What are the Top 5 Plastic Resins Used in Plastic Injection Molding for Manufacturing Retail Parts?

Plastic injection molding is one of the most frequently used manufacturing processes for creating parts for a wide range of consumer products. With several hundred engineering and commodity resins in the market today, the selection process for the best plastic injection molding services can appear to be daunting, especially if you are new to your role in your organization’s design and engineering department. Laszeray has an advanced knowledge of the unique benefits that each type of plastic resin brings based on its properties and how the materials will work with a specific project.

This article is intended to help internal manufacturing and design teams learn more about various plastic resins so that when you contact Laszeray for plastic injection molding applications, you will be more informed to make the best decisions for your project, and of course we are standing by to help you determine the best option.

First, what is the Difference Between Resin and Plastic?

Although resin and plastic are very important compounds to plastic injection molding services, there are five unique differences between the two, as follows:

• Definition – Resins can be solid or semi-solid, and are amorphous compounds whereas plastic is a form of synthetic resin.
• Origin – Because plastics derive from petrochemicals, they are synthetic, while resin is a natural element coming from organic plant matter.
• Impact on Mother Nature – Resin offers more environmentally friendly alternatives to plastics because the matter is natural. Because plastic has a slow degradation rate, it can contribute to environmental waste and pollution.
• Stability – Plastics are far more stable than resin because they lack impurities, and all resins will contain some impurities.
• Hardness / Softness – Resin is softer and can have a glue-like substance, while plastic is very dense and therefore hard.

As you can see, there are pros and cons with plastic and resins, however, the best solution for your project exists, and when you partner with Laszeray, we will ensure you use the right materials for your plastic injection molding services.

What are the Most Frequent Plastic Injection Molding Applications?

There are a wide range of resin materials that can be used in the plastic injection molding process. When you partner with Laszeray for plastic injection molding services, we will work with you to fully comprehend the specific needs that your application has and will then help you select the right resin to meet your needs. Some of the most common applications for various injection molding resins include the following:

• Acetal – Also known as Celson, offers a low coefficient of friction making it ideal for things like conveyor belts, bearings, and pulley wheels. Manufacturers also use acetal for high-performance components in an engineering design such as frames for eyeglasses, lock systems, fasteners, and firearms.
• ABS – Injection molded ABS is a popular option for a plethora of applications that include protective headgear like football helmets, wall plates for electrical outlets, steering wheels for cars and other automotive parts, sports equipment, and a wide range of consumer goods.
• HIPS – HIPS offers high-impact strength and therefore is often used in appliances, signage, printers, computers, children’s toys, and a wide range of electrical items.
• LDPE – LDPE is highly resistant to moisture and chemicals, making it ideal for manufacturing medical equipment, scuba diving gear, toolboxes, toys, wire insulators and cable insulators.
• Polypropylene – Injection molding using polypropylene is common in consumer applications, as well as commercial and industrial sectors. This material is often used in packaging products, toys, sporting goods, power tool bodies, appliances, storage containers and much more.

How to Choose the Best Plastic Injection Molding Material Option

When you partner with Laszeray, we will lend our expertise in helping your organization select the right resin for your plastic injection molding needs. First, you will want to consider the impact strength, as some applications require a certain degree of base strength so you need to know what the Izod impact strength needs to be before making your decision. In addition, tensile strength needs to weigh into the equation; ultimate tensile strength measures tension resistance and the weight load it can withstand before it rips apart.

Elasticity is another point of consideration; flexural modulus of elasticity applies to the limit a material can be bent without receiving damage, and that can spring back to its starting form. You also need to note heat deflection, a thing critical to understand, especially for applications that will be used in a wide range of temperatures and that need insulating performance benefits to tolerate extreme temperatures. Finally, water absorption needs to be considered when choosing the right resin for plastic injection molding. You need to know the percentage of liquid that the material takes on 24 hours after it has been immersed.

How are the Plastic Resins Made that Laszeray Uses in Plastic Injection Molding Services?

Laszeray only sources the highest quality plastics and resins that are created through the “cracking process”. This method uses heating hydrocarbons to break down the large molecules found in hydrocarbons like ethylene and propylene, as well as in other hydrocarbons. Then the monomers go through polymerization to develop polymer resins, and these can be used for additional processing such as dyes, plasticizers, and flame-retardant chemicals. Once the intended resin has been formed, it can be incorporated into plastic injection molding to create the necessary products.

Call Laszeray for Plastic Injection Molding Today

With more than a decade of experience serving a broad range of industries Laszeray can help you improve your design, select the right materials, and perform the best plastic injection molding services to create your desired parts while focusing on your organization’s main goals. Call today and learn how we can help you hit all your growth goals around manufacturing and plastic injection molding.