simple products that require uniform wall thickness, is limited in its ability to create complex components or components with intricate surface details. In these cases, custom injection molding is the ideal solution.
Cost Considerations
When it comes to cost considerations, it becomes a balance between initial investment and long-term cost savings. Custom rotational molding, for example, has a lower initial investment but limited production capacity. Injection molding may have a higher initial cost, but it provides greater value over time. Because of this, it’s not unheard of for OEMs to invest in rotational molding to start the development process and transition to injection molding once the design is streamlined and product demand increases.
Let API Take the Guesswork Out of Your Plastic Manufacturing
API has extensive experience in custom rotational molding and injection molding technologies. Our team of expert design engineers will work with you to develop the most cost-effective solution for your plastic molding requirements. Contact us to learn more or request your quote to get started today!